{"id":34220,"date":"2022-03-09T16:37:55","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T16:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2022\/03\/09\/ctc-on-ice-army-holds-first-arctic-brigade-level-training-rotation\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:06:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:06:45","slug":"ctc-on-ice-army-holds-first-arctic-brigade-level-training-rotation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2022\/03\/09\/ctc-on-ice-army-holds-first-arctic-brigade-level-training-rotation\/","title":{"rendered":"CTC on ice: Army holds first Arctic brigade-level training rotation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Army Alaska<\/a> is kicking off a massive winter training exercise Wednesday at Donnelly Training Area, about 120 miles from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, according to Army officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The multinational event will be the service\u2019s first-ever home station combat training center rotation conducted in Alaska, thanks to help from the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center and observer coach\/trainers from Fort Polk\u2019s Joint Readiness Training Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 25th Infantry Division\u2019s 1st Brigade Combat Team and their Stryker vehicles will take on an opposing force of paratroopers from the division\u2019s 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, who will simulate a near-peer opponent, according to Army Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other participants include Canadian forces \u2014 paratroopers from their 2nd Division and helicopters \u2014 and HIMARS rocket artillery from the Washington-based 17th Field Artillery Brigade. In total, roughly 8,000 troops will join in the rotation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scenario will begin with 1st BCT deploying their Strykers from Fort Wainwright to the training area before moving into situational force-on-force training exercises. The rotation will also feature a combined arms live fire event, according to Army Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to Chaos Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, prepare to assault their objective while conducting a joint field training exercise for Yudh Abhyas 21 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Oct. 28, 2021. Yudh Abhyas 21 supports the USINDOPACOM Theater Campaign Plan by building readiness through bilateral mil-to-mil engagements consisting of tough realistic training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Pe\u00f1a)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a video statement, Army Alaska commander Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler indicated that the rotation is \u201cwhat we\u2019re going to do every year here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlaska gives us a unique opportunity to train in areas where we\u2019re going to need to survive and thrive \u2014 and potentially fight \u2014 in Arctic regions, in extreme cold weather temperatures around the world,\u201d Eifler added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weather looks like it will cooperate with that intent, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donnelly Training Area, near Fort Greely, is under a Winter Storm Warning from the National Weather Service that begins Wednesday night. The forecasters call<\/a> for up to 14 inches of snow that will put the brigade\u2019s winter transport capabilities to the test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The future of Arctic force structure in the balance<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Previous training events in Alaska \u2014 like the brigade\u2019s 2016 exercise<\/a> or the biennial Arctic Edge<\/a> event \u2014 didn\u2019t satisfy the Army\u2019s requirement for most brigades to complete a combat training center rotation before a deployment, explained Army Alaska spokesperson John Pennell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaska- and Hawaii-based units would previously have to ship all of their equipment to either the National Training Center in California or JRTC at Fort Polk, Louisiana, to satisfy that readiness requirements. Senior Army leaders have explained<\/a> that the new approach could lead to significant cost savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\t