Transfer Of Authority Ceremony
Task Force Independence, comprised of members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), relinquished authority over Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine (JMTG-U) during a transfer-of-authority ceremony on June 1, 2025 at the 7th Army Training Command headquarters in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The JMTG-U trains members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Germany, focusing on building capacity for joint maneuver and combined arms operations.
The 56th SBCT deployed to Germany in Oct. 2024 and played a critical role in building combat-ready Ukrainian battalions capable of operating in a dynamic, multinational environment. During this rotation, Task Force Independence trained over 400 Ukrainian soldiers in leadership skills and provided real life support needs for more than 4,000 soldiers. The transfer of authority ceremony signifies the end of the mission for Task Force Independence and service members will soon be returning home!
U.S. Army Releases New Graphic Novel
In honor of the Army’s 250th birthday celebration, the Association of the United States Army has released a new graphic novel, The Birth of the U.S. Army. This full-color digital book was created by a talented team of professionals drawn from the comic book industry, and the details were vetted by professional historians. To read The Birth of the U.S. Army or to download a free copy, please visit www.ausa.org/the-birth-of-the-us-army