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FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
FEATURE
Spin it to win it: McConnell AFB innovation, Page 2
725th AMS puts resilience plan into action, Pages 8 & 9
86 AW builds mobility readiness, Pages 16 & 17
USAG Rheinland-Pfalz planning conference, Page 25
September 4, 2026 | Volume 50, Number 35
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86th MDG stretches aeromedical evacuation capabilities in High North during Northern Viking 26 by 2nd Lt. Olivia Bertaud 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
KEFLAVIK AIR BASE, ICELAND — U.S. Air Force medical person-
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Rogan Jones, 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron aeromedical evacuation technician, left, and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Diandra Velasquez, 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron aeromedical evacuation technician, prepare to carry a litter onto an aircraft during exercise Northern Viking 26 at Keflavík Air Base, Iceland, Aug. 26. NV26 strengthens interoperability and force readiness among the U.S., Iceland and Allied nations, enabling multi-domain command and control of joint and coalition forces defending Iceland and defending the increasingly contested Arctic and North Atlantic. Photo by Staff Sgt. Johnny Foister
nel of the 86th Medical Squadron and 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from Ramstein Air Base are taking part in exercise Northern Viking 26, bringing 86th Medical Group operations to the biennial exercise for the first time in its history. Exercises like NV26 allow U.S. forces, Icelandic Coast Guard and NATO Allies to hone critical medical response and security assurance capabilities, preparing for contingencies in the increasingly contested High North region. Rapid medical response is an integral part of NV26 because an increasingly accessible Arctic expands operational demands and the potential need for medical response, while extreme weather escalates the risk of humanitarian missions. “Our job is to learn how to configure different aircraft and do our job in areas like the High North, See EVACUATION, Page 3
The quiet Riviera: Italy’s lovely Liguria This spring my family discovered Italy’s region of Liguria, located in the northern section of the Italian Riviera. This part of the country can be
“By All Means” is the featured movie of the week, Page 29
See LIGURIA, Page 30 Harbor of Portofino.
Photo by StevanZZ/Shutterstock.com
by Wendy Payne Contributing writer to MilitaryinGermany.com