JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES
02.16.2018
Story by Lt. Col. Candis Olmstead
Alaska National Guard Public Affairs
Approximately 250 Air and Army Guard members and personnel from other agencies will participate in Exercise Arctic Eagle 2018 during field training exercises in Valdez, Feb. 21 to Feb. 26.
Arctic Eagle 2018 is a statewide exercise involving national, state and local agencies designed to provide opportunities for 1,100 participants to conduct sustained operations in arctic conditions.
National Guard members from Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, South Dakota, Utah and Washington will participate in cold weather training in Valdez on Feb. 22.
The field training exercise portion of Arctic Eagle 2018 in Valdez Feb. 23 and Feb. 24 is a catastrophic event that requires response by civil support teams and a homeland response force. These units are equipped and ready to respond to chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear threats and occurrences.
“Operating in extreme cold weather conditions adds unique challenges that we must be prepared for,” said Col. Tony Stratton, the exercise director. “We must exercise and train in a variety of geographic settings and weather conditions, and this field training is specifically for addressing issues that can be present in an arctic environment.”
Residents of Valdez can expect to see exercise participants and events occurring throughout the city, including the airport, “mancamp” lodging across from the airport, National Guard armory, Port of Valdez, civic center, U.S. Coast Guard Station Valdez, and the ferry terminal.
Participants in the exercise will attend a community potlatch and market at the Valdez Civic Center on Feb. 25.
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Arctic Eagle 2018 consists of scenario-based events at multiple locations, including Anchorage, Valdez, near Ft. Greely at the Donnelly Training Area; Bethel, Kwethluk and Quinhagak in Western Alaska; along the Alaska-Canada border, and areas north of Fairbanks. The scenarios include hazardous material detection and response, security and protection of critical infrastructure, triage, domain awareness patrol, communication and transportation support.
The goals of Arctic Eagle 2018 are for participating forces to operate in a joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational environment; assess ability to conduct sustained operations in arctic conditions, and integrate new and emerging capabilities.
Other agencies participating in Arctic Eagle 2018 include the Canadian Rangers, Canadian Brigade Group, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Alaska, U.S. Army Reserves; federal participation by the Environmental Protection Agency; State of Alaska Departments of Environmental Conservation, Health and Social Services, Public Safety, and Transportation; and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Arctic Eagle 2018 is linked to Alaskan Command’s Exercise Arctic Edge, the U.S. Army’s Arctic Pegasus, and the U.S. Navy’s ICE-X. The exercises occur in February and March 2018, and dates for each exercise varies. Arctic Eagle ends March 8.
Stories and imagery from the Alaska National Guard’s Exercise Arctic Eagle 2018 may be accessed via the Defense Video Imagery Distribution System at www.dvidshub.net/feature/ArcticEagle.
Traffic notifications:
Military traffic will travel along the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Whittier on Feb. 21 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; and Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 10 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
Military traffic will restrict traffic in the old town area of Valdez, near the container port on Feb. 23.
