Civil-Military Innovation Institute

04/17/2026

Earlier this week, our friends at Eagles First shared a fantastic, student-produced recap video about our very first CMI2 ILLLUME Rope Rescue & Wilderness First Aid program, which we kicked off in February at Braxton County High School. It’s definitely worth checking out.

In the CMI2 ILLLUME program, students got hands-on training with real-life scenarios that used math for things like load calculations, mechanical advantage, angles, force distribution, and risk assessment. They also learned important health and safety skills, such as Wilderness First Aid, Austere Bleeding Control, and CPR/AED certification.

This program combines real-world problem-solving with life-saving training, opening doors to careers in emergency response, outdoor leadership, public safety, and healthcare.

And this is only the beginning!

04/13/2026

ICYMI: CMI2 is bringing its ILLUME program to Covington County, MS, and other nearby areas, offering students hands-on experiences with robotics, drones, and 3D printing. Following our program successes in Jefferson Davis and Marion counties, the next phase of Mississippi ILLUME will give even more high school students the chance to explore technology and discover new career paths through hands-on learning opportunities.

04/01/2026

We enjoyed sharing the Civil-Military Innovation Institute’s ILLUME Innovation area today at the FOCUS FORWARD: Minds and Machines networking luncheon, hosted by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, West Virginia University, and Marshall University.

We brought two Boston Dynamics robotic dogs for hands-on demos, and they were a big hit— people lined up to try them out! It was a fun way to show off new technology and give everyone a chance to get involved. From research at our Adaptive Experimentation Facility at Fort Andrew in Lizemores, WV, to sparking curiosity in rural communities, these dogs are just one way CMI2 ILLUME encourages interest in in West Virginia.

The CMI2 ILLUME Program works with WVU STEAM TAC, with support from the Benedum Foundation, to create more STEM opportunities for students and teachers in Clay, Brooke, Calhoun, and Braxton County Schools. Looking ahead to 2028, CMI2 plans to expand to serve 11 additional counties.

03/31/2026

A big thank you to our amazing CMI2 team at the Adaptive Experimentation Facility at Fort Andrew in Clay County for hosting 13 students from Braxton County High School (Eagles First), who just finished our inaugural ILLUME Rope Rescue and Wilderness Medicine program. Since late February, the team has been at BCHS, teaching this hands-on course and preparing for today's real-world final. The program challenged students to work together, think critically, and use STEM skills. We also had a great day welcoming four media students who helped document the event. We took lots of photos and videos and look forward to sharing more highlights and details with you soon. Stay tuned!

03/31/2026

It’s capstone day for Eagles First at Fort Andrew. We will post final exercise events thoroughout the day.

03/30/2026

HEY CLAY COUNTY STUDENTS! You still have time to apply for Ignite 2026. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. tonight, Monday, March 30, 2026. If you're looking for more than a typical summer job, this is your opportunity. Don’t miss out.

APPLY NOW: https://www.cmi2.org/ignite-2026-application

03/30/2026

🎉 Exciting news for STEM education in Mississippi! CMI2 is bringing its ILLUME program to Marion County and other nearby areas, offering students hands-on experiences with robotics, drones, and 3D printing.

Following success in Jefferson Davis County, this next phase will give even more high school students the chance to explore technology and discover new career paths. The focus is on providing real, hands-on learning opportunities.

CMI2 ILLUME started in Clay County, West Virginia, in 2023, near our one-of-a-kind Adaptive Experimentation Facility at Fort Andrew. In 2024, it grew to include more counties in the state, offering a hands-on, technology-focused curriculum for high school and middle school students. By 2025, CMI2 brought the program to Mississippi. As of 2026, the ILLUME team has reached nearly 3,000 students in both states with STEM opportunities.

🔗 Read more:

Defense innovation company CMI2 is expanding a program to support STEM education in south Mississippi.

03/27/2026

Two CMI2 leaders were honored to support the Mountaineer Food Bank's staff meeting earlier this week in Gassaway, WV, where they led a session on leadership and the importance of community. Vice Presidents Wally Hatfield and Aly Gregg engaged with staff on purposeful leadership, building strong partnerships, and the essential role collaboration plays in serving communities.

Our team is grateful for the opportunity to support organizations like Mountaineer Food Bank, whose work makes a meaningful impact on the lives of West Virginians every day. Throughout the year, CMI2's West Virginia-based staff regularly volunteers to support the mobile food banks. In his personal time, Wally volunteers as a board member for Mountaineer Food Bank, supporting all of their statewide efforts with a special focus on the Veterans Table Feeding Program, ensuring our veterans across the Mountain State have access to nutritious meals.

📸 — Amy Fauber, Director of Organizational Culture, Mountaineer Food Bank

03/26/2026

Hey, Clay County High School Students: Are you ready to earn a great paycheck and level up your summer work experience? This is your chance to apply for Ignite 2026 and take your first step into something real.

⏰ Deadline: March 30 at 11:59 PM — no extensions after this

Ignite 2026 interns will:
✅ Build real-world solutions that matter
✅ Work with drones & robotics
✅ Contribute to projects tied to national security
✅ Earn at least four certifications (Basic Rope Rescue, Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, and Stop the Bleed)
✅ Design & battle with a Battle Bot 🤖
✅ Support real operations (not just busywork)

Listen, this isn’t your typical summer job. This is Ignite 2026. Don’t wait. Don’t miss out.

APPLY NOW: https://www.cmi2.org/ignite-2026-application

03/26/2026

Over the past two days, CMI2's ILLUME team has been busy connecting with the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. Altogether, we worked with more than 1,200 students from 5th grade through high school, in both West Virginia and Mississippi.

Students had the opportunity to:
🛠️ Experience hands-on technology demonstrations
🤖 Interact with robot dogs and learn about their real-world uses
🥽 Try our drone simulator
❓Join Q&A sessions about CMI2's mission and our work in defense, innovation, and STEM education.

Established in 2023, the CMI2 ILLUME (Innovating, Learning, Leading, Uniting, Making, Experimenting) program brings high-quality, hands-on education to economically challenged communities. By focusing on experiential learning, ILLUME helps strengthen the local workforce pipeline and prepares students in rural areas for careers in advanced manufacturing, technology, and skilled trades.

Throughout the past two days, our team has been inspired by the students' energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm. Experiences like these demonstrate the importance of creating pathways into STEM and national security careers.

We're proud to help inspire the future workforce, one community at a time.

03/23/2026

⏰ Deadline Extended! You asked for more time, and we listened. You can now apply for the CMI2 Ignite 2026 Internship until 11:59 PM on Monday, March 30.

If you want more than a typical summer job, this is your chance. From the start, Ignite 2026 interns will work on hands-on projects, use drones and robotics, and see how innovation leads to real impact and national security. You’ll also be part of our one-of-a-kind Adaptive Experimentation Facility at Fort Andrew in Lizemores.

Join us for 10 weeks to earn valuable certifications, work with a great team, and create something meaningful. You’ll probably pick up some cool new skills along the way.

If you’re interested but have questions, check out our latest blog post for more details.

https://www.cmi2.org/2026/03/23/2026-ignite-internship/