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JPMRC Shapes the US Army’s Only Arctic Division for the Frozen Battlefield

Monday, February 24th, 2025

FORT GREELY, Alaska — As U.S. Air Force C-130s and C-17s pierced the cover of clouds, stars, and the northern lights, they delivered equipment, packages and paratroopers across two drop zones, marking the start of Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-02 into the early morning hours of Jan. 23, 2025, near Fort Greely, Alaska,

As the clock ticked past midnight, the paratroopers of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, descended upon Army Allen Airfield and Buffalo Drop Zone, met by the deafening silence of the frozen Alaskan wilderness. Their objective: seize control of the airfield and establish a foothold against the elements, with temperatures below freezing, and the opposing force — their comrades from the division’s 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

“It was chaotic at first, which is typical of a joint forcible entry,” said 1st Lt. Jason Douple, a paratrooper with 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd IBCT (A).

“After we got our feet under ourselves, it was game on,” he said.

JPMRC is the U.S. Army’s newest combat training center, a coliseum of ice and snow where the division’s Soldiers train and fight against their fellow Arctic Soldiers, building the division’s warfighting capability in an Arctic environment and beyond.

The paratroopers wasted no time moving off the drop zone and seizing to their first objective, said 1st Lt. Joseph Watkins, a Battle Captain with 3rd Bn., 509th PIR.

“Our logistical support was executed well, being able to get ammunition, supplies, and gear to paratroopers is especially difficult in an austere, Arctic environment,” he added.

In addition to validating the 2nd IBCT’s readiness, JPMRC 25-02 was also a testament to the interoperability of the joint force and partner and Allied nations, including the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marines, Canadian and Mongolian armies, and others from partner nations and across the U.S. Department of Defense.

As the temperatures continued to drop, the 2nd IBCT assembled defensive positions, engineered fortifications and patrolled through snowy-covered miles of fields and forests as the two Arctic elements continued their fight against the environment, and each other.

“Whether it comes to a big, collective task or even the smallest, simplest one, it takes much longer to execute in the Arctic,” said Command Sgt. Maj. David Hanson, eenior enlisted leader of the 11th Airborne Division.

Across the exercise, the two forces met often, with flares illuminating the frosty battlefield, while orange and yellow muzzle flashes lit up the tree lines.

Paratroopers from 2-11 continued the fight and sustained it, despite temperatures below minus 30. It’s a skill set that the 11th Airborne Division and the JPMRC rotation in Alaska are uniquely able to provide to Soldiers and service members across partner nations and the joint force.

“We can’t just survive out here in the Arctic, we have to thrive,” Hanson said. “We are America’s only Arctic division and no one else is going to do it.”

By SGT Jaidon Novinska

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Parachuting | 1 Comment »

Corvias Partnership Accelerates Army’s Fort Riley Energy Resiliency, Cost Savings

Sunday, February 23rd, 2025

New solar array part of program to offset 40% of annual consumption costs

Fort Riley, Kan. (February 19, 2025) – Corvias, a leading energy and infrastructure solutions provider, in collaboration with Sunstone Energy Development and City, Light & Power, completed Phase III of an ongoing energy independence and security effort at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, recently marking a month of successful operations as part of its broader mission to support the U.S. Department of Defense’s operational resilience and readiness goals.

The project supports the DOD’s goal to provide 100% of the energy load required to sustain the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by the end of fiscal year 2030.

This latest phase consisted of two solar PV arrays, both of which finished interconnection in December and provide rate stabilization and energy security to Fort Riley housing communities. The program offsets nearly 40% of annual electricity consumed by the housing community and also contributed to the $2 billion of community economic impact recently announced by Fort Riley’s Garrison Commander, Col. Jerry Nunziato.

“This work continues to ensure a reliable and secure supply of energy to on-post housing and the surrounding area,” said Jim Champagne, Corvias Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Fort Riley. “Along with our partners, Corvias continues to implement strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities and potential disruptions that may affect the readiness of service members and their families.”

Over the past 10 years, Sunstone Energy Development, a joint venture between Corvias Solar Solutions and Onyx Renewables, has provided renewable energy solutions across the Corvias Army housing portfolio.

“For Onyx, delivering quality, resilient clean energy solutions is at the core of our mission,” said Kevin Cox, SVP of Origination at Onyx Renewables. “These onsite solar installations at Fort Riley not only enhance energy security and reliability for service members and their families but also underscore the long-term benefits of renewable energy in strengthening critical infrastructure.”

Corvias’ industry-first Solutions Through Partnerships approach is built on a shared commitment to assisting the Department of Defense in sustaining the critical mission of each U.S. military installation by supporting readiness.

The newly completed solar arrays add to two previously completed rooftop phases for the of the Corvias-led solar program at Fort Riley – already one of the largest in the state of Kansas.

For more information on Corvias improvements on Fort Riley, visit our website.

Posted in Army, Power, Press Release | No Comments »

The Character of War is Changing

Sunday, February 23rd, 2025

HOHENFELS, Germany — Lighter. Faster. More agile.

The U.S. Army implemented its Transforming in Contact initiative during exercise Combined Resolve 25-1 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany’s Hohenfels Training Area from Jan. 17 to Feb. 15, 2025.

Combined Resolve is a recurring exercise designed by U.S. Army Europe and Africa to prepare a multinational brigade for support of NATO deterrence initiatives. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division from Fort Johnson, Louisiana, was the primary training audience, with Poland’s 11th Armored Cavalry Division operating as the high command.

The Transforming in Contact initiative, or TiC, utilizes new technologies and systems to enhance the Army’s war fighting readiness and ability to respond to crisis or conflict.

Leading up to the event, the 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment documented Soldiers from the 3rd BCT utilizing some of the new equipment. One of these featured systems was the Anduril Ghost X medium-range reconnaissance drone.

“These are mainly reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition platforms that are meant to find things in a named area of interest,” said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Pariset, tactical unmanned aircraft system operator. “It is meant to be used at the battalion and lower levels to provide feedback to battalion commanders.”

“The previous system I used was the RQ7-B Shadow unmanned aircraft system,” said Pariset. “It was very limited by weather. However, these new systems are able to be utilized in rain, cold, heat and not have any limiting factors.”

The 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division is one of three Army brigades selected to train with TiC-focused systems. They deployed to Europe and immediately began fielding numerous TiC equipment, which are the first to be used in the European theater.

Prior to brigade’s participation in Combined Resolve, it was dispersed alongside NATO’s eastern flank.

“Throughout the course of the past six months we have received this new equipment trained on it and incorporated it into our collective training at echelon to get ready for Combined Resolve 25-1,” said Col. Joshua Glonek, commander of 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain Division.

Glonek goes on to note how his unit has done this, while deployed, in conjunction with other operational missions they have been tasked to conduct.

“The challenge is that we are dispersed throughout Europe and we’re doing this while participating in Atlantic Resolve. However, I think the point of the initiative is to be able to transform while a unit is deployed or potentially in a war,” said Glonek. “The way technology is rapidly integrating in society today, we have to be capable of receiving the newest technologies and very quickly getting our Soldiers proficient in how to use these systems, and that is exactly what we have been doing over here.”

The Army’s new technology provided to 3rd BCT is instinctual for Soldiers to operate compared to technology used in years past. This allows similar brigades to rapidly transform because it does not take long for Soldiers to become proficient operators with these new systems.

The technological areas that have made 3rd BCT far more capable than just six months ago when they arrived in Europe can be summed up in three elements: network capability, drone usage and increased mobility.

Network

“We have an integrated tactical network now that we use in the brigade which combines line of sight radios with the ability to communicate over LTE cell towers or through satellites,” said Glonek. “So we have a variety of transport options that we can use to communicate both over chat and voice and video through the battlefield so we’ve got a very effective communications systems and a network that we use.”

Drones

“We have fielded and are employing more drones over here at JMRC than other [Combat Training Centers] have used up to this point,” said Glonek. “We have drones at the company, battalion and brigade level that are conducting unmanned collection and targeting at echelon and so it’s making us far more lethal in our ability to find the enemy and rapidly employ fires against them.”

Mobility

“As a light infantry unit generally using some of the Army’s legacy vehicles, you’re limited in your ability to quickly maneuver around the battlefield, but we’ve received the Infantry Squad Vehicle which is allowing us to very rapidly reposition forces on the battlefield,” said Glonek. “We have received the Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) that we can transport a lot of our sustainment supply. And we also have some of the next generation tactical vehicle which are experimental battery powered hybrid vehicles that the Army is looking at, so there are a lot of mobility options that we’ve been using.”

One key difference in how the Army is incorporating technology into formations today is that it is not looking at one specific piece of equipment to buy, train or employ as a staple system for years to come.

The Army is finding the best equipment available today and training to each asset’s full capability. Army leadership will continually and more rapidly evaluate its impact and seek to upgrade equipment based on front-line soldiers’ recommendations. This bottom-up formula is a key theme to the intended success of TiC. It is a cycle which reduces time spent pondering bureaucratic relevancy and focuses on genuine assets needed.

Off-the-shelf, high-quality technology at lowest cost available in real time is of much greater importance as they can be quickly incorporated into formations and employ immediate and positive effect.

“It has been a great opportunity to receive some of the most cutting-edge equipment that the Army is using and very rapidly integrating into our formations, and here we are testing it out in the most diverse combat training center,” said Glonek.

The JMRC is the Army’s only overseas, internationally-integrated CTC, allowing Soldiers and senior leaders to safely learn lessons in a realistic, regionally-relevant environment, unlike any other operated by the Army worldwide.

“There is an excitement in TiC that we are finally able to bring to Europe,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer. “Traditionally we wouldn’t give such new technology to Soldiers this early.

Traditionally we would grab a few Soldiers, allow them to experiment with the gear, get some feedback, then go back to do more research and development.”

Weimer goes on to describe how TiC has altered the Army’s business model, “because so much of this is commercial off-the-shelf, we are expediting our ability to learn. To give it to a full brigade like [3/10 Mountain,] we have stepped on the gas as we like to say, and we’re learning what’s working and what’s not and that helps us understand how to invest in the future.”

The Army has always been about its people. Now, it is merging the strength of its people with the functionality of technology.

Weimer said it best, “the character of war is changing at a speed we have never seen before. It’s unprecedented. The goal is to always make sure we are the premier war fighting element in the world.”

By SPC Thomas Dixon

Posted in Army, Guest Post | 3 Comments »

Army Seeks to Expand and Accelerate 155 mm Production

Friday, February 21st, 2025

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – The Army’s Project Manager, Combat Ammunition Systems will host an Industry Day on March 20 in Parsippany, New Jersey, to engage with industry partners and explore strategies for enhancing manufacturing capabilities. The Industry Day will contribute to the U.S. Army’s continuing efforts to expand and accelerate production of 155mm artillery ammunition, aiming to reach a production rate of 100,000 shots per month by 2026.

A shot is defined as a complete 155 mm round to include fuze, primer, explosively loaded projectile, and a propelling charge. The 155 mm artillery round is the backbone of U.S. and allied field artillery, providing long-range, high explosive firepower to support maneuver forces and suppress enemy positions.

The munition is a staple of modern warfare and is used in platforms such as the M777 howitzer and the M109 Paladin. It offers a balance of range, lethality, and adaptability, with various warhead configurations, including precision-guided variants, smoke, and illumination rounds.

The push for increased 155 mm production comes as demand for artillery has surged due to ongoing global conflicts, including support for Ukraine, Israel, and broader U.S. defense readiness efforts. The event will focus on enhancing artillery propelling charge systems, investing in the industrial base, and fostering innovation in munitions development.

“Expanding 155 mm artillery production is about ensuring the Army, our allies, and international partners have the firepower needed to deter and, if necessary, decisively win conflicts”, said Colonel Leon L. Rogers II, Project Manager for Combat Ammunition Systems. “Industry Day is a critical opportunity for us to engage with our partners, drive innovation, and strengthen the industrial base. It is through strategic investments, modernization, and collaboration with industry, we are building a production enterprise capable of delivering at scale and speed.”

The Army has already made significant investments to increase its domestic production of 155 mm shots, including the commissioning of new manufacturing facilities and modernization of existing locations. Recent contracts and funding initiatives have supported efforts to expand metal parts production, load-assemble-pack capabilities, and propellant supply.

Industry partners attending the event will have the opportunity to discuss these initiatives with Army leaders and gain insight into upcoming contract opportunities.

The rapid consumption of artillery munitions in ongoing conflicts has reinforced the need for a resilient, high-output industrial base capable of meeting wartime demands.

In response, the Army launched an aggressive multi-billion-dollar expansion effort, investing in industrial modernization, workforce growth, and supply chain resiliency. As a result, current monthly production capacity has more than tripled its 2022 output.

“This Industry Day represents a call to action for American industry to continue our efforts to expand and modernize our nation’s production capacity of 155 mm artillery,” said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition. “We must forge a robust and responsive industrial base that ensures our warfighters and allies have the firepower they need and when they need it in order to deter aggression and defend freedom across the globe.”

The Army’s goal of 100,000 shots per month by 2026 will require further investment in metal parts manufacturing, load-assemble- pack (LAP) facilities, and propellant production.

Companies specializing in munitions production, advanced manufacturing, materials sourcing, and logistics will have the opportunity to engage in discussions and explore future contracting opportunities.

For more information, industry partners are encouraged to register on SAM.gov for updates on 155 mm production contracts and opportunities.

By Abraam Dawoud

Posted in Ammo, Army, Guest Post | No Comments »

Army Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art 6.8 mm Ammunition Production Facility

Friday, February 14th, 2025

INDEPENDENCE, Missouri – The U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition, along with the Joint Munitions Command, officially broke ground on a new 6.8 mm ammunition production facility in support of the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The 6.8 mm family of ammunition, set to be produced at the new facility, will play a vital role in advancing the Army’s modernization priorities.

Developed collaboratively by the JPEO A&A, the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Armaments Center, and the Army Research Laboratory, the 6.8 mm family of ammunition is specifically engineered to maximize the performance of the XM7 Rifle and the XM250 Automatic Rifle. When fired through these Next Generation Squad Weapons, 6.8 mm rounds deliver increased range, improved accuracy, and enhanced lethality, ensuring Soldiers maintain overmatch on the battlefield.

“It is not lost on me that victory on the battlefield begins in our production facilities,” said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition. “Lake City has been central to our nation’s ammunition production since 1941, and this new facility builds on that proud and historic legacy.”

The cutting-edge facility, which will be operated by Olin Winchester, is the culmination of an 18-month design process led by JPEO A&A with support from a diverse team of U.S. government and commercial contractors.

Spanning 450,000 square feet, the facility will feature modern manufacturing systems capable of producing all components of 6.8 mm ammunition. This includes cartridge case and projectile manufacturing, energetic operations for loading and charging ammunition, product packaging, process quality controls, testing laboratories, maintenance operations and administrative areas.

With 90% of the work supported by industries in the Kansas City region and nearly 50 local businesses involved in the construction, the new facility will strengthen the defense industrial base, create well-paying jobs, and will drive economic growth in the local community.

Once operational, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 385 million cases, 490 million projectiles and 385 million load-assemble-pack operations for 6.8 mm ammunition. This enhanced capacity will significantly bolster U.S. munitions production, ensuring the Army maintains its readiness and ability to serve as a credible deterrent to would-be adversaries.

JPEO A&A and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Command Armaments Center are headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. Together, they play a critical role in developing, procuring and fielding cutting-edge armaments and ammunition, ensuring the readiness and modernization of the U.S. Army and its international partners.

By U.S. Army Public Affairs

Posted in Ammo, Army, Guest Post | 9 Comments »

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Renames Fort Liberty to Fort Roland L. Bragg

Wednesday, February 12th, 2025

While flying aboard a C-17 from Joint Base Andrews to Stuttgart on February 10, 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum renaming Fort Liberty in North Carolina to Fort Roland L. Bragg. The new name pays tribute to PFC Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. This change underscores the installation’s legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation.

By John Ullyot, DOD Press Secretary

Posted in Army, Guest Post, History | 20 Comments »

Army G-9, Team Bliss Open DOD’s first 3D-Printed Barracks

Friday, February 7th, 2025

FORT BLISS, Texas — The “Home of America’s Tank Division” now houses the Defense Department’s first 3D-printed barracks.

Lt. Gen. David Wilson, deputy Army chief of staff, G-9 (Installations), and Sgt. Maj. Michael Perry, his senior enlisted adviser, joined 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Garrison leaders for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 29, 2025.

The facilities on West Bliss are one of two new sites at Fort Bliss featuring this innovative military infrastructure. They are the first 3D-printed structures to comply with the Defense Department’s updated Unified Facilities Criteria, a mandate updated annually that provides construction guidance DOD-wide and now reflects standards for additive manufacturing, or 3D-printed, facilities.

According to ICON, an Austin, Texas, company that spearheaded the project, the buildings each encompass 5,700 square feet. When construction began in 2024, these barracks were the largest planned 3D-printed structures in the Western Hemisphere.

In total, three buildings were opened at Fort Bliss: two in the Pershing Heights area and one at Camp McGregor on the Fort Bliss Training Complex in New Mexico.

The project was completed with assistance from the Fort Bliss Garrison Directorate of Public Works and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who were essential in ensuring the safety certifications of these privately built structures.

The newly opened facilities will initially house troops deploying to Fort Bliss in support of the installation’s Mobilization Force Generation Installation mission. Fort Bliss processes and trains approximately 70,000 service members annually, with support from Army Reserve and National Guard units that deploy to Fort Bliss for annual rotations.

The new barracks at Fort Bliss can house up to 56 Soldiers per building. The Pershing Heights facilities will be first used by the 382nd Military Police Detachment, an Army Reserve unit from Massachusetts, which will be heading to Fort Bliss in support of the MFGI mission.

The 3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, process begins with designing the facility using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The barracks design was then virtually sliced into horizontal layers and vertically rejoined.

The barracks were built with ICON’s Vulcan printer, a five-ton, gantry-style 3D printer that stands almost 16 feet tall and 47 feet wide. The machine uses a proprietary concrete-based material called Lavacrete, which can be tailored to local environmental conditions, including humidity and temperature, ensuring optimal performance and aesthetic appeal.

Wilson served with the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss from 2008 to 2010 as the 121st Brigade Support Battalion commander shortly after the division moved its headquarters from Ansbach, Germany, to El Paso, Texas.

He recalled the borderland as “one of the warmest and most welcoming communities I had ever been a part of in my 38 years of service, both as an enlisted Soldier and a commissioned officer.”

The Army G-9 oversees Army housing, military construction and infrastructure investment, child care, energy and water security, resilience and sustainability, installation environmental management and stewardship, and other installation-related concerns.

“The great senator Robert Francis Kennedy once said, ‘Do not look at things and wonder why, dream new ideas and say ‘why not?’” Wilson said. “We’re here today because many people dreamed of new ideas and said ‘why not,’ and that’s why we’re delivering this state-of-the-art facility to the Army today.

“Fort Bliss is not only a military installation; it’s a cornerstone of our nation’s defense and a symbol of resilience, strength, and enduring commitment to our nation—a place of growth and transformation. This post has evolved with the times, embracing new technologies, new strategies, and new ways of serving our country,” he said. “So, it’s fitting that we gather here today to open new barracks that embody the same spirit of evolution and progress.”

By David Poe

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Shelter | 10 Comments »

Arctic Angels Rehearse MEDEVAC Operations Ahead of JPMRC

Wednesday, February 5th, 2025

FORT GREELY, Alaska — On a frigid early morning along the Alaskan frontier, the 25th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the 1-52nd General Support Aviation Battalion, Arctic Aviation Command — both of the 11th Airborne Division, — conducted a medical evacuation rehearsal ahead of Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-02, near Delta Junction, Alaska, Jan. 18, 2025.

The MEDEVAC rehearsal comes only days before the start of JPMRC 25-02, the Army’s newest Combat Training Center, focusing on large scale combat operations in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions, where the ability to reach and treat casualties is key.

“Rehearsal is very important,” said 2nd Lt. Allen Sanchez, a platoon leader assigned to Charlie Company, 25th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division. “We have to practice our skills because, at the end of the day, we have to be prepared for things that may change in real-life situations.”

The Donnelly Training Area and its extreme cold temperatures, high winds and ever-changing conditions presents challenges, but learning to operate in that environment is vital for building soldiers that live up to the division’s motto: Arctic tough.

“This rehearsal is essential because we are in an Arctic environment, where resources are limited,” said Spc. Brandon Martinez Segura, a combat medic assigned to Charlie Company, 25th BSB, 1st IBCT, 11th Airborne Division. “So we need to practice getting all casualties out of this environment and to safety.”

With mere hours of daylight during the winter months, rehearsing in darkness is nearly unavoidable, but is critical to ensuring combat medics are prepared to treat any injury, no matter the conditions.

“It is crucial that we practice how to properly aid a patient in the cover of night; we hope to gain experience and learn from our mistakes,” Sanchez said.

By PFC Makenna Tilton, 27th Public Affairs Detachement

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Medical | No Comments »