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Community Members
Learn more about how IRT has made a difference to American communities.
 
Military Members
Learn more about how IRT provides training military opportunities.
 
Regional & State Leaders
Learn about how IRT has made an impact in states across the U.S.
 
 
TYPES OF IRT MISSIONS
Medical
Medical missions provide training opportunities to military units while providing incidental benefit to communities via no-cost healthcare. Services include optometry, health exams, dental, veterinary care, and public health education. Care is delivered by credentialed healthcare providers and no one is turned away. These missions are typically conducted as fairs and may last for several days or weeks at a time to ensure maximum benefit during time spent in the community served.
 
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering missions provide training opportunities to military units while providing incidental benefit to communities via infrastructure construction and improvements. Such benefit comes in the form of both vertical and horizontal construction. Vertical construction consist of mainly buildings; while horizontal construction includes utilities, roadways, and other paving activities such as runway improvements. Civil Engineering missions also typically involve elements of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work.
 
Cybersecurity
Information security is one of the most important issues facing the military. It is essential that U.S. military forces keep data and our infrastructure secure. IRT is currently developing cyber-security training opportunities that will help to detect, safeguard, assess, and protect our nation from malicious activity. By building and creating relationships with government agencies and non-profits, we will lead and create innovative processes and procedures to address future threats to our people and critical infrastructure. Through cooperative partnerships driven by readiness training, IRT is a cutting edge way to develop essential skills to thrive in contested cyberspace domains. 
Transportation
IRT missions provide an opportunity for critical training in a variety of transportation skills. Many operations depend upon ground vehicles in order to complete many aspects of their mission. It is the responsibility of Ground Transportation specialists to transport people, supplies, munitions and outsized expeditionary forces. These professionals must utilize a variety of essential skills, such as map and compass reading, vehicle specifications determination and limitations assessment in order to coordinate and master all aspects of ground transportation necessary for us to get equipment and people where they need to go.
Aerial Spray
IRT missions provides valuable training opportunities for air personnel. The terrain, obstructions, airspace restrictions, and congested areas often provide excellent training scenarios to hone aircrew skills for operating in the low-level aerial spray environment. Specialized spray mission personnel obtain experience operating the loading equipment, handling pesticides using appropriate protective personnel equipment, and cleaning/downloading the spray MASS after applications. When executed, the aerial spray operations provides vital training for maintaining a well-equipped military force ready to execute our wartime mission. 
 
VIDEO AND PODCASTS
MILITARY TRAINING AT ITS FINEST
Working in American Communities
Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) is a Department of Defense (DoD) military training opportunity, exclusive to the United States and its territories, that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Simultaneously, IRT provides key services (health care, construction, transportation, and cybersecurity) with lasting benefits for our American communities.
FY 2024 Annual Program Summary FY 2023 Annual Program Summary FY 2022 Annual Program Summary
NEWS
RECENT MISSIONS

Operation Appalachian Thunder

More than 150 Service members participated in Operation Appalachian Thunder at Stonewall State Park, West Virginia, from July 8-Aug. 10. Service members assisted the park expansion efforts in order to meet high RV campsite demand, saving the state $1.7 million in costs. Service members gained invaluable training, operating equipment for over 1,400 hours, completing 79 requirements, and logging over 16,000 training hours


 Cyber Nueces

Over two dozen Air Force Reserve Service members tested Nueces County, Texas’s cybersecurity from May 6–15. The IRT mission helped detect and prevent cyber threats while providing hands-on training at no cost, saving the community $411,000. The 29-member team, from 15 units and five career fields, completed 1,295 training requirements over 290 man-days. Eleven volunteers joined a physical assessment element, risking apprehension as part of the exercise.

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Operation Walking Shield: Blackfeet Tribal Health

Over 450 Service members provided free medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, and veterinary care in Browning, Montana, as part of the Operation Walking Shield training activity. Supported by over 50 units, they treated more than 3,200 patients, delivering $1.4 million in care at no cost to the community. Participants from multiple military branches logged over 75,500 training hours—nearly four years’ worth—in just ten days, gaining invaluable hands-on experience while serving the Blackfeet Tribe and surrounding communities.

 
COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Kandy Barlow

Maniilaq Association, Vice President of Health Services

Operation Arctic Care 2025 was an incredible experience for Maniilaq Health Center. The teamwork among all military branches and tribal leadership ensured smooth operations. The goal of having positive patient and community impacts remained at the forefront during the planning and implementation of the operation. I was touched by the team’s motivation and willingness to immerse themselves into the culture of our villages. The level of professionalism and organization was outstanding and well above any previous collaborative operations that I have experienced. During this experience, I learned of more opportunities to partner with IRT for civil engineering and cybersecurity.”

SERVICE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Captain Heather Edsall

Air Force Reserve

Serving with IRT has, by far, been the most fulfilling chapter in my 24-year military career. Few things compare to witnessing the life-changing impact we make in underserved communities across the United States and its territories. The fact we are simultaneously preparing our military personnel for the challenges they will face on deployments makes this program one of the most valuable training tools we have. I am humbled by the courage, compassion, and leadership I see on every mission and am honored to be a part of the team that makes it all happen!”

Military Training at its Finest

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