Photo Of The Day and we take a look at Task Force Red Dragon, Headquartered in Lynchburg, VA, the First Battalion 116th Infantry Regiment. These images were published as the National Guard Soldiers from Virginia and Kentucky ended their Africa mission in 2022.

Task Force Red Dragon Soldiers with the Virginia and Kentucky National Guard conducted more than 75 combined operations and training exercises with the French, Kenyan, Japanese, Italian, Spanish and Djiboutian armed forces during a nine-month security mission for Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. The nine-month deployment ended Sept. 19, 2022.

Note the FN SCAR.

Approximately 1,000 Soldiers from across Virginia and Kentucky served on this mission. Task Force Red Dragon provided security forces throughout the Horn of Africa, maintaining a presence in Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya. This defensive mission included 24/7 perimeter security of military installations, safeguarding U.S. and partner forces and civilian contractors. The task force also provided security for multiple U.S. Navy port calls, enabling refueling and refit operations for U.S. ships operating in the vicinity of the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb strait.

Source: U.S. Army, photo by Virginia National Guard – U.S. Army