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For nearly three years, I have had the honor of living and commanding troops here in Alaska. The state of Alaska and its garrisons, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright have always been much sought-after duty assignments. Service members continue to find a way back here, and some of them never leave, giving Alaska one of the largest retired veteran communities in the U.S.
After living here and having served all over the U.S., I think the secret and the appeal of the state is the incredibly supportive communities our soldiers and families live and work in every single day.
Nearly two years ago, on June 6, 2022, we reactivated the 11th Airborne Division, uniting soldiers under one patch, under one command with one singular goal: to be the nation’s premiere Arctic fighting force, able to operate, survive, fight and win our nation’s wars anywhere. That goal, that ability to thrive given any condition, is something I believe gives our soldiers an edge over any others, and it’s a quality they can only learn here.
Living here, whether civilian or soldier, requires a certain level of grit and the people we live and work with here are an incredible example of that last frontier spirit.
As I prepare to leave this amazing place, I want to say thank you. Thank you for your support, for sharing this place we call home. For sharing your favorite hiking and skiing trails and how to safely take advantage of Alaska’s bounty, whether by hunting, fishing or just simply soaking up its natural beauty. Not just with me and my family, but with every Arctic Angel and Army civilian here.
I can’t begin to explain the pride we feel when we leave the gates in uniform. It’s an honor to be stationed here, to serve here, and to live here, and I want to give you the opportunity to see what your support means to us.
This year, we will hold our second Arctic Angel Rendezvous Week, a weeklong event honoring the legacy of our division and celebrating our present and future, and I am inviting you all to join us in camaraderie and fun.
The community day at Fort Wainwright will be June 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day’s highlight will be an air assault demonstration with helicopters at 11 a.m. with additional activities including a civilian hiring fair, military career day, military equipment displays and demonstrations, and food trucks. To access Fort Wainwright, non-Department of Defense personnel must enter through the Montgomery Gate on Badger Road, where traffic control will direct you to parking areas. From there, shuttle buses will transport visitors to the event. Visitors 18 and older must have valid photo identification.
The community day at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will be June 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day’s highlight will be an airborne operation demonstration with real Army paratroopers at approximately 12:30 p.m., as well as a chance to jump from the 34-foot jump tower the paratroopers train on, with military equipment displays, family activities, food trucks and more. To access JBER, non-DoD personnel will park at Moose Run Golf Course on Arctic Valley Road. From there, shuttle buses will transport visitors to the event beginning at 9 a.m.
Whether you are able to join us or not, I sincerely want to thank you all for your support of the soldiers and families of the Army’s newest and only Arctic division. You are all the reason we are able to do what we do, and it’s been an honor to serve here. Arctic Angels!
Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler serves as commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division.
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