PINEVILLE, La. – Twenty-two Human Intelligence Collector teams from U.S. and allied forces recently competed in the fourth annual Army interrogation competition, Tranquil Storm.
The multi-component, multi-echelon event was held April 28-May 2 at the Louisiana National Guard Training Center in Pineville. Tranquil Storm challenged intelligence Soldiers in leadership, tactical skills and technical tasks in a simulated large-scale combat operations environment. The goal was to foster cohesion, build esprit de corps and identify the Army’s top interrogation team.
“This event has been possible through the continued work and support of everyone out here today,” said Col. Ira Jones, director of intelligence and security (J2) for the Louisiana National Guard. “Tranquil Storm has shattered previous records, and I expect it to grow further. This builds readiness. This is worth the expense because the best of the best are coming here. The competition gets tougher every year, and I can’t wait to see what Tranquil Storm 2026 brings.”
While past competitions included only U.S. Army active and reserve component teams, this year’s event marked a milestone by welcoming teams from the U.S. Marine Corps and the Australian Defence Force.
“As we look back and plan forward, contingency operations have always occurred in a multi-component and multinational environment,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Juan Trevino, Tranquil Storm exercise manager. “The more we plan and train together, the more we understand each other’s capabilities and the better prepared we all become.”
“I’d like to see this grow to include representation from all U.S. military branches and additional international partners to challenge ourselves and strengthen collective support in facing future threats,” Trevino said.
Jones added, “Thanks to the United States Marine Corps, we can now say this is a joint competition. With our friends from Australia participating as competitors, it has truly become a combined event.”
The competition officially began April 28, when teams arrived at the Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville and completed in-processing, situational briefings, rules of engagement reviews and safety protocols.
During the next three days, competitors rotated through dynamic scenarios designed to simulate the pressures of large-scale combat operations.
On day one, teams conducted mass screenings of detained personnel. The teams then navigated a 1.5-mile ruck march under simulated enemy contact, requiring them to execute react-to-contact maneuvers before completing their mission.
Day two focused on supporting operations at a division holding area, where competitors interrogated enemy prisoners of war. Each team had two hours per interrogation and an additional two hours to complete and submit intelligence reports.
Teams participated in a joint interrogation and debriefing center scenario on the final day. With just four hours to coordinate, plan and execute their interrogations on a new set of simulated enemy prisoners of war, teams had to assess and adapt to evolving situations quickly.
Military police from the Louisiana National Guard provided detainee escort and on-site security support throughout the operation.
Each competition phase introduced unique conditions and challenges, pushing participants to apply various interrogation skills in high-pressure environments.
The event concluded with an awards ceremony in which Dean Newman, director of Counterintelligence, Human Intelligence, Identity Intelligence, Foreign Disclosure, and Intelligence Security at the Department of the Army, praised the participants for their dedication and readiness.
“It’s with tremendous pride that I stand before you today as we culminate a year’s worth of readiness training,” Newman said. “The Louisiana National Guard has made this event a reality in support of combined joint readiness to fight the next fight. You will take these skills back to your units, driving improvements and preparation for next year’s competition. I’m honored to be part of this and grateful to Louisiana and everyone who made this possible.”
This year’s winners included the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade in first place, the Australian Defence Force in second, and the 504th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade in third.