Brigade Trains in Alaska Ahead of February Exercise
About 3,500 soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division's 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team began a two-week field exercise on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Military
About 3,500 soldiers with the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division took part in a brigade field exercise on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Veterans Day. The whole brigade is now in the field for two weeks of simulated offensive and defensive maneuvers.
Why it matters
The two-week November training aims to deter enemies, protect American interests and prepare the brigade for a larger training event in February. For Anchorage, the exercise underscores the military's continued presence at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
The brigade includes about 3,500 soldiers training over two weeks in November. Alaska has more than 53,000 veterans according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the highest per-capita veteran population of any state.
The players
2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division
The U.S. Army airborne brigade stationed in Alaska that conducted the field exercise on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Col. Brian Weightman
The commander of the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, also known as the Spartans, who leads the unit through its training cycle.
Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center
A U.S. Army training center near Delta Junction, Alaska, used for large-scale cold-weather exercises with allied forces.
The details
Training progressed from squad level to platoon, company and battalion levels before the whole brigade moved into the field. The Spartans brigade, commanded by Col. Brian Weightman, is preparing for a larger training event at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center near Delta Junction, where temperatures can fall between negative 50 and negative 60 degrees.
Timeline
November 11, 2026: Brigade field exercise held on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Veterans Day.
February 2027: Larger training event at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center near Delta Junction.
Season Trajectory
The brigade's November exercise is a building block toward the February rotation at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, which is used for large-scale cold-weather training. Positioning the unit for that event reflects the Army's emphasis on arctic readiness at Alaska installations.
Anchorage residents will see increased activity around Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during the two-week November exercise. The brigade's field training is not expected to affect civilian routines beyond normal base operations.
The takeaway
Alaska's position as a home for airborne and cold-weather units makes its installations central to Army readiness. Residents interested in military training can follow base announcements for updates on upcoming exercises.
What happens next
A larger training event will take place at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center near Delta Junction in February 2027.
Further reading
For more on the installations shaping the region, see Military coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Alaskasnewssource.
