EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Alaskan Command and U.S. Army Alaska hosted an Arctic General Officer/Flag Officer summit Nov. 7 to 9, which included flag officers and senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska National Guard and Canadian Forces, to strengthen partnerships and discuss future Arctic and Alaskan challenges and joint capabilities.
"The Arctic GO/FO summit brings Arctic U.S. and Canadian military leaders together to discuss current and future Arctic issues and challenges," said Lt. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Alaskan NORAD Region, Alaskan Command and 11th Air Force. "Natural disasters occur and there are many that can happen in Alaska to include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and avalanches to name a few, and we may be asked to support civil authorities. The state may need federal assistance and we need to be ready, as a team, to provide that support when called upon. It’s crucial we develop relationships and partnerships before incidents like that occur.”
In addition to Wilsbach, attendees included; U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Bryan Owens, USARAK commander; U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Michael McAllister, District 17 commander; Canadian Brig. Gen. Patrice Laroche, Alaskan NORAD Region deputy commander; U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Brent Feick, Alaska National Guard Director of the Joint Staff; U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Tyler Otten, Air Force Reserve Mobilization Assistant to 11th Air Force commander; as well as deputies, aides and senior enlisted advisors.
Attendees received mission briefings showcasing assets and capabilities from the Alaskan Command, 354th Fighter Wing and 168th Air Refueling Wing at Eielson Air Force Base, U.S. Coast Guard District 17, U.S. Army Alaska and the Northern Warfare Training Center. During each briefing, the military leaders discussed successes as well as current and future challenges with possible solutions.
For this GO/FO conference, the summit visited the U.S. Army Alaska’s Northern Warfare Training Center at the Black Rapids Training Site near Delta Junction, Alaska, and the U.S. Air Force’s Arctic Cool School at Eielson Air Force Base, to better understand Arctic training, survival and resources.
The NWTC provides cold weather and mountain warfare training in order to enhance war-fighting capabilities of U.S. and coalition partners. The NWTC also trains servicemembers to conduct missions of high altitude and cold weather rescue and recovery operations in the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility.
While providing a mission brief about the NWTC and USARAK to the GO/FO participants, Owens said, “it’s not important to just survive in the Arctic environment, we must be able to thrive, and the NWTC provides students with the tools and education to do that.”
After the mission brief, GO/FO participants toured and learned about the Arctic gear the facility provides training for to include cross-country skiing, tools used to build thermal shelters, mountaineering, and how to maintain warmth without sweating.
“It’s all about maintaining your warmth without sweating,” said NWTC instructor U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Philip Dubose. “Sweat can kill you in the Arctic…that, and cotton. We teach the students on how to maintain warmth and mobility while being safe and preventing injury.”
After the Army’s NWTC tour, the group visited the U.S. Air Force’s Arctic Cool School.
Arctic Cool School’s typical class is a week-long and there are 15 classes each year between November until the end of March, said U.S. Air Force Maj. William Mercer, Arctic Cool School commander. Students have academic and lab instruction their first two days, then they go out to the field on day three and remain out in the field, typically regardless of the conditions, until day five. Typically, students are put in a group camp on a few acres of Alaskan forest and must go forth and prosper. Some students, depending on their military job, may be on their own.
“There is some supervision and checking up on them, but this is their opportunity to realize the difficulties and challenges of working by themselves,” Mercer said.
"There are some amazing Arctic training resources by both the Army and Air Force," Wilsbach said. "This was my first time hosting and participating in a GO/FO conference since my arrival to Alaska and I was very impressed with how serious and knowledgeable the Arctic training instructors were.”
"It’s about building partnerships. When you need the assistance or support of other services or even coalition partners, you never want the first conversation to be in the moment of an emergency,” Wilsbach concluded. “This conference allows us an opportunity to build those relationships and learn about each other’s capabilities, assets, resources and even challenges.”
The next Arctic GO/FO Summit is scheduled for March 2017.