Cold Weather Military Training

Airmen and Marines in snowy landscapes engage in cold-weather operations training, focusing on survival techniques and tactical maneuvers in harsh conditions.

Winter arctic mountains warfare.

DA-SC-87-09033. Subject Operation/Series: BRIM FROST Base: Valdez State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-ST-88-07293. Subject Operation/Series: KERNEL POTLATCH Base: Naval Air Station, Adak State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing set up arctic shelters during a four-day cold-weather training course in preparation for Exercise Nordic Response 24 at Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 12, 2024. Exercise Nordic Response, formerly known as Cold Response, is a NATO training event conducted every two years to promote military competency in arctic environments and to foster interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and allied nations. Marine Corps

Students in Cold-Weather Operations Course 19-01 practice snowshoeing at a training area Dec. 6, 2018, on the Fort McCoy, Wis., cantonment area. The class has 38 students. The course is 14 days long and, in addition to classroom training, includes training in a wide range of cold-weather subjects, including skiing and snowshoe training, using the ahkio sleds, setting up the Arctic 10-person cold-weather tent, and more. Training also focuses on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, cold-weather clothing, developing winter fighting positions in the field, and camouflage and concealment.

A U.S. Air Force Airman from the 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron uses a folding shovel to chip away at hardened snow and leaves Feb. 11, 2023, at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan. The Airman is attending a class led by Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) specialists to teach basic survival techniques in a cold weather environment. Over the course of three days each class helped assemble a natural shelter. The leaves are used as insulation from the elements. This class is part of the 290ths annual training.

Soldiers with Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Vermont Army National Guard, cross country ski at Ethan Allen Firing Range, Jericho, Vt., Feb. 6, 2016. The Soldiers participated in a combination of skiing and live-fire exercises, testing not only their abilities to ski and shoot, but also their ability to shoot under stress with unfamiliar weapons.

U.S. Air Force tactical air control party specialists assigned to Detachment 1, 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron pull pulk sleds while skijoring along the Denali Highway, Alaska, during Operation Agipen 2, Feb. 1, 2023. Agipen 2 was an unsupported, sustained cold-weather operation designed to validate equipment and previous arctic training in austere conditions. During the multi-day training exercise the 3rd ASOS special warfare Airmen conducted a long-distance, overland ski movement that included pulling individual pulk sleds by incorporating cross country skiing and skijoring.

Norwegian Army Sgt. 1st Class Joran Steien, allied camp commander with Hoast Base Support, instructs U.S. Marines on operating snowmobiles during a snowmobile course, in preparation for the NATO exercise Nordic Response 24 at Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 20, 2024. II MEF Marines are scheduled to participate in exercise Nordic Response 24, which is a Norwegian national readiness and defense exercise designed to enhance military capabilities and allied cooperation under challenging Arctic conditions, in high-intensity warfighting including rugged terrain and extreme cold weather. This exercise will test military activities ranging from the reception of allied and partner reinforcements and command and control interoperability to combined joint operations, maritime prepositioning force logistics, integration with NATO militaries, and reacting against an adversary force during a dynamic training environment. Marine Corps

Airmen with multiple Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve security forces units learn squad tactics pulling an ahkio sled Jan. 18, 2023, as part of a 16-day Cold-Weather Operations Course led by the Air Force at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 50 Airmen are participating in the training from across the Air Force. Besides learning about use of snowshoes and moving as a squad over terrain pulling an ahkio sled in a cold-weather environment, the Airmen also learned about cold-weather shelters, survival techniques, cold-weather uniform wear, and more. Fort McCoy has a long history of supporting cold-weather training. Eighty years prior to this training, in January 1943, the installation hosted winter training for the Army's 76th Division prior to the Division deploying to Europe to fight in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

Airmen with multiple Air National Guard security forces units take part in a 16-day Cold-Weather Operations Course led by the Air Force at Fort McCoy, WI.

With the afternoon light fading and temperatures dropping to -40c, the advance party finishes constructing the HQ area. Working with the advance party, 1ST LT. Roman Hund, 341 CS/SCS, helps Captain Kane, 746 Comm Squadron (Calgary), 74 Comm Group, Alberta, and one of his troops assemble a tent and camouflage netting around a radio van to complete the command post. The exercise is a Canadian military winter operations indoctrination course. Subject Operation/Series: INCLEMENT WANDERER Base: Camp Worthington State: Alberta (AB) Country: Canada (CAN)

030216-M-2796K-019. Subject Operation/Series: FOREST LIGHT II 2003 Base: Camp Engaru State: Hokkaido Country: Japan (JPN)

A young military man training to shoot a weapon during a snowstorm in an outdoor environment

East-Coast based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commandos conduct land-based arctic mobility training on snow mobiles in Utqiagvik, Alaska, Feb. 26, 2024, during Arctic Edge 24. AE24 is an annual defense exercise for the U.S. Northern Command emphasizing Joint Force operations in an extreme cold weather and high latitude environment and is designed to demonstrate Globally Integrated Layered Defense in the Arctic. Navy

Ground crewman install an external wing fuel tank onto an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, during Exercise Brim Frost '83. Subject Operation/Series: Brim Frost '83 Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Emergency Services Flight were recently awarded the 2012 Air Force Global Strike Command Medium Fire Department of the Year. The fire department from Minot Air Force Base is responsible for response and prevention in the missile complex, on the flightline, in base housing and the weapons storage area.

Members of the Iowa Air National Guards 185th Air Refueling Wing Civil Engineering Squadron remove snow from the ramp area near the units KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft in Sioux City, Iowa on January 9, 2024 following a significant snowfall. The two-day snow event dropped over 14 inches of snow in Western Iowa from Monday the 8th into Tuesday January 9, 2024. U.S. Air National Guard photo Senior Maser Sgt. Vincent De Groot

A machine gunner and loader from Co. B, 4th Bn., 9th Inf. Div., prepare to fire an M-60 machine gun during CALFEX '90, a joint service, combined arms live-fire exercise. Subject Operation/Series: CALFEX '90 Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska(AK) Country: United States Of America(USA)

An Alaska Army National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, assigned to 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, makes a tactical approach into Camp Mad Bull on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 10, 2023. The aircrew conducted medevac and hoist training with the 24th Special Operations Wing during its arctic operations training exercise. The Alaska Army National Guards General Support Aviation Battalion routinely trains with all branches of the military as well as civilian agencies to increase its operational interoperability and to be ready for a wide range of federal and state missions.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, conduct a foot movement during Cold Weather Training in preparation for the NATO exercise Nordic Response 24 in Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 9, 2024. Nordic Response is a Norwegian national readiness and defense exercise designed to enhance military capabilities and allied cooperation in high-intensity warfighting in a challenging arctic environment. This exercise will test military activities ranging from the reception of allied and partner reinforcements and command and control interoperability to combined joint operations, maritime prepositioning force logistics, integration with NATO militaries, and reacting against an adversary force during a dynamic training environment. The U.S. stands firm in commitment and readiness to support Norway, allies and partners. Marine Corps

Soldiers from Charlie Troop, 3-71 Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, execute a lesson on skiing without poles during Exercise Arctic Forge in Sodankyla Garrison, Finland on Feb. 21, 2023. Exercise Arctic Forge 23 is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa led umbrella exercise that leverages the host-nation exercises Defense Exercise North in Finland, and exercise Joint Viking in Norway, taking place Feb. 16 through March 17, 2023, focused on building capabilities and cooperation in support of the U.S. Army's Arctic Strategy.

Spc. Jeffrey Slaughter, B Company, 152nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, observes Army training lands with 15-year-old Kayla Colyer-Platzer while sitting in the rear of a CH-47 Chinook Monday during an Army orientation flight. The flight was offered as a part of Soldier for a day” activities for the youth, who is battling Hodgkin’s disease.

Staff Sgt. Allana Kelsey Guintu, 319th Operations Support Squadron airfield management specialist, checks the flight line for ice Nov. 17, 2022, at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. Airfield management is responsible for tracking the conditions of the flight line to include ice, snow and standing water and briefing pilots on what they should expect while taking off and landing.

AIRMAN 1ST Class Craig Bass signals an aircraft as it arrives with Army infantry troops to participate in exercise Brim Frost '83. Visible in the background is a C-130 Hercules aircraft. Base: Clear Creek State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Airmen with multiple Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve security forces units learn squad tactics pulling an ahkio sled Jan. 18, 2023, as part of a 16-day Cold-Weather Operations Course led by the Air Force at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 50 Airmen are participating in the training from across the Air Force. Besides learning about use of snowshoes and moving as a squad over terrain pulling an ahkio sled in a cold-weather environment, the Airmen also learned about cold-weather shelters, survival techniques, cold-weather uniform wear, and more. Fort McCoy has a long history of supporting cold-weather training. Eighty years prior to this training, in January 1943, the installation hosted winter training for the Army's 76th Division prior to the Division deploying to Europe to fight in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

Spc. Kegan Haddan, U.S. Army Soldier assigned to 13th Bravo 2nd Battalion 377th Parachute Filler Artillery Regiment, maintains defense position while pulling security during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Training Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 16, 2024. JPMRC facilitates unit readiness in the Indo-Pacific region and allows commanders to train their forces in the unique environments and conditions where they are most likely to campaign or be employed in the event of crisis. Air Force

U.S. East-Coast based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commandos conduct land-based arctic mobility interoperability training in an extreme Arctic environment in Utqiagvik, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2024, during Arctic Edge 24. AE24 is an annual defense exercise for the U.S. Northern Command emphasizing Joint Force operations in an extreme cold weather and high latitude environment and is designed to demonstrate Globally Integrated Layered Defense in the Arctic. Navy

A CH-47F Chinook helicopter is parked on Kahiltna Glacier while the Soldiers of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, also known as the Sugar Bears, offload gear for the National Park Service at the mountaineering base camp. (US Army photo, Eve Baker, Fort Wainwright Public Affairs Office)

Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Foster, a Special Forces Medical Sergeant and Talent Manager at Fort Drum, takes a moment to observe his surroundings and assesses the area at Chalk Creek at an elevation of 11,800 feet, as part of avalanche training provided by the National Ski Patrol near Leadville, Colorado, on Feb. 17, 2024. This intensive program equipped them with essential skills, including safe avalanche response, expert transceiver operation, effective probing methods, efficient shoveling techniques, and the ability to locate buried victims even without transceivers. Just like their predecessors who trained in this very terrain in the 1940s, our Soldiers today are mentally and physically tough, prepared to execute operations in complex terrain anywhere in the world. Army

Canadian Soldiers from Alpha (Para) Company, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patrica's Canadian Light Infantry, march to the objective location during during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 19, 2024. JPMRC 24-02, executed in Alaska with its world-class training facilities and its harsh Arctic environment, builds Soldiers and leaders into a cohesive team of skilled, tough, alert, and adaptive warriors capable of fighting and winning anywhere in the world. Army

Airmen with multiple Air National Guard security forces units learn squad tactics pulling an ahkio sled Jan. 18, 2023, as part of a 16-day Cold-Weather Operations Course led by the Air Force at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 50 Airmen are participating in the training from across the Air Force. Besides learning about use of snowshoes and moving as a squad over terrain pulling an ahkio sled in a cold-weather environment, the Airmen also learned about cold-weather shelters, survival techniques, cold-weather uniform wear, and more. Fort McCoy has a long history of supporting cold-weather training. Eighty years prior to this training, in January 1943, the installation hosted winter training for the Army's 76th Division prior to the Division deploying to Europe to fight in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

Special Operations forces from the U.S. Armys 20th Special Forces Group, Massachusetts Army National Guard teamed up Jan. 24, 2022, with local first responders from Muskegon, Roscommon, Crawford and Grand Traverse counties to perform intensive hypothermia training at Lake Margrethe near Camp Grayling, Mich. The event took place during Northern Strike 22-1 (”Winter Strike”), a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise held Jan. 21-30 with participants from several U.S. states and partner forces at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan, which together comprise the National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC) (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Joe Legros)

WESTHAMNPTON BEACH, NY - Members of the 106th Civil Engineering Squadron, 106th Rescue Wing clear snow form the flightline and walkways during a major snowstorm on February 17, 2015.(New York Air National Guard / Staff Sergeant Christopher S Muncy / released)

An arctic guide equiped with a rifle, looks out on the horizon

U.S. Air Force fire protection specialists assigned to the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron conduct ice rescue training at Six Mile Lake on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 8, 2023. After completing a classroom course, the JBER firefighters took to the ice to test their skills in a series of scenarios designed to simulate real-world rescues. The firefighters received certifications as ice rescue technicians having qualified in the skills needed to conduct ice rescue and recovery efforts in extreme cold-weather environments.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 19, 2012) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) scrub the flight deck during a flight deck wash down. George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

A ground crew member uses an intercom to communicate with the pilot of an A-10A Thunderbolt II aircraft preparing to take off during CALFEX '90, a joint service, combined arms live-fire exercise. Subject Operation/Series: CALFEX '90 Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska(AK) Country: United States Of America(USA)

041228-M-4697Y-047. State: Khowst Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: 3RD BN, 3RD MARINES

Airmen use a bomb loader to lift an AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile from a trailer. The missiles are being loaded on aircraft during exercise Brim Frost '81. Subject Operation/Series: BRIM FROST '81 Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Six U.S. airmen standing in front of loading equipment as a C-141B Starlifter aircraft comes down the flight line during exercise Alloy Express. Subject Operation/Series: ALLOY EXPRESS Base: Bardufoss Country: Norway (NOR)

U.S. Air Force Capt. Travis Hunt, a tactical air control party specialist and commanding officer of Detachment 1, 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, climbs a rock formation during mountaineering training at Sunshine Ridge, Alaska, July 22, 2022. The 3rd ASOS special warfare Airmen utilize Alaskas varied and austere training locations to prepare for conditions they may face on deployment.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Brett Goodson, a data systems administrator with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, stands at attention during a meritorious promotion in Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 2, 2023. Sgt. Goodson was meritoriously promoted to the rank of sergeant by 2nd MLG, having stood out amongst his peers and demonstrated exceptional performance of his duties.

Snow falls at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Jan. 19, 2024.

Capt. Maxwell Burbidge, the Fire Support Officer for 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, uses a slope meter to measure the angle of a slope during avalanche training provided by the National Ski Patrol near Leadville, Colorado, on Feb. 17, 2024. Slope meters gauge and measure whether terrain is prone to avalanches. This intensive program equipped them with essential skills, including safe avalanche response, expert transceiver operation, effective probing methods, efficient shoveling techniques, and the ability to locate buried victims even without transceivers. Just like their predecessors who trained in this very terrain in the 1940s, our Soldiers today are mentally and physically tough, prepared to execute operations in complex terrain anywhere in the world. Army

The 168th Wing Force Support Squadron Services Flight Airmen prepare and test the Disaster Relief Mobile Kitchen Trailer during- 40-degree temperatures and colder at Eielson Air Force Base on Feb. 3, 2024. Services Airmen ensure meals are readily available and train continuously in all conditions, including emergency preparedness. Air National Guard

100127-A-5202T-001: IPSWITCH, S.D. -- Spc. Donald Meyer of Pollock, a member of the 200th Engineer Company from Mobridge, South Dakota Army National Guard (SDARNG), pulls out a utility truck from Custom Powerline Construction on Wednesday, Jan. 27 near Ipswich, S.D. The SDARNG assisted the Oklahoma based powerline company with each pole they had to replace. (

A U.S. Navy Sailor with II Marine Expeditionary Force participates in a snowmobile course in preparation for the NATO exercise Nordic Response 24 at Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 19, 2024. Nordic Response is a Norwegian national readiness and defense exercise designed to enhance military capabilities and allied cooperation in high-intensity warfighting in a challenging arctic environment. This exercise will test military activities ranging from the reception of allied and partner reinforcements and command and control interoperability to combined joint operations, maritime prepositioning force logistics, integration with NATO militaries, and reacting against an adversary force during a dynamic training environment. Marine Corps

Explosive Ordnance Disposal members conduct a subsurface search with their Schontadt Magnetic influence Detectors on the upper debris field of the A-10 crash site. Base: Gold Dust Peak State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, stand at attention during a meritorious promotion in Setermoen, Norway, Feb. 2, 2023. Sgt. Brett Goodson was meritoriously promoted to the rank of sergeant by 2nd MLG, having stood out amongst his peers and demonstrated exceptional performance of his duties.

A medium-range view of the main gate showing the motion of the cars driving through the gate. AIRMAN Hill of the 366th Security Police Squadron waves the traffic in. Base: Mountain Home Air Force Base State: Idaho (ID) Country: United States Of America (USA)

221203-N-GF955-1023HELSINKI, Finland (Dec. 3, 2022) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) moors in Helsinki, Finland for a scheduled port visit concluding exercise Freezing Winds 22, Dec. 3, 2022. Paul Ignatius, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

DF-ST-85-11157. Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Winter Over personnel board a C-141C Starlifter at McMurdo Station in Antarctica to return to Christchurch, New Zealand, during Operation DEEP FREEZE 2001. Subject Operation/Series: DEEP FREEZE 2001 Base: Mcmurdo Station Country: Antarctica (ATA)

U.S. Marines with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division, set up barriers during a volunteer event in Setermoen, Norway, April 1, 2023. Marines are deployed to Norway as part of Marine Rotational Forces Europe 23.1 which focuses on regional engagements throughout Europe by conducting various exercises, arctic cold-weather and mountain warfare training, and military-to-military engagements, which enhance overall interoperability of the U.S. Marine Corps with allies and partners. During their deployment, Marines had the opportunity to help set up and support a cross country ski race in Norway.

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, pose for a photo during exercise Winter Workhorse 24 on Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, Feb. 5, 2024. Winter Workhorse is a regularly scheduled training exercise that is designed to enhance warfighting capabilities in contested environments. Marine Corps

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Calvert Worth Jr., commanding general of 2d Marine Division, visits Marines during Exercise Joint Viking during Marine Rotational Forces Europe 23.1 in Setermoen, Norway, March 9, 2023. Exercise Joint Viking took place as part of MRF-E 23.1 to demonstrate North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliances warfighting capabilities.MRF-E focuses on regional engagements throughout Europe by conducting various exercises, mountain-warfare training, and military-to-military engagements which enhance overall interoperability of the U.S. Marine Corps with allies and partners.

An aircrew life support technician carries a personal parachute from a tanker during sub-zero weather, at Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB), North Dakota (ND). (Substandard image). Base: Grand Forks Air Force Base State: North Dakota (ND) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Gen. Kevin Schneider, Pacific Air Forces commander, visits Camp Madbull at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska, Feb. 28, 2024. Schneider visited with Airmen across the installation to discuss the quality of life on station to learn more about the unique challenges Airmen and families face while being stationed in Alaska. Air Force

The sun rises on the flight line during Exercise Prairie Vigilance/Bayou Vigilance 24-2 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Jan. 9, 2024. These exercises ensure the always-ready, global strike capability and enable crews to maintain a high state of readiness and proficiency.

CPT Bob Lasky, an A-10A Thunderbolt II pilot with the 343rd Tactical Fighter Wing, sets off a smoke marker to attract attention as he takes part in survival training during CALFEX '90, a joint service, combined arms live-fire exercise. Subject Operation/Series: CALFEX '90 Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska(AK) Country: United States Of America(USA)

DM-ST-87-10902. Subject Operation/Series: COLD WINTER Country: Norway (NOR)

Soldier with a gun Soldier with a gun in his hands ,model released, Symbolfoto Copyright: xZoonar.com/SergeyxSukhorukovx 3262413 ,model released, Symbolfoto ,property released

Sgt. Trevor Nicholas Tate, 6th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, provides roadside security April 2, 2023, during exercise Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Alaska 23-02 in the Yukon Training Area, Alaska. (Army photo/John Pennell)

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY - Airmen with the 106th Rescue Wing's Civil Engineering Squadron conduct storm and wildfire debris removal training at FS Gabreski ANG on March 5th, 2015. The week-long training course gave airmen the opportunity to work with New York State Forest Rangers during classroom and hands-on scenarios, including time with safety equipment and chainsaws in the field. (New York Air National Guard / Staff Sergeant Christopher S Muncy / released)

U.S. Army paratroopers with the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, exit a CH-47F Chinook while conducting an air assault mission during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Alaska 23-02 at Yukon Training Area, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, March 30, 2023. JPMRC-AK 23-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome environmental and military challenges. Army aviators with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment provided air support for the operation.

A U.S. Marine with Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, operates communication gear during exercise Winter Workhorse 24 on Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, Feb. 5, 2024. Winter Workhorse is a regularly scheduled training exercise that is designed to enhance warfighting capabilities in contested environments. Marine Corps

US Air Force SENIOR AIRMAN Grant Jacobs prepares an A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft for a bomb under the watchful eye of safety inspectors during the 51st Operations Group's weapons-load-crew-of-the-quarter contest at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, move across a snow-filled landing zone during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Alaska 23-02 at Yukon Training Area, Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, March 28, 2023. With more than 8,000 participants and observers from 12 different countries, JPMRC-AK 23-02s multinational environment helps increase Arctic proficiency throughout the Army and the joint force, in support of the nations, and the Armys Arctic strategy.

041229-M-4697Y-031. Base: Khowst-Gardez Pass State: Khowst Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: 3RD BN, 3RD MARINES

A rough terrain fork lift is used to load spare parts aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft for transport to Howard Air Force Base, Panama. The parts will be used by the 144th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Air National Guard, during Operation Volant Oak. Subject Operation/Series: VOLANT OAK Base: Kulis Air National Guard Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

221204-N-RU001-1062 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 4, 2022) Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) Airman Zachary Loyek, a native of Birmingham, Ala., reels in an aqueous film forming foam hose after a counter measure washdown test on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Vinson is currently underway conducting routine maritime operations.

Soldiers assigned to the Fredericksburg-based 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team prepares a Humvee for possible winter storm operations Feb. 16, 2014, in Fredericksburg, Va. The Virginia National Guard has been authorized to bring up to 300 Soldiers, Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force on state active duty for possible assistance with the states severe weather response operations. The Virginia National Guard plans to stage personnel at readiness centers along the I-81 corridor and in the Central Virginia area along Route 29, I-64, and I-95 to be ready to respond if needed.

The 44th Signal Battalion's Tactical Satellite Dish and the AN/TSC-85B Communications Van (under camouflage) are located in Kaposvar, Hungary, to monitor communications in the area during Operation Joint Endeavor. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT ENDEAVOR Base: Kaposvar Country: Hungary (HUN)

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, move to their objective outside of Utqiagvik, Alaska as part of Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Training Center 24-02, Feb. 15, 2024. JPMRC 24-02, executed in Alaska with its world-class training facilities and its harsh Arctic environment, builds Soldiers and leaders into a cohesive team of skilled, tough, alert, and adaptive warriors capable of fighting and winning anywhere in the world. Army

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Timothy Pope, a Marine Corps Cold Weather Infantry Kit (MCCWIK) instructor with Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, California, instructs the Marines of Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, how to utilize a MCCWIK during exercise ARCTIC EDGE 2024 on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Feb. 22, 2024. A MCCWIK is meant to reduce the load a Marine carries on their body by providing a transportation platform to move equipment. ARCTIC EDGE 2024 (AE24) is a U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise demonstrating the U.S. militarys capabilities in extreme cold weather, joint force readiness, and U.S. military commitment to mutual strategic security interests in the Arctic region. Marine Corps

040206-M-8205V-002. Base: Ojojibara State: Tohoku Country: Japan (JPN)

Airmen with multiple Air National Guard security forces units learn squad tactics pulling an ahkio sled Jan. 18, 2023, as part of a 16-day Cold-Weather Operations Course led by the Air Force at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than 50 Airmen are participating in the training from across the Air Force. Besides learning about use of snowshoes and moving as a squad over terrain pulling an ahkio sled in a cold-weather environment, the Airmen also learned about cold-weather shelters, survival techniques, cold-weather uniform wear, and more. Fort McCoy has a long history of supporting cold-weather training. Eighty years prior to this training, in January 1943, the installation hosted winter training for the Army's 76th Division prior to the Division deploying to Europe to fight in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 88th Readiness Division ascend the Whitetail Ridge Ski Hill during snowshoe training at Fort McCoy, Wis. on Jan. 21, 2024. Despite the forecasted frigid temperatures, members of HHD Company assembled at the installation's Whitetail Ridge Ski Area on one of the coldest days of the year to train on the use and familiarization of snowshoes and cold weather gear.

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 20th Special Forces Group, Massachusetts Army National Guard, conduct snowmobile training during Northern Strike 22-1, at Camp Grayling, Mich., Jan. 22, 2022. The winter iteration of the Northern Strike exercise series, known as Winter Strike, is held annually in northern Michigan during the coldest part of the year, so visiting units can train in subarctic conditions. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Tristan D. Viglianco)

Spc. Samuel Bonney, a Mass Communication Specialist with the 27th Public Affairs Detachment hailing from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, provides imagery support to Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division as they participate in the Serpentine Ski Parade during Legacy Days along with 10th Mountain Division descendants, veterans, flag bearers, and members of the community during a 10th Mountain Division Descendants Reunion, at Ski Cooper near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 23, 2024. 10th Mountain Division is the Peoples Division, it was envisioned by the American people - it was built upon mountain climbers, skiers, and alpinists. The American people advocated for the need of an organization with the capability to operate in an alpine environment. Army

A 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft is enveloped by snow as it stands on the flight line. Base: Naval Air Facility, Misawa State: Aomori Country: Japan (JPN)

Winter Over personnel walk across the ice to board the C-141C Starlifter that will transport them from McMurdo Station in Antarctica to Christchurch, New Zealand, during Operation DEEP FREEZE 2001. Subject Operation/Series: DEEP FREEZE 2001 Base: Mcmurdo Station Country: Antarctica (ATA)

The Tactical Satellite System, located in Taszar Airfield, Hungary, is operated by the 44th Signal Battalion and helps maintain communications between Bosnia-Herzegovina and rear detachments in Taszar Airfield. The Satellite System is being utilized in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT ENDEAVOR Base: Taszar Air Base Country: Hungary (HUN)

BGEN Donald A. Streater, (left, with white helmet), commander of the A-10 recovery effort, conduct an on-site interview at the base of the lower debris field, for Combat Camera videographer TSGT Jeff Dale. Base: Gold Dust Peak State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Border patrol guards at the small village of Nuijamaa, around 3 hours drive from Helsinki, another land border crossing between Finland and Russia, where the two countries are seperated by water, by a canal.

Infantry soldiers of the 1ST Bn., 5th Inf., 25th Inf. Div., march past a frozen lake during the joint U.S./Korea Exercise Team Spirit '85. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '85 Base: Hwachon-Ni Country: Korea

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW (2023), directed by J. A. BAYONA.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gabriel Steeves, a structural craftsman assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing, Detachment 1, also known as Deployment Cell or D-Cell, pauses for a photo after a training exercise at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 7, 2023. Based out of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, D-Cell consists of 54 members across 15 job codes forming four agile teams, whose primary role is to bare base - to rapidly turn undeveloped locations into fully functional bases. The unit visited Alaska to train and test their capabilities in an arctic environment.

030217-M-2796K-011. Subject Operation/Series: FOREST LIGHT II 2003 Base: Camp Engaru State: Hokkaido Country: Japan (JPN)

A snowman signals as he marshalls aircraft at the end of the ramp in Trondheim, Norway. Just 12 hours earlier, the aircrew basked on the beaches of southern Spain; now they face the frosty, frigid conditions of Scandinavia. This photograph is part of the article "In a "Galaxy' Far, Far Away" from the October 1999 issue of AIRMAN Magazine. Base: Trondheim Country: Norway (NOR)

of 3