CRTC, Camp Grayling provides Combat Readiness

Photo By Staff Sgt. lee fisher | A C27J of the 179th Air Wing from Mansfield, Ohio takes off from the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center's 9000 feet runway, in support of Operation Northern Strike at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center. The airfield at CRTC can accommendate take offs and landings from nearly all classes of military aircraft and has a ramp large enough to handle five full squadrons of aircraft.  

MI, UNITED STATES

07.20.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. lee fisher 

126th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

Michigan’s Army and Air National Guard have two installations located in Northern Michigan that are leading the way into combat readiness. The Michigan Air National Guard’s Combat Readiness Training Center and Michigan Army National Guard’s Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center have become center stage for one of the largest military training operations in Michigan’s military history.

Operation Northern Strike 2012, which were joint forces exercises that included air and ground units training together that allowed the CRTC and Camp Grayling to display its training capabilities for 19 units from nine states as well as Latvia and Canada.

“The CRTC in conjunction with Camp Grayling offer air and Army units some unique opportunities, due to the location and assets that are hard to find in the eastern portion of the U.S.,” said Col. Brian Teff, commander of CRTC.

The CRTC has one of the largest air space complexes east of the Mississippi River, combined with 147,000 acres of ground maneuver space at Camp Grayling.

“The CRTC’s and Camp Grayling’s air spaces overlap, which gives the area huge capabilities that a lot of training centers don’t have,” Teff said.

While flying the pilots will find slight civilian air traffic in northern Michigan because it is mostly rural and there are no large airports nearby.

The CRTC’s 9,000 foot long runway can accommodate almost all military aircraft for take offs and landings. In addition, it has enough ramp space for five squadrons of aircraft. The air traffic control center manages the flying aircrafts, which has the equipment and personnel worthy of the task.

“We can provide radar approach services for the entire northeast area of Michigan,” said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Schuldt, a noncommissioned officer in charge of air traffic control animation. “Our air traffic control center has highly technical equipment that is not found very often in a military approach control centers.”

Arming aircraft is an important part of base operations. The CRTC’s munitions depot offers two capabilities not often found in a base of its size.

“We have the capacity that allows units to build live ordnance on our bomb pad and range access at Camp Grayling to engage targets with live munitions,” said Tech Sgt. Robert Dingeman, senior munitions inspector at CRTC.

To add realistic training, the CRTC has three high quality surface-to-air threat emitters along with an air-to-air combat simulator from Cubic Defense Applications, Inc.

“The computer generated threat system here allows for a ‘rangeless’ air combat training system,” said Troy Bowers, a Technician II for Cubic.

All aircraft can be equipped with an in-flight recording pod that houses a digital computer chip which allows pilots to see other aircraft within the area of operations on the heads-up display.

“The threat emitters simulate ground and air threats so pilots can practice using countermeasures to avert or destroy the threats,” said Bowers. When the missions are completed, the recorded information can be loaded from all aircraft and displayed onto a video screen for critiquing.

However, live training conducted at Camp Grayling is more effective than simulation drills performed at the CRTC.

“It is extremely important to continue to do training between the Air and Army National Guard components because realistically, it is how we are fighting in Afghanistan,” said Maj. Matt Trumble, Director of Operations Air Gunnery Range at Camp Grayling.
Camp Grayling, which is located 92 miles west of Alpena, Mich., is the largest National Guard training center in the country. Located within its 230 square miles is the Range 40 Complex, which has 65 surveyed firing points for artillery, 32 mortar firing points and five observation points. The air space for the entire impact area is restricted for military activities up to 23,000 feet.

“The impact area of Range 40 Complex allows the use of a full spectrum of ordnance, including live high explosive rounds,” said Trumble.

This area is 7,400 acres that encompasses: an air-to-ground bombing range, helicopter gunnery ranges and ground maneuver areas.

“This range has a fairly unique configuration that makes this place fantastic,” said Lt. Col Timothy Brock, Range 40 commander and control officer. “That is the Army and Air National Guard come together right at a berm on the range so they can work cohesively just like they would in theater.”

Brock explained the airman at the air-to-ground range are willing to assist any Army and Air National Guard units that have special needs for training because this strengthens the survivability of the complex.

Therefore, Alpena’s CRTC and Camp Grayling are within reasonable travel distance and offers inexpensive training opportunities for aviation and Army units. These locations work in conjunction offering air support training operations and providing air-to-ground and maneuver areas.

• Date Taken: 07.20.2012
• Date Posted: 07.26.2012 12:41
• Story ID: 92192
• Location: MI, US