An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Articles
News | March 15, 2023

Can't Get Enough Gurrier Nordique

By Capt. Mikel Arcovitch VTNG JFHQ PAO

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Shane Yuknis first came to Resolute in 2019 while participating in Guerrier Nordique.

2023 marks his second visit to the northern most location for the Canadian hosted exercise. Active duty Soldiers form the 11th Airborne Division and National Guard Soldiers from Connecticut, New Hampshire, Utah, National Guard Bureau and Vermont join the Canadian Armed Forces for Guerrier Nordique 2023 in Resolute, Nanuvut, Canada from March 4-March 20.

Yuknis has been a 19D Cavalry Scout with B Troop, 1st Squadron 172nd Cavalry (MTN), Vermont Army National Guard, for 16 years, and loves visiting the training Guerrier Nordique provides.

"Going to the Arctic is an opportunity every Soldier should take advantage of during their time in the Guard," said Yuknis. "Vermont has a bunch of spots for the training. I'd definitely recommend checking it out. It's not for everyone, but it's an awesome experience."

Yuknis's experience is a considerable advantage for Soldiers training in the Arctic. The first priority is basic survival skills which become much more challenging in temperatures that hover around 20 below zero on an average winter day.

"Having the experience makes a big difference. All of the tasks around camp are second nature now. This allows me to help out other Soldiers that are less experienced and make a positive impact for the larger group. I hope more people get the opportunity to come to Guerrier Nordique to learn cold weather skills in the Arctic," said Yuknis.

Duties around the camp include winter tent set-up, stove preparation, melting ice, boiling water, ice wall build-up, and food preparation among other activities to build a bivouac site survivable in the Arctic. Every Soldier has their own set of preferences for their sleep and camp set-up, most including sleeping system, an inflatable pad, and poncho. The key is to be insulated from the cold as much as possible, and always stay dry.

While working hard at staying warm and dry, soldiers at Guerrier Nordique need to be a functional rifleman as well, staying warm and dry is simply not enough. To facilitate combat exercises, there were several training simulations.

Guerrier Nordique included live fire training on the range with .50 caliber and C-6 general-purpose machine-gun support from the Canadians, tent jumps, raids on objectives, and over-the-snow mobility by SUS-V and snowmobile.

"The only way to learn how to truly survive in the Arctic is to live in it. You can take classes which are helpful, but nothing is close to actually being here," said Yuknis.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

TAG's State of the Guard - April 2025

Video Thumbnail

 

The above YouTube video link may not work on all government computers. Read the transcript of MG Gregory Knight's full State of the Guard here.

National Guard News
Dan Baldwin (left), University of Texas flight nurse, Master Sgt. Lyndsey Glotfelty, 187th Wyoming Air National Guard aeromedical evacuation technician, provide in-flight care for a heart attack victim aboard a LC-130 in route to Christchurch, New Zealand, Feb. 13, 2025. The Antarctic is as remote as it gets, with great distance to the nearest help and limited resources, the mission contained a standardized response plan for medical incidents and select personnel trained to handle them. Maj. Nate Krueger and Master Sgt. Lyndsey Glotfelty of the 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron delivered critical care during a life-saving patient transport mission in Antarctica. Their actions and expert care helped make history with the first successful cardiac arrest evacuation from the continent in over 35 years.
Wyoming Guard Airmen Make First Antarctic Cardiac Evacuation in 35 Years
By Staff Sgt. Lee Murphy, | April 16, 2025
MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica – Using teamwork, precision and lifesaving expertise, Airmen of the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron played a critical role in the first successful evacuation of a...

Airmen assigned to the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard, construct a small shelter system at the 145th Regional Training Site in Badin, North Carolina, April 4, 2025. Airmen from the 175th Wing deployed to Badin to participate in Exercise Wolverine Strike, a wing-wide readiness exercise built to test the wing's ability to adapt and respond to scenarios resulting from a simulated near-peer conflict, focusing on mission critical tasks in a contested environment.
Maryland Airmen Enhance Combat Readiness with Training Exercise
By Staff Sgt. Laura Virtue, | April 16, 2025
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. –  Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Wing participated in a combat readiness exercise earlier this month.Operation Wolverine Strike was held April 1-11 at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State...

U.S. Army Soldiers from Detachment 1, 172nd Cyber Protection Team, completed a first-ever specialized cyber certification test as part of Job Qualification Requirement (JQR) training. The Soldiers earned certifications in Army Basic Host Analysis and Army Basic Network Analyst, key qualifications for their roles in cyber defense at Fort Custer Training Center, Mich., on March 18, 2025.
Michigan Guard Cyber Protection Team Completes First Cyber Certification Test
By Sgt. Catherine Brooks, | April 16, 2025
FORT CUSTER, Mich. – Michigan Army National Guard Soldiers in the 172nd Cyber Protection Team have completed a specialized cyber certification test as part of the Job Qualification Readiness (JQR) training.The certification,...