CENTCOM Hosts Jordan for Exercise Eager Lion in Colorado
Photo By Thomas Gagnier |
Brig. Gen. William Diprofio, Director of the Joint Staff, Colorado Army National......read moreread more
Photo By Thomas Gagnier | Brig. Gen. William Diprofio, Director of the Joint Staff, Colorado Army National Guard, center left, Brig. Gen. Mahmud Al Farajat, Jordanian Armed Forces, center, and Brig. Gen. Stephanie Bagley, U.S. Central Command's deputy director of Military Strategy, Plans, and Policy, center right, listen to remarks during opening ceremonies of exercise Eager Lion 2026 at Ft. Carson, Colo., Sept. 15, 2026. Eager Lion 2026 is a biennial, bilateral U.S. Central Command led command-post and cyber defense training exercise with the Jordanian Armed Forces hosted by the Colorado National Guard. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs photo by Tom Gagnier) see less
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CENTCOM Hosts Jordan for Exercise Eager Lion in Colorado
On Sept. 15, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Jordanian Armed Forces kicked off exercise Eager Lion 2026 at Fort Carson in Colorado.
More than 200 military personnel from Jordan and the United States are participating, including National Guard personnel from Colorado and Illinois. The two-week event is designed to deepen U.S.-Jordanian military cooperation, which remains a cornerstone of Middle East security and stability.
"Our longstanding military-to-military ties with the Jordanian Armed Forces are stronger than ever," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "Working and training together will further strengthen our collective operational effectiveness and readiness."
Eager Lion 2026 is the 12th iteration of the biennial exercise. This year, U.S. service members will train alongside Jordanian counterparts during scenarios that focus on planning and coordination in counterterrorism, air defense, maritime security, cyber, and disaster response.
The state of Colorado has a special relationship with the Jordanian Armed Forces. The Colorado National Guard established a longstanding partnership with Jordan's military through the State Partnership Program.
Established in 1993, the State Partnership Program pairs state National Guards with militaries of other nations to promote global security cooperation. Colorado and Jordan began partnering in 2004, forging enduring trust and personal bonds for more than 22 years.
This is the first time the United States is hosting Eager Lion.
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