Northern Strike 23-1, this year’s winter exercise hosted by the Michigan National Guard, is scheduled across Northern Michigan’s National All-Domain Warfighting Center from Jan. 20-29. NS 23-1 is part of the semi-annual exercise series, which includes NS 23-2 in August.

NS is a tailorable, scalable, cost-effective Army National Guard-sponsored exercise to increase readiness. Approximately 600 participants will brave the near-arctic conditions while training to meet the objectives of the Department of Defense’s Arctic strategy.

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 20th Special Forces Group, Massachusetts National Guard, conduct snowmobile training through northern Michigan’s rough terrain during Northern Strike 22-1 on Jan. 22, 2022. “Winter Strike” is held annually in northern Michigan during the coldest part of the year. Snow, high winds, and single-digit temperatures are commonplace at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center this time of year. Visiting units are able to train in subarctic conditions, so they are better able to meet the objectives laid out in the Department of Defense’s Arctic strategy

The NADWC, which includes Camp Grayling and Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, offers a cost-effective way for units across the DOD (particularly reserve components) to experience cold-weather, joint all-domain operations. The ability to easily transport people and equipment to Camp Grayling via rail and road helps units save time, money and training days. Air component units can fly to Alpena CRTC without leaving U.S. airspace.

Soldiers from the 20th Special Forces Group, Massachusetts National Guard, engage in cross-country ski training during Northern Strike 22-1 (“Winter Strike”) at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center, Grayling, Mich., Jan. 23, 2022.

Winter Strike, the winter iteration of the Northern Strike exercise program, takes place at Northern Michigan’s National All-Domain Warfighting Center. The NADWC serves as the perfect place for units across the Department of Defense to experience cold-weather, all-domain training, allowing participants to enhance their Arctic warfare capabilities.
Participating units will include the 120th Field Artillery Regiment, Wisconsin National Guard; the 1432nd Engineer Company, Michigan National Guard; and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115, Marine Corps Air Station in Buford, South Carolina, among others.

The cold-weather equipment pool offered at Camp Grayling is a new factor in this year’s exercise. Visiting units can draw from skis, snowmobiles and snowshoes to meet their training objectives.