FORT GREELY, Alaska -- Recognizing that dynamic security challenges demand dynamic training environments, remote, Interior Alaska and the Donnelly Training Area are being called upon to host Joint Pacific Multi-national Readiness Center exercise 22-02 March 7-27.
This exercise will provide the Army, and coalition partners, an opportunity to validate the ability of U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK) units and their partners to deploy, fight, and win in an arctic environment.
The first Home Station-Combat Training Center rotation in Alaska, the exercise focuses on Large Scale Combat Operations and is a cold weather training event that includes Situational Training and Live-Fire Exercises.
The exercise will validate the units’ cold weather training readiness and capabilities, current equipment cold weather capability and provide detailed feedback and observation of current equipment sets to USARAK.
“Supporting Alaska-based units like this with HS-CTC exercises proves the importance of having Alaska-based assets and relationships in place,” said Fort Greely’s Chief of Plans and Operations Maj. Scott Beckett. “Living and training alongside our partners helps the U.S. maintain the relationships and trust that are essential for ensuring not only arctic readiness, but also regional and global security.”
According to a press release by USARAK, residents in and around Delta Junction will see an increased military presence on the Richardson Highway.
“Interior Alaska residents will see an increase in convoy traffic and military movements around the Donnelly Training Area in March,” the release reads. “Military vehicles and personnel will be moving between Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage to the Fort Greely area before and after the exercise dates.”
Focusing on training and tactics, techniques and procedures development for deployment operations in an arctic environment, JPMRC 22-02 is designed to validate the ability to rapidly deploy a brigade-sized force package quickly and integrate with external elements.
Participants include members from 2nd Division, Canadian Army paratroopers; the 450th Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Canadian Army; HIMARS from 17th Field Artillery Brigade, 7th Infantry Division; and other enablers from across the total Army.
“The Army is a globally responsive force ready to deploy at a moment’s notice,” said Fort Greely Garrison and Installation Commander, Lt. Col. Joey Orr. “This scenario provides realistic and relevant training that enables us to respond more effectively to regional crises, meet future security needs, and is critical to sustaining readiness.”
The exercise will involve the movement of a Stryker infantry brigade from Fort Wainwright to the Donnelly Training Area by road. The exercise will test the deployment processes of the units involved and the support agencies and their collective ability to rapidly prepare and deploy forces for extreme cold-weather operations.
It will also test subordinate and supporting units’ ability to conduct offensive and defensive operations against a near-peer threat as the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division assumes the role as opposing forces.
A command element from USARAK, along with support elements from the 4/25th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), and the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion will provide additional personnel and equipment to increase the realism of the exercise.
Roughly 8,000 soldiers from across USARAK along with JPMRC and JRTC personnel will have a role in the exercise, in addition to the many support personnel from across Alaska working to make this exercise a success.
“Successful execution of JPMRC 22-02 takes a total team effort,” Orr said. “It exercises unit and installation-support agencies and builds readiness from Alaska to Hawaii to Fort Polk. There is no doubt it will increase America’s arctic readiness and improve the competence and professionalism of our Soldiers and leaders.”
According to the release, Fort Greely and Delta Junction can expect minimal impact to normal traffic and activities.
“This exercise will not significantly affect civilian communities,” reads the release. “The movement of equipment by air and road may be evident to people who live in proximity to DTA and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Equipment moved by line haul on the Richardson and Glenn highways will be scheduled to have minimal impact to traffic.”
All JPMRC 22-02 participants will practice comprehensive COVID-19 mitigation measures that include, but are not limited to, batch and pool testing, social distancing and the wearing of masks, monitoring from on-ground medical personnel, and sanitization of living, dining, work, and medical treatment areas.
Fort Greely, known as the ‘Home of the Rugged Professional,’ is strategically located in remote, Interior Alaska, and its mission is midcourse missile defense. Fort Greely Garrison supported tenants include: Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, 49th Missile Defense Battalion, 59th Signal Battalion, Cold Regions Test Center, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Defense Commissary Agency, Logistics Readiness Center, and the U.S. Postal Service.
The installation and garrison commander at Fort Greely is dual-hatted and reports to both Installation Management Command through the Pacific Area Region Office and the senior mission commander through U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.