Dear supporters, In December, SoA’s Isaac Eagan and Chris VanJohnson were invited to join the staff of the 1st Armored Division for Iron Forge 17, a full-scale field exercise conducted each year to prepare for future operations. Since Army teams often work with nongovernmental and other organizations to accomplish their objectives on the ground, Spirit of America was invited to help simulate how the team and SoA might work together on a real-life mission. According to one of the 1st AD officers, the idea was to “talk with the division as they go through their initial planning to figure out if down the road there are ways that we can be mutually supportive in a global environment. That relationship piece has already been developed in one another’s thought processes so that troops, as they go downrange, have an additional tool in their toolkits.” Shared awareness earlier in the planning process can lead to more effective results on the ground once units are deployed. To learn more, read this article about the engagement in the Fort Bliss Bugle. Until next week, The Team at Spirit of America