BISMARCK, N.D. — Members of the Army National Guard loaded an airplane in North Dakota’s subzero temperatures to head for cold-weather training in Anchorage, Alaska.
Temperatures in Anchorage Tuesday were actually about 50 degrees warmer than North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service.
RELATED
In Alaska, the team will work with federal and local agencies to respond to an earthquake scenario and test military and civilian capability to respond in extreme cold weather as part of exercise Arctic Eagle-Patriot, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
“When we exercise with them, it gives us the opportunity to work closely with them so that in the event a real-world incident occurs, we already have those relationships built, we already know different capabilities and how we’re going to respond,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Flanagan, commander of the Bismarck-based 81st Civil Support Team.
Flanagan said the unit tries to be involved with multiagency exercises like Arctic Eagle two times a year. The civil support team responds to not only threats of weapons, but also natural disasters.
Thirteen members of the North Dakota National Guard, along with members of the Mississippi Air National Guard, will participate in the training exercises in Anchorage and Nome before returning in early March.
