Naval Education and Training Command: Warrior Toughness

Every U.S. Navy Sailor, enlisted or officer, could face life-threatening situations from combat or casualty. Each and every one needs to have the ability to persevere and perform under both immediate danger and long-term stress, both on the job and at home.

Warrior Toughness (WT) is a holistic human performance skillset that enhances the toughness of our Sailors with a focus on the pursuit of peak performance. The system emphasizes coequal development of toughness in the mind, body, and soul. WT combines performance psychology skills with character development, and teaches the Warrior Mindset, whose concepts were initially developed by members of the Naval Special Warfare community.

Designed to increase the Navy’s warfighting capabilities, WT is an enabler of the Culture of Excellence as part of the first line of effort – Developing a Lethal Warfighting Force. In place at Recruit Training Command since October 2018, the curriculum is now incorporated across all Navy accessions at Officer Training Command Newport, the United States Naval Academy and the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. WT will improve the performance of Sailors under stress and throughout their everyday lives, building lethal warfighters ready for the next mission.

Video by Sgt. Alyssa Abke

Faces of AFRICOM | Exercise Planner

U.S. Africa Command

Aug. 2, 2022 | 0:38

This edition sheds light on the role of Joint Training, Readiness and Exercises directorate with the help of U.S. Army Lt. Col. Adam McCombs.

"A lot of the exercises focus not only on countering VEOs (violent extremist organizations) on the continent, a threat that we both share, but also promoting stability and regional security within the host nations and the surrounding nations for the objectives we are looking to achieve within the exercise program," explained McCombs. "We take a big account to what our partner nation's objectives are and making sure that the exercise also meets those ideas."

The main objectives when planning exercises are to take the combatant commander's guidance for the operations and align the program in a way that achieves the campaign strategy, assists in countering threats, strengthens alliances, and increases the overall joint readiness of the force.

Exercises are a necessary part of how the command operates in Africa by incorporating all lines of effort by gaining access and influence, countering threats, incorporating crisis mitigation and response, and coordinating with allies and partners.

U.S. Africa Command is one of seven U.S. Department of Defense geographic combatant commands. The command is responsible for all U.S. military operations, exercises, security cooperation, and conducts crisis response on the African continent in order to advance U.S. interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.