GRAYLING – Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, and the Michigan National Guard are busy hosting over 4,300 service members participating in Northern Strike. Changes this week only include the op-tempo of the joint military exercise as it continues gaining momentum.
Beginning of the exercise, units move to the field this weekend and begin their live-fire training that will end during the second weekend of August.
With sustainment and logistics being the focus, kinetic activity that will occur involves waterborne operations on the 31st, helo-casting into the local lake from a moving helicopter. Airborne paratroopers jump into secure drop zones as they prepare for the assault onto their objective. The special skills required to do these dangerous missions are gained through several weeks of initial training followed by months and years of follow-on training and missions by specially designated units.
The special use restricted airspace above the Range 13 (mortars), 30 (MPRC), & 40 (Artillery & Air-to-Ground) Complexes will be very active for most of the event. Thus, local residents can expect increased military vehicles and aircraft, weapons firing, and training activity to occur at all hours of the day and night. This means most roads and trails in and around the ranges and training areas will be CLOSED to civilian traffic for their safety.
This combined live-fire training is an extremely important skillset to achieve in a joint, multi-national, all domain environment. COL Meyers knows this is a community effort to achieve success during Northern Strike and extends his thanks for the community support we are receiving.
For more info about camp grayling call 989-344-6100, or check us out on Facebook @camp grayling mi. https://www.facebook.com/campgraylingmi
