Photo By Staff Sgt. Joshua Taeckens | Two U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft fly over the 7th Special Forces Group...... read more read more
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EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Beneath the roar of a flyover from two F-35 Lightning II aircraft, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), or 7th SFG(A), closed Red Empire Week 2026 during a ceremony at Camp “Bull” Simons, June 11.
The closing ceremony marked the end of Red Empire Week, the unit’s signature annual four-day event, which brings together Soldiers, families, veterans, community members and Special Forces alumni through competition, remembrance, family engagement and community outreach. This year’s events included family day activities, daily socials, community engagements, historical observances and memorial events that connected current Soldiers with the families, veterans and alumni who remain part of the unit’s extended community.
“Thank you to all who attended and competed in this week’s activities,” said Col. John Leitner, commander of 7th SFG(A). “I hope you have been afforded the opportunity to relax and take a break from the daily grind to compete, meet new people and spend some time with family and friends down on the beach.”
Throughout the week, Soldiers competed in events designed to test physical endurance, technical skill, teamwork and mental toughness. Competitions included combatives, shooting competitions, sports and the Best Team competition, which challenged Soldiers across a series of physically and mentally demanding tasks.
The ceremony recognized the winners of the week’s competitions, highlighting the Soldiers and teams whose performance reflected discipline, resilience and commitment to excellence.
Although Red Empire Week competitions include both individual and team events, competitors represent their respective company or battalion. Each year, points are accumulated for each competition and the team with the most points earns the Commander’s Cup to display in its battalion headquarters. For the second year in a row, the Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 7th SFG(A), were announced as the winners.
Lt. Col. Michael Prather, commander of 1st Battalion, 7th SFG(A), applauded his Soldiers for the victory but said the importance of the week extended beyond the final results.
“Douglas MacArthur said, ‘On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other fields, on other days will bear the fruits of victory,’” Prather said. “There’s a direct translation from team-based competition and its psychological and physical benefits to lethality. The idea is that we compete now in friendly sporting events, so we bleed less on the battlefield.”
For Soldiers who competed throughout the week, the events offered more than a chance to earn recognition. They provided an opportunity to build cohesion, test themselves against their peers and represent their teams within the formation.
Sgt. Jeremy Diaz, a human resources noncommissioned officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th SFG(A), competed alongside six other HHC Soldiers and Green Berets during the Best Team Competition. Diaz said the experience pushed him physically and gave him a deeper appreciation for the unit’s “La Familia” culture.
“Red Empire Week is something special, and being out there competing with the Green Berets pushed me to limits I have never experienced before,” said Diaz enthusiastically. “As far as the rest of the week, it was just an amazing experience, and now I really understand why they are called ‘La Familia.’”
While the closing ceremony celebrated competition and camaraderie, it also reinforced the importance of remembrance. Memorial and historical events throughout the week honored the sacrifices of those who came before and reminded attendees of the legacy current Soldiers are entrusted to carry forward. The week also coincided with the 2026 Special Forces Association Convention, hosted at Eglin Air Force Base and Fort Walton Beach, bringing current and former Green Berets and their families together across several Red Empire Week events, reinforcing the connection between generations of the Special Forces community.
As Red Empire Week came to a close, the ceremony served as a final gathering point for “La Familia” and Leitner reminded the Soldiers of 7th SFG(A) that the mission of this week had been accomplished: to recognize achievement, strengthen relationships and reflect on the history, sacrifice and shared identity that continue to shape the unit.
He concluded by expressing his gratitude for their dedication while reminding Soldiers and leaders to prioritize what matters most.
“No matter how much the character of warfare changes, humans are more important than hardware,” Leitner said with conviction. “You cannot mass-produce the resilience, the grit or the tactical excellence I have witnessed this week. With that said, I officially close Red Empire Week.”
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2026 18:16 |
| Story ID: | 567509 |
| Location: | EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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