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Captivating Images Of Armed Forces Around The World

Daniel Mercer · Updated January 13, 2020 · 10 min read
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U.S. Armed Forces members standing in formation during a ceremony
Daniel Mercer
Daniel Mercer

Military History Editor

Daniel Mercer writes about military history with a focus on the 20th century, including World War II, the Cold War, and Vietnam. His work looks at how decisions made decades ago still influence doctrine, planning, and assumptions today.

Armed Forces Images Singapore

Soldiers from the Singapore Armed Forces conduct a squad level attack range as part of Exercise Valiant Mark 2016 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. Sept. 29, 2016. This is the 25th year that U.S. Marines and the Singapore Armed Forces have met for Valiant Mark, which improves and maintains a high level of interoperability, enhanced military to military relations and to enriches mutual combat capabilities through combined training.

Cpl. Akeel Austin, U.S. Marine Corps

Soldiers from the Singapore Armed Forces conduct a squad level attack range as part of Exercise Valiant Mark at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. These armed forces images were photographed by military veterans and service members.

Soldiers from the Singapore Armed Forces fire at targets during a company level assault as part of Exercise Valiant Mark at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California.

Armed Forces Jordanian

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reviews members of the Jordanian Armed Forces alongside his counterpart, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, at the Ministry of Defense in Amman, Jordan, March 9, 2017.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique Pineiro, U.S. Navy

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reviews members of the Jordanian Armed Forces alongside his counterpart, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, at the Ministry of Defense in Amman, Jordan.

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reviews members of the Jordanian Armed Forces alongside his counterpart, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, at the Ministry of Defense in Amman, Jordan.

Armed Forces Images of Nigerien Formation

Nigerien armed forces participate in the opening ceremonies of Flintlock 2017 in Diffa, Niger, Feb. 27, 2017. Flintlock is a multinational Special Operations Forces exercise geared toward building interoperability among African and western nations.

Spc. Zayid Ballesteros, U.S. Army

Nigerien armed forces participate in the opening ceremonies of Flintlock in Diffa, Niger. These armed forces images were photographed by military veterans and service members.

Armed Forces Nigerien training

Nigerien service members react to contact during Exercise Flintlock 2017 in Diffa, Niger, Mar. 3, 2017. Flintlock bolsters partnerships between African, European and North American Special Operations Forces which increases their ability to work together in response to crises.

Spc. Zayid Ballesteros, U.S. Army

Nigerien service members react to contact during Exercise Flintlock in Diffa, Niger. Flintlock bolsters partnerships between African, European and North American Special Operations Forces.

Armed Forces Bosnia

Soldiers from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, move for better cover and concealment, Sept. 15, 2016, during training as part of exercise Immediate Response 16 held at the Croatian Armed Forces training area of Slunj, Croatia. Immediate Response 16 is a multinational, brigade-level command post exercise utilizing computer-assisted simulations and field training exercises spanning two countries, Croatia and Slovenia. The exercise occurs Sept. 9-23, 2016, and includes more than 1,900 Soldiers and security forces from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Staff Sgt. Opal Vaughn, U.S. Army

Soldiers from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, move for better cover and concealment.

Armed Forces Bosnia

A soldier from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, returns suppressive fire, Sept. 15, 2016, during training as part of exercise Immediate Response 16 held at the Croatian Armed Forces training area of Slunj, Croatia. Immediate Response 16 is a multinational, brigade-level command post exercise utilizing computer-assisted simulations and field training exercises spanning two countries, Croatia and Slovenia. The exercise occurs Sept. 9-23, 2016, and includes more than 1,900 Soldiers and security forces from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Staff Sgt. Opal Vaughn, U.S. Army

A soldier from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, returns suppressive fire,  during training as part of exercise Immediate Response 16 held at the Croatian Armed Forces training area of Slunj, Croatia.

Armed Forces images of Philippine Army

Philippine Army soldiers, and U.S. Army soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment walk back to the helicopter landing zone, after completing a combined-joint operation Handa Koa for Balikatan, April 14th, 2016. This year marked the 32nd iteration of the annual exercise Balikatan, which is an annual Philippine-U.S. military bilateral training exercise that is a signature element of the Philippine-U.S. alliance focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance, maritime law enforcement, and environmental protection.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jerome Johnson, U.S. Navy

Philippine Army soldiers, and U.S. Army soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment walk back to the helicopter landing zone, after completing a combined-joint operation Handa Koa for BalikatanThese armed forces images were photographed by military veterans and service members.

Armed Forces Philippine Soldiers

Philippine Army soldiers traverse the jungle, during a combined-joint operation Handa Koa for Balikatan, April 14th, 2016. This year marked the 32nd iteration of the annual exercise Balikatan, which is an annual Philippine-U.S. military bilateral training exercise that is a signature element of the Philippine-U.S. alliance focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance, maritime law enforcement, and environmental protection.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jerome Johnson, U.S. Navy

Philippine Army soldiers traverse the jungle, during a combined-joint operation Handa Koa for Balikatan.

Armed Forces Ukraine

Ukrainian Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 80th Airmobile Brigade stack up to practice room clearing procedures, Nov. 5, during a training exercise taught by Soldiers assigned to 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center. This training is one of the collective tasks that the Ukrainian battalion must accomplish during their 55-day rotation with the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine. JMTG-U’s focus is to build a sustainable, enduring training capacity and capability within Ukrainian’s Armed Forces.

Sgt. Jacob Holmes, U.S. Army

Ukrainian Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 80th Airmobile Brigade stack up to practice room clearing procedures.

Armed Forces Ukraine tank

Ukrainian soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade rush through a wire obstacle while taking cover behind their BMP-2 armored vehicle during a live-fire training exercise at the Yavoriv Combat Training Center at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center, near Yavoriv, Ukraine on March 16.
The live-fire exercise is part of a block of instruction taught by Ukrainian combat training center staff, who are mentored by members of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine. JMTG-U is a coalition made up of servicemembers from the Canada, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Ukraine who are dedicated to developing the combat training center and building professionalism in the Ukrainian military.

Sgt. Anthony Jones, U.S. Army

Ukrainian soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade rush through a wire obstacle while taking cover behind their BMP-2 armored vehicle during a live-fire training exercise.

Canadian Armed Forces images through snow

Marines with Company C, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, use snow shoes to patrol the rough terrain of Burwash, Ontario, during exercise Riley Xanten II, Feb. 3-5, 2017. During the exercise, the Marines joined soldiers from the Canadian Armed Forces to exchange knowledge and increase proficiency in cold weather tactics, survival skills, shelter building, ice fishing, and more.

Sgt. Sara Graham, U.S. Marine Corps

Marines with Company C, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, use snow shoes to patrol the rough terrain of Burwash, Ontario, during exercise Riley Xanten II. These armed forces images were photographed by military veterans and service members.

Armed Forces Canadian snow training

Lance Cpl. Greg Kelley, a rifleman with Company C, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, uses snow shoes to reach his next objective while on a reconnaissance patrol during exercise Riley Xanten II, in Burwash, Ontario, Feb. 3-5, 2017. During the exercise, the Marines joined soldiers from the Canadian Armed Forces to exchange knowledge and increase proficiency in cold weather tactics, survival skills, shelter building, ice fishing, and more.

Sgt. Sara Graham, U.S. Marine Corps

Lance Cpl. Greg Kelley, a rifleman with Company C, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, uses snow shoes to reach his next objective while on a reconnaissance patrol during exercise Riley Xanten II, in Burwash, Ontario.

Armed Forces Indian

An Indian soldier with 12 Madras pulls security with his grenade launcher in a cordon and search training demonstration held Sept. 16, 2016, at Chaubattia Military Station, India. This was during Yudh Abhyas 2016, a bilateral training exercise geared toward enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two nations through training and cultural exchanges. This was the 12th year of the exercise.

Staff Sgt. Samuel Northrup, U.S. Army

An Indian soldier with 12 Madras pulls security with his grenade launcher in a cordon and search training demonstration.

Armed Forces Images Indian in training

Indian soldiers with 12 Madras approach a mock village in a cordon and search training demonstration held Sept. 16, 2016, at Chaubattia Military Station, India. This was during Yudh Abhyas 2016, a bilateral training exercise geared toward enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two nations through training and cultural exchanges. This was the 12th year of the exercise.

Maj. Kelly Haux, U.S. Army

Indian soldiers with 12 Madras approach a mock village in a cordon and search training demonstration. These armed forces images were photographed by military veterans and service members.

Indian Armed Forces Sniper rifle

An Indian soldier looks down the sight of a sniper rifle during a weapons demonstration held Sept. 15, 2016, at Chaubattia, India. The weapons demonstration was part of Yudh Abhyas, a bilateral training exercise geared toward enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two nations through training and cultural exchanges.

Maj. Kelly Haux, U.S. Army

An Indian soldier looks down the sight of a sniper rifle during a weapons demonstration held  at Chaubattia, India.

German Armed forces

German army Pvt. Josef Göthel, left, and Pvt. Christian Klemmer of 2nd troop, 8th Reconnaissance Battalion, 12th Armored Brigade provide security while conducting reconnaissance operations during Exercise Allied Spirit VI at 7th Army Training Command’s Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, March 24, 2017. Exercise Allied Spirit VI includes about 2,770 participants from 12 NATO and Partner for Peace nations, and exercises tactical interoperability and tests secure communications within Alliance members and partner nations.

Spc. Danielle Carver, U.S. Army

German army Pvt. Josef Göthel, left, and Pvt. Christian Klemmer of 2nd troop, 8th Reconnaissance Battalion, 12th Armored Brigade provide security while conducting reconnaissance operations.

German Armed forces Machine gun

A German soldier of 8th Reconnaissance Battalion, 12th Armored Brigade provides security while conducting a reconnaissance operation during Exercise Allied Spirit VI at 7th Army Training Command’s Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, March 24, 2017. Exercise Allied Spirit VI includes about 2,770 participants from 12 NATO and Partner for Peace nations, and exercises tactical interoperability and tests secure communications within Alliance members and partner nations.

Spc. Danielle Carver, U.S. Army

A German soldier of 8th Reconnaissance Battalion, 12th Armored Brigade provides security while conducting a reconnaissance operation during Exercise Allied Spirit VI at 7th Army Training Command’s Hohenfels Training Area, Germany.

Armed Forces marines forrest

German Mountain Warfare Training in Seinsbach Gorge, Mittenwald, Germany, Dec. 10, 2016. The Mountain Warfare training was conducted 5-16 December to build tactical proficiency in mountainous terrain. Paratroopers conducted reconnaissance operations and practiced extreme cold weather survival techniques. The training took place alongside NATO Allies, including Estonian, German, Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish militaries.

Spc. Nathanael Mercado, U.S. Army

German Mountain Warfare Training in Seinsbach Gorge, Mittenwald, Germany. The Mountain Warfare training was conducted to build tactical proficiency in mountainous terrain.

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