Lt. Col Kevin Hoffman, battalion commander of the Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Col. Miroslav Vybihal, Acting Commander of the Czech 7th Mechanized Brigade command, pause for a photo during a Victory in Europe celebration held May 8, 2024, in Hranice, Czech Republic. Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia National Guard Soldiers are taking part in Immediate Response 24, a sub-exercise to the DEFENDER 24 exercise being held throughout Europe. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeff Clements)