FORT POLK, La. –
The Virginia National Guard’s Staunton-based 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team became the first Army National Guard MBCT to test its capabilities at a historic Joint Readiness Training Center rotation May 31 - July 1, 2026, at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The 116th was part of about 4,500 Army National Guard Soldiers from multiple states, as well as international partners, to conduct the rotation in one of the Army’s most demanding training environments.
The 116th MBCT entered JRTC following its transformation from an infantry brigade combat team in 2025, marking a significant milestone in the Army National Guard’s modernization efforts. Throughout the rotation, Soldiers conducted realistic large-scale combat operations integrating maneuver forces, aviation assets, fires, sustainment, communications and partner-nation capabilities designed to prepare formations for the complexity of the modern battlefield.
“The 116th MBCT has officially blazed the trail,” said Brig. Gen. Russell “Rusty” McGuire, the Virginia National Guard Assistant Adjutant General for Army Strategic Initiatives, and the senior trainer for the rotation. “As the first National Guard mobile brigade combat team to conduct a JRTC rotation, our Soldiers pushed new equipment and formations to their limits, capturing valuable lessons that will help prepare future National Guard brigades that follow.”
"Our brigade is trained and ready to win the first battle alongside the active U.S. Army if our nation calls upon us.” said Col. Arthur Moore, commander of the 116th. “JRTC provides the ultimate test of our systems against a world-class opposing force. This ensures that when our Soldiers go to war, they do so with the absolute best preparation.”
The rotation brought together National Guard units from Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, New Jersey, Georgia and Puerto Rico, building a multi-state formation capable of operating across multiple warfighting functions. The combined force provided commanders and Soldiers the opportunity to exercise interoperability, mission command and coordination between units which could be called upon to serve together during future operations.
In 1941, thousands of Soldiers trained across Louisiana during the Louisiana Maneuvers in preparation for World War II, today’s Soldiers continue testing new formations, equipment and tactics on the same ground. The historic exercises helped transform the U.S. Army by validating new concepts in mobility, combined arms operations and leadership before American forces entered the war.
“More than 80 years after Gen. George S. Patton helped transform America’s Army during the Louisiana Maneuvers, today’s Soldiers continue that legacy of toughness, innovation and commitment to mission,” said McGuire. “The spirit of those who came before us lives on in every Soldier training here today.”
The 116th MBCT’s rotation at JRTC continued that legacy of adaptation, giving Soldiers the opportunity to test the Army National Guard’s newest mobile brigade combat team formation in a challenging environment designed to prepare units for the demands of future conflicts.
“What we have seen from the 116th Mobile Brigade Combat Team is a formation adapting in real time,” McGuire said. “The challenges they have faced here at JRTC are designed to test leaders and Soldiers at every level, and they are proving they can overcome adversity and accomplish the mission.”
International partnerships also played a significant role throughout the rotation as Finnish Soldiers partnered with the Virginia National Guard and Guatemalan special operations forces partnered with the Arkansas National Guard trained alongside U.S. forces in support of the State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Finland have been formally paired since 2024.
Finnish forces also brought a unique capability to the rotation with the AMOS mortar system, a highly mobile platform designed to provide responsive indirect fires while maintaining the ability to quickly reposition on the battlefield. The unique twin-barrel design enables an incredibly high volume of fire. It can unload four rounds in just 5 seconds, achieve a maximum rate of 16–26 rounds per minute and sustain 12 rounds per minute. During force-on-force operations at JRTC, Finnish Soldiers integrated the system with the 116th MBCT, demonstrating how mobile fires capabilities can support maneuver forces in a complex training environment.
“The environment, especially the climate, was very different from what we are used to,” said Finnish Maj. Antti Uljas. “Heavy rains, flash flooding, heat and especially the humidity are challenges we do not experience the same way back home. Our Soldiers adapted successfully, and now we have another adaptation ahead as we return home to Finland.”
The rotation culminated with a historic live-fire capabilities demonstration, marking the first time the AMOS mortar system was fired in the United States. The event showcased not only the capability of the weapon system, but also the growing interoperability between Virginia National Guard Soldiers and their Finnish partners.
“Adding to this historic rotation, Virginia’s Finnish state partners made history by executing their first indirect fire missions in the United States,” said McGuire. “The 116th MBCT tested emerging concepts, strengthened partnerships and proved the adaptability of our Soldiers as we continue preparing for future missions.”
“Supporting a mobile brigade combat team was different from supporting our own mechanized infantry formations,” Uljas said. “The opportunity to train with different units, in different locations and under different scenarios is a unique experience that makes our unit better. This was a memorable exercise for both our staff and reservists.”
The integration of partner nations at JRTC demonstrated the importance of building relationships and understanding before units operate together during real-world missions.
Read more about the 116th MBCT at https://vngpao.info/2p88stjc.