86th IBCT (MTN) Relinquishes Command of JMTG-U

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — The Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine held a colors casing ceremony at the 7th Army Training Command headquarters on Oct. 15, 2026.

During the ceremony, Task Force Luzon, composed of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) from the Vermont National Guard, cased its colors, relinquishing command responsibility for the mission.

Brig. Gen. Terry R. Tillis, the commanding general of the 7th Army Training Command, presided over the ceremony.

Tillis discussed the importance of this mission and congratulated Task Force Luzon on a job well done. He said, “What your team has accomplished together stands as a lasting testament of the multinational partnership, readiness, and shared resolve.”

The JMTG-U mission began in 2015 in Yavoriv, Ukraine and relocated to Grafenwoehr in 2022. This colors casing ceremony marks the end of a dedicated National Guard unit fulfilling the mission.

For the past decade, rotating National Guard units have trained the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the guidance of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, and the 7th Army Training Command. This mission is part of a larger, U.S.-led international effort critical to Ukraine’s battlefield success.

Under Task Force Luzon’s leadership, JMTG-U executed leadership, staff, platform, and specialty training events. Since relocating operations to Germany in 2022, the mission has trained more than 24,000 Ukrainian military personnel across 50 platforms and specialty events, conducting more than 300 iterations of instruction.

Task Force Luzon Commander Col. Frank Tantillo, expressed appreciation for the partners that supported mission success.

In acknowledging the Task Force’s work, Tantillo said “as JMTG-U transforms into its next iteration, we should remember what these colors represent: service, sacrifice, partnership, and an enduring commitment to freedom…. We do not close the book on the impact of this organization. That impact will continue in the readiness, resilience, and capability of the Soldiers we trained."

The 86th IBCT (MTN), headquartered in Jericho, Vermont, was the 18th unit to lead the JMTG-U mission.

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