Each Friday, we remember the meaning behind RED Friday—Remember Everyone Deployed. It is a time to pause and reflect on the men and women of the United States military who serve with courage across the globe. Their dedication, sacrifice, and strength ensure that our nation remains secure and that freedom endures.
This week, we bring forward three powerful stories that highlight the heart of American service.
The first article explores the unwavering resolve of U.S. Marines, showing how their readiness and discipline remain essential to defending freedom wherever duty calls. Their traditions of brotherhood and perseverance continue to define one of the most formidable fighting forces in the world.
The second article focuses on the Air Force’s role in shaping modern defense. From air superiority to advanced technological innovation, these Airmen ensure that the United States maintains strength in the skies and beyond. Their ability to adapt and lead in rapidly evolving environments is a testament to their training and vision.
The third article reflects on the U.S. Army’s enduring presence, where history, tradition, and modern strategy merge into one force. Soldiers embody the resilience and fortitude that generations have carried forward in defense of the nation.
Together, these three stories remind us that service does not rest, and sacrifice cannot be forgotten. On this RED Friday, we honor not only those deployed but every branch of the U.S. military—Marines, Airmen, Soldiers, and Sailors—whose commitment ensures that the United States stands strong.
Allied Naval Forces Set Sail for UNITAS 2025 – A Multinational Maritime Showcase
On 15 September 2025, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and allied partners will initiate UNITAS 2025, the longest-running multinational maritime exercise in the world, now entering its 66th iteration. Forces will mobilize at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, and will conduct operations through 6 October across the U.S. East Coast—including Camp Lejeune, NC, and Norfolk, VA—to strengthen maritime cooperation with South and Central American partners.
Mission Scope & Multinational Engagement
This year’s UNITAS brings together approximately 8,000 personnel from 25 allied and partner nations, encompassing a robust mix of ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, and rotary-wing aircraft—truly a global gathering on the high seas.
Training Highlights
Participants will engage in:
- In-port professional exchanges: subject matter briefings, symposiums, and ship-rider partnerships
- Medical, cyber-defense, and diving/salvage training held ashore at Mayport
- Underway phases featuring live-fire exercises, ship sink-runs (SINKEX), and amphibious landings at Camp Lejeune
- Continued development of unmanned and hybrid fleet systems, building on previous integrations of unmanned undersea vehicles
Why It Matters
UNITAS serves not just as a naval exercise—it’s a demonstration of regional unity, shared purpose, and collective readiness. Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and Task Force 138, emphasizes that “UNITAS 2025 is a vital opportunity to demonstrate how our partners… work together to defend against hemispheric threats.”
UNITAS also leads into the U.S. Navy’s broader 250th birthday celebrations, merging heritage with modern maritime innovation.
U.S. Navy, Marines Expand Maritime Presence in Southern Caribbean
As of early September, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are bolstering their presence in the Southern Caribbean, deploying several key assets recently. This expansion is part of a coordinated operation to counter transnational drug networks and reinforce regional maritime security.
Deployment Details & Assets
The buildup includes multiple Aegis-capable destroyers, a guided-missile cruiser, a nuclear-powered submarine, and an amphibious assault ship carrying over 4,000 sailors and Marines—likely the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. Also operating in the area are Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft and UH-1Y Venom helicopters providing quick-response support.
Strategic Aim & Operational Readiness
These forces are conducting a high-end counter-narcotics operation, combining surface, subsurface, and airborne platforms to detect and interdict illicit trafficking. The posture reflects a broader U.S. commitment to maintaining maritime domain awareness and readiness across the Caribbean theater.
Regional Reactions
The expanded U.S. presence prompts strong reactions from regional actors. Venezuelan leadership, in particular, responds with alarm:
- Nicolás Maduro declares “maximum preparedness”, asserting national defense against what he deems escalatory military pressure.
- Maduro mobilizes 4.5 million militia members across the country, issuing directives for them to be “prepared and armed.”
Why This Matters to Families & CVB Readers
This deployment highlights how the U.S. military addresses hidden threats like narco-trafficking while maintaining stability in near abroad regions. For the service members and Marines executing these operations, families at home understand these missions involve enduring long hours, distant travel, and high stakes.
The operation underscores the adaptability of the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps team and the essential role it plays in global security—even in missions that blend law enforcement and national defense.
U.S. Forces Strengthen Maritime Pressure Near Venezuela in Counter-Drug Mission
As of early September, U.S. naval forces significantly reinforce their presence in the Southern Caribbean, deploying several high-value platforms near Venezuela’s coast—including guided-missile destroyers, a cruiser, an amphibious assault ship carrying thousands of Marines and sailors, and a nuclear-powered submarine—in an expansive operation aimed at curbing drug cartel activity.([turn0news31])
Extended Reach & Tactical Readiness
The mission involves layered maritime assets capable of surveillance, interdiction, and rapid response. Five of the vessels are equipped with Tomahawk missiles, signaling readiness for complex operations and broad deterrence posture. Analysts view this deployment as beyond standard narcotics interdiction—emphasizing deterrence, regional stability, and strategic presence.([turn0news31])
Ground Responses & Regional Tensions
The heightened U.S. posture draws sharp response from Venezuelan leadership. President Nicolás Maduro declares a state of “maximum preparedness,” mobilizing 4.5 million militia members in assertion of sovereignty. In contrast, some regional leaders—including the presidents of Colombia, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago—express support for the U.S. initiative, citing the need to address drug trafficking and maintain security cooperation.([turn0news31])
Why This Matters to the CVB Community
For service members deployed in maritime regions, this mission underscores the shifting nature of global threats and U.S. readiness to counter them—often silently, offshore, yet critically. Families at home can take pride in this visibility and capability of the Navy and Marine Corps to safeguard both U.S. and allied interests.
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