An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

Soldiers fire an illumination round from a mortar system, lighting up a dark sky.

Lighting the Night

Army paratroopers fire a 120 mm mortar illumination round during a field training exercise in Grafenwoehr, Germany, July 23, 2020.

Photo Gallery