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 Staff Sgt. Drake Chandler

Michigan National Guard Participate in Operation Safe Harbor 2023

Michigan National Guard

Sept. 8, 2023 | 1:14

U.S. Army Michigan National Guard Soldiers, in cooperation with the Mackinac County Office of Emergency Management, participate in Operation Safe Harbor 2023, a simulated exercise for the mass evacuation of civilian personnel, on Mackinac Island, Mich., September 7, 2023.

The 1437th Engineer Company, based out of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., built a floating port (bridge) utilizing bridge erection boats (BEBs) for the simulated evacuation of Mackinac Island where the current ports would not be able to be accessed.

CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Detachment 1, Company B, 238th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., conducted sling load operations, bringing bridge sections to the engineer company for assembly.

The exercise is intended to evaluate the Mackinac Island evacuation plan established by the Mackinac County Emergency Management team in conjunction with federal, state, and local emergency response teams.

Operation Safe Harbor 23 is the first ever exercise of this type to be executed in Michigan. The exercise included 18 emergency response partners included FEMA, Michigan State Police, Mackinac County Sheriff's Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and more. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Drake Chandler).