Press Release
☷Northern Strike 24 1 Tests Winter Warfare Skills
National Guard ( By Press Release office)
Jan 27,2024
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In chilly Camp Grayling , Michigan , Sgt . Shane Vanderhoek , a soldier with the Michigan Army National Guard , was busy adjusting his team ' s mortar in the snow - covered landscape . Despite the freezing temperatures , he persevered , but it was a struggle . "Everything is just cold , " he remarked . "Our equipment takes forever to start working properly . " This was all part of exercise Northern Strike 24 - 1 , a weeklong training event that focused on winter warfare . Vanderhoek and his unit faced off against opposing forces and extreme Arctic - like conditions , which tested their maneuvering and planning skills . The exercise , hosted by the Michigan National Guard , aimed to prepare soldiers for challenging environments . The location and terrain of Camp Grayling and the Alpena Combat Training Center were particularly valuable for training , as they closely resembled an Arctic environment . The exercise also emphasized joint operations , with the Army ' s 5th Special Forces Group working alongside Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard units . This collaboration across different military branches and domains of warfare set Northern Strike apart from other training events . Since its inception in 2011 , Northern Strike has become an important event that attracts participants from various U . S . military services and international partners . In 2020 , they added a winter portion to the exercise based on feedback from special operations forces . These units wanted a place to train in cold weather conditions , similar to an Arctic or winter setting . The winter part of the exercise is smaller , with about 200 participants compared to the summer exercise which has over 7 , 000 participants . However , the challenges are just as complex . Fitzpatrick , who is in charge of the exercise , has to make sure that the training meets the needs of all the units involved . It ' s not a standard exercise , each unit is treated as the main event , so it can be challenging to coordinate and integrate the training for all the different partners involved . Planning for the exercise starts a year in advance and they ' re already scheduling units for future exercises in 2025 and beyond . For Vanderhoek ' s unit , one of the immediate challenges is ensuring that the mortar ' s baseplate is properly emplaced , especially when the ground is frozen . They have to dig little holes to make it easier for the baseplate to settle down . The frozen ground also makes it difficult to ensure that the mortar ' s bipod support legs are dug in securely . Placing them on the ground increases the risk of the legs sliding out during firing , causing the rounds to go in unintended directions . These challenges were not faced during their recent deployment to the Middle East , but the winter iteration of the exercise forced them to find solutions . After some adjustments , Vanderhoek and his team were ready to execute the mission .
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