JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Operating in Alaska requires more than traditional military skills. The state’s rugged terrain, unpredictable conditions and vast distances demand service members be prepared to move, communicate and operate effectively in some of the most challenging environments on earth.
The 673d Security Forces Squadron, based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, has found a way to address this issue. The Alaska Defense Sustainment Training, a week-long course developing Airmen's survival skills and helping them move and sustain operations in remote and austere conditions.
“The training is important for security forces stationed in Alaska so they know their environment and can have the confidence to go out in various conditions and thrive,” said U.S Alaska Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Thresa Savo, 176th Security Forces defender and ADST cadre member.
The training combines classroom instruction with hands-on scenarios focused on Arctic survival, land navigation, communication, casualty response, transportation and technical movement across challenging terrain.
For U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nevin Larock, an instructor with the 673d SFS, hands-on training is crucial. By combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience, Larock and the training cadre help ensure Alaska-based defenders are ready to operate where the environment itself can become part of the mission.
“We want to see them succeed in training so they can excel at the mission,” Larock said. “They’re being exposed to it before they have to execute it in the real world.”
Larock led instruction during ADST, teaching participants techniques designed to improve mobility, vehicle handling and survival skills in rugged Arctic terrain. The training included all-terrain vehicle operations, safety procedures, rope techniques and navigating steep terrain.
Additionally, the exercise challenged participants to coordinate their movements while safely carrying a simulated casualty, reinforcing the importance of teamwork and communication during evacuation operations. Furthermore, participants practiced tactical combat movements, applying their Arctic mobility skills in a more operational setting and rehearsing how to maneuver as a team while accounting for the terrain around them.
The training also incorporated realistic stressors to help participants understand how fatigue and limited resources can affect their ability to perform during extended operations.
“We want to do it in a sense where they’re already sleep deprived, facing possible caloric deficits, when they might be at their lowest—because in combat on deployments, you don’t necessarily get to choose how rested you will be when you’re needed,” said Larock.
Regular iterations of ADST give Airmen an opportunity to learn in a controlled environment, strengthening their ability to respond when those same challenges arise during real-world missions. Training like this continually develops service members to operate effectively across Alaska's unique environment while strengthening the readiness and resilience required for Arctic operations.