Hanuman Guardian: U.S. Army civil affairs immerses in local community to learn generational craft
A Thai local weaves fabric in her home using a traditional loom in Baan Phun, Thailand on March 18, 2026. U.S. Soldiers from the 492nd Civil Affairs Battalion were invited to visit her home to see how many local villagers work on their craft daily in the main rooms of their living spaces. Hanuman Guardian is a bilateral training exercise between the U.S. Army and the Royal Thai Army in the Kingdom of Thailand. Now in its 17th year, the exercise enhances readiness through realistic training while reinforcing the enduring U.S.–Thailand alliance, one of America’s oldest partnerships, dating back to 1833, and a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Tamie Norris)