Commanding generals visit US Army’s Arctic warriors

United States Army Alaska
Story by Sgt. Sean Callahan

Date: 08.01.2013
Posted: 08.01.2013 19:14
News ID: 111221
Commanding generals visit US Army’s Arctic warriors

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Commanding generals had their first look at the strategic and military might the U.S. Army’s farthest-north assets have to offer.

Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, U.S. Army Pacific’s commanding general, and Maj. Gen. Michael H. Shields, U.S. Army Alaska’s commanding general, received a comprehensive tour of Fort Wainwright, Fort Greely and the Northern Warfare Training Center’s Black Rapids site.

The tour gave these leaders an in-depth look at how Alaska’s strategic location, unique training capabilities and dynamic relationship with the local civilian communities make U.S. Army’s northern-most outposts a significant national asset and world-class power projection platform for military operations anywhere in the world.

“The amount of territory and the fact that there is not very much encroachment by population growth in and around (Alaska) makes this area very unique,” said Brooks. “It’s a flexible training area that can be used by not only our U.S. forces assigned here in Alaska, but also from around the Pacific region, including some of our foreign partners. It’s an excellent training resource and I know we’re taking good advantage of it.”

Both visiting generals recently took command of their respective units.