The land and air space between Alpena and Grayling is some of the best for this training, noted Colonel Todd Fitzpatrick of the Army National Guard.

GRAYLING — Over 6,000 military members from 32 states and territories and five countries have called Camp Grayling home for the last two weeks in a military exercise designed to build readiness and warfighting capabilities among all the services.

"Everything we do here is about readiness. This is a rare opportunity for all of the services to train together," said David Kennedy, public affairs officer for the Michigan National Guard.

Called Northern Strike, this military training exercise takes place at at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC), which encompasses the Camp Grayling Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. The training area consists of 148,000 acres of maneuver space and more than 17,000 square miles of special-use airspace.

The land and air space between Alpena and Grayling is some of the best for this type of training, noted Colonel Todd Fitzpatrick of the Army National Guard.

"We fight and deploy as a team. What we don't want is to have a conflict the first time we are working with our partners," Fitzpatrick said.

Arkshay Narayan is a second lieutenant in a British Army reserve unit. He has been to the U.S. before to visit family and friends but this is his first time in Michigan. Narayon's unit is in an area of the camp with empty buildings so the soldiers can practice securing an area.

"Today we are learning how to clear rooms and buildings in an urban environment. We started with training that allows us to get familiar with the M4 rifle, which we don't use in the U.K.," said Narayan. "We use the SA80 so we are getting to know this weapon."

He noted that U.S. soldiers are serving as the opposition in the training exercises.

"It is interesting because we only play enemy with our own troops," he said.

Narayan is very impressed with Camp Grayling.

"You have a brilliant training area here, which we don't have in the U.K. in terms of size," he said.

Northern Strike, which concludes Aug. 17, also includes exercises in cyber security and unmanned aerial systems like drones.

"We set up a digital lane to train service members on what is happening in theaters around the world," said Fitzpatrick.

Bill Frederick is the chief technology officer with the Advanced Aircraft Company in Virginia. He will be working with soldiers on his company's HAMR Hybrid Advanced Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), or drone.

"Most multi-rotor drones are battery powered and the problem with batteries is they have to be recharged every 25 minutes. The HAMR uses a hybrid electric propulsion system with a fuel-injected engine spinning a generator on the aircraft while it is in flight. That means it can fly two to three hours instead of 25 minutes," Frederick said.

Another advantage for the HAMR is that it is easy to set up and operate.

"Last year we trained four airmen who had no previous UAS experience. In one week they learned how to assemble and disassemble the aircraft and do normal operating procedures," he said.

The HAMR also has enhanced auto pilot, camera and surveying and mapping capabilities, said Frederick.

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"This year’s schedule of (Northern Strike) training events reflects the abilities of Michigan and the NADWC to support Department of Defense objectives," U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said in a statement. "We take pride in our ability to improve the exercise design each year, integrating innovative technologies and solutions into dynamic training to meet the needs of commanders across all domains of warfare."

The Michigan National Guard began hosting Northern Strike in 2012 and it has since grown into a joint, multi-national exercise program.

— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Camp Grayling military exercise brings together all services, foreign soldiers

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