Demonstrate

Sgt. Jeremy Lutz, a marksmanship instructor with Weapons Training Battalion, Training Command, discusses the Marine Corps Competition Marksmanship Program and its role in advancing marksmanship across the force. The program establishes competition marksmanship policies and requirements while giving Marines opportunities to test and refine their skills through competitions.

Lutz, an 0331 machine gunner and instructor competitor on the Marine Corps shooting team, describes the matches in the Marine Corps Championships, including high power, action pistol, action rifle, multi-gun, and the gas gun match. He also explains the selection process and why the shooting team competes at the international level to bring skills back to the total force.

Sources: US Marine Corps (YouTube)

Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, conducted base defense training in Vilseck, Germany. Ground crews trained in perimeter defense and rapid-reaction drills to protect and sustain aviation assets in contested environments, building warfighting resilience for mission effectiveness across the European theater.

Sources: US Army Europe and Africa (YouTube)

The USMC Innovation Challenge, launched over a year ago, seeks out hidden tech talent across the service, according to the video. Participants develop unclassified solutions for commander-submitted issues, with awards and financial incentives for winning entries.

The clip highlights that winning applications were built in-house by Marines, not by outside companies, using tools like PowerBI and Power Apps. One participant notes the challenge allowed them to identify unit problems and create efficiencies, freeing up time for professional military education. The video says they are going to go into phase two, another round, with more challenges already loaded and Marines encouraged to step forward.

Sources: US Marine Corps (YouTube)

Footage from the September 2026 iteration of the Jungle Operations Training Course at Lightning Academy, O’ahu, Hawaii, shows a range of training activities and events from the course.

Sources: DVIDS (YouTube)

The 11th Airborne Division prepares, rigs up, and executes a multinational airborne assault alongside partner forces from Indonesia, Australia, and India during Super Garuda Shield 26, according to the U.S. Army. The exercise footage was captured by U.S. Army video by Spc. Jonathan Reyes.

Sources: US Army (YouTube)

The assault amphibious vehicle, in service with the U.S. Marine Corps since 1972, made its final operational employment during Exercise Sea Breeze 26 at Babadag Training Area, Romania. The exercise, co-sponsored by U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, develops interoperability of maritime and ground forces in the Black Sea Region.

In the clip, a Marine with 22 years of experience on the AAV reflects on the vehicle’s history, its role in transferring cargo from ship to shore, and its adaptation to modern warfare, including drone operations. He describes the vehicle as a “workhorse” and notes that its retirement marks a culminating event in his career, as the platform is passed to partner nations.

Sources: US Marine Corps (YouTube)

DARPA’s Lift Challenge aims to break a nearly century-old barrier that has held back heavy vertical-lift aircraft, which currently lift only as much as they weigh. The national public competition began with a single metric: improving payload-to-weight ratio.

Phillip “Donna” Smith, a program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office who oversees several aerial drone programs including the Lift Challenge, discusses how a logistics challenge sparked the effort. He shares insights from the 2026 competition and the decision to pursue even larger goals in 2028, including the hypothesis that more aerodynamic designs, new materials, and better flight controls could enable aircraft to lift four times their current weight.

Sources: DARPA (YouTube)

U.S. Army Pfc. Peyton Spurrer with the 173rd Airborne Brigade discusses the unit’s participation in Saber Junction 26 in Hohenfels, Germany, a major training exercise certifying units alongside multinational allies for decisive action operations.

In the clip, Spurrer explains that Saber Junction is a training exercise the brigade conducts every two years to re-certify combat training and train with allied forces in order to remain combat ready.

Sources: US Army (YouTube)

Marines assigned to the Marine Innovation Unit (MIU) and the Marine Corps Software Factory (MCSWF) discuss the partnership between the two units, filmed in Austin, Texas. MIU serves as an on-demand supporting entity that accelerates the development and deployment of advanced capabilities, partnering with Combat Development & Integration and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.

In the clip, a Marine describes MIU as a reserve unit that pulls reservists with high-value skills from their civilian careers to better serve the Corps. Another Marine explains her role as a satellite operator and dual product manager/product designer within MCSWF, noting the units plan “sprints” together to work on projects. The Marines also discuss the selective interview process and the value of keeping cutting-edge technology expertise inside the Marine Corps.

Sources: US Marine Corps (YouTube)

The September edition of the “This is USAREUR-AF” video series covers Exercise Saber Junction 26, held at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

The exercise featured the 173rd Airborne Brigade leading more than 5,400 U.S. and Allied participants to validate rapid deployment, integrate advanced capabilities, and build combat power across the European theater.

Sources: US Army Europe and Africa (YouTube)