Across the IDL: Partnership Begins Before Yama Sakura 91
By Correy Mathews | Aug. 31, 2026
Soldiers assigned to the 11th Airborne Division departed Anchorage, Alaska, crossed the International Date Line and arrived in Japan one day ahead on the calendar as they traveled to Hokkaido for Exercise Yama Sakura 91. Crossing the International Date Line marked more than a change in time. For the Arctic Angels, it marked the transition from training and operating in Alaska to working alongside Japanese and Australian counterparts thousands of miles across the Pacific.
Kentucky Guard honors Col. Eddie Simpson after 35 years of service
By Maj. Cody Stagner, | Aug. 31, 2026
U.S. Army Col. Eddie Dewayne Simpson retired from the Kentucky Army National Guard during a ceremony at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky., Aug. 21, 2026. Over his 35-year military career, Simpson commanded multiple infantry units, built strategic state partnerships, and pioneered early holistic health and fitness initiatives that drastically improved Soldier readiness.
More exciting than watching concrete dry: Lake City’s new 6.8mm facility reaches dry-in milestone
By Daniel Jara | Aug. 31, 2026
INDEPENDENCE, MO - “Delivering tomorrow’s small caliber ammunition lethality today” is the guiding principle behind ongoing transformation at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, Missouri. The U.S. Army is one step closer to bringing its next-generation manufacturing vision to life. On July 22, construction crews celebrated a dry-in ceremony for the 6.8mm Cartridge Manufacturing Facility at LCAAP. This ceremony represents a critical milestone meaning the building’s exterior shell is now complete and weather-tight.