Photo By Joseph Siemandel | Group photo during the Tiger Balm 2026 initial planning conference, Sept. 15, 2025 at...... read more read more
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Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard, I Corp, U.S. Army Pacific, and Singapore Army Forces came together for an initial planning conference and workshop, Sept. 15-19, 2025, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in preparation for Exercise Tiger Balm 2026.
“We are excited to work with our Singaporean friends and take lead on Exercise Tiger Balm next year,” said Col. Matthew Chargualaf, commander of the 144th Digital Liaison Detachment. “We want to build on the work that has already been done and continue to develop this exercise ever more.”
Exercise Tiger Balm is an annual bilateral military training exercise between the U.S. and Singapore Armies that began in 1981. The exercise strengthens the deep and strategic partnership between the two countries by enhancing interoperability, fostering professional ties, and training on modern urban and multi-domain combat operations to address contemporary security threats in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Tiger Balm is our longest running partnership exercise and we have watched this exercise from only a few people drawing on paper and maps to now having a training center and planning for future iterations,” said. Col. Oh Chun Keong, chief of staff, 6th Singapore Division Headquarters and deputy director of the exercise.
The goals of the initial planning conference were to develop the plan for the exercise, strengthen relationships between partners, and set the parameters for the exercise participants.
Preparation for the initial planning conference started last year when guardsmen from the 144th Digital Liaison Detachment, 156th Information Operations Battalion, and 205th Regimental Training Institute traveled to the southeast Asia nation with the intent of deepening relations with the partner forces while obtaining critical exercise information from the Hawaii Army National Guard and Singapore Army Forces.
“We participated as secretariat to the director of the exercise along with the Hawaii Army National Guard, higher command and exercise command in the maneuver and intelligence cell, information operations in the multi domain operations cell, and some key roles in the exercise support group managing life support and feeding,” said Maj. Shaun Neil, Washington Army National Guard worldwide engagements officer.
While visiting the Pentagon, Singaporean Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth discussed the importance of the relationship between Singapore and the United States.
"Singapore has been an anchor of U.S. friendship and presence in the region,” Hegseth said. “Our relationship has been crucial to regional stability and maintaining deterrence in the Indo-Pacific."
Tiger Balm 2026 will be held this coming spring in multiple locations, with exercise participants training at both the Yakima Training Center and Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2025 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 548264 |
| Location: | CAMP MURRAY, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 248 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Washington Army National Guard and Singapore Army Forces prepare for Tiger Balm 2026, by Joseph Siemandel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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