Military
Dunleavy announces new Alaska Military Affairs Office to improve coordination, boost priorities
Funded with federal grant dollars, the office will coordinate among Alaska stakeholders on dual-purpose infrastructure and military investment.
Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone
The Pentagon did not respond to questions about what research or academic studies underpinned the move.
4 injured in crash of U.S. Coast Guard helicopter in Sitka
A spokesperson said the MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed on a training mission late Monday morning.
Trump awards Medal of Honor to three combat veterans
Two revered Vietnam-era Marines and a soldier who served in Afghanistan are recognized for acts of valor years ago.
Coast Guard to homeport two icebreakers in Kodiak and a third in Seward
The three icebreakers are expected to be delivered starting in 2028, but it’s unknown exactly when the necessary housing and on-shore infrastructure will be completed to host the vessels permanently.
Photos show Alaska National Guard plane damaged in Iran war theater
Blogs posted photos of a Stratotanker belonging to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing with apparent shrapnel damage.
Memorial Day ceremonies happening in Anchorage and Mat-Su
Other events in Anchorage and Mat-Su to honor fallen service members include ceremonies on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and in Wasilla.
The military wants to host data centers in Alaska, raising questions about whether there’s enough gas to power them
Utilities in the Fairbanks and Anchorage area said they don’t have the natural gas supply to support a large data center.
Alaska National Guard troops set to soon deploy to Washington, D.C.
Officials said Friday that Alaska service members would be sent to the nation’s capital for about two months to assist authorities with public safety functions like crowd management and perimeter security.
Coast Guard says 2 new icebreakers are coming to Alaska as infrastructure challenges remain
The Coast Guard has yet to announce where, exactly, the new vessels will be homeported.
2 JBER soldiers injured in bear attack during Arctic Valley exercise
Both 11th Airborne Division soldiers were carrying and used bear spray during Thursday’s incident, officials said.
NORAD intercepts 5 Russian aircraft near Alaska; military says there was no threat
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it detected and tracked two Russian Tu-95s, two Su-35s and one A-50 operating near the Bering Strait on Thursday.
Coast Guard’s new Juneau base may not be complete until 2029, commandant says
Adm. Lunday, top officer of Coast Guard, says he is considering whether to base four new icebreakers in Alaska.
Alaska lawmakers seek details on 11th Airborne Division’s possible deployment to Minneapolis
The 11th Airborne is one of only a handful of units in the American military with soldiers trained to parachute to the ground for an assault.
Pentagon will take ‘sledgehammer’ to contracting program central to many Alaska Native corporations, Hegseth says
The defense secretary’s recent remark was the latest in the Trump administration’s criticisms of the 8(a) program.
Report blames procedural and supervisory failures for 2024 death of airman in Alaska
The investigation concluded the fatal mishap resulted from a “failure to follow prescribed procedures” and “failure to maintain awareness and supervisory direction.”
Military spending bill includes free flights for Alaska soldiers and a push to reopen Adak
Sen. Dan Sullivan says $115 million in Arctic infrastructure money is intended to start reactivation for the Aleutian base.
JBER commander bans military personnel from downtown Anchorage bar
The order blocks U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army members from entering the Gaslight Lounge on West Fourth Avenue. The bar has been the scene of numerous fatalities, including a shooting in July.
Alaska National Guard members to help ICE in Anchorage office
Five members will assist federal immigration agents in an “administrative, logistical” capacity, the Alaska National Guard says.
As the Arctic heats up, the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet is preparing for boom times
The Trump administration and Congress, seeking to improve security, have approved funding for eight icebreakers and are planning even more.
A Civil War veteran was buried in an unmarked grave in Seward. Now his identity is revealed.
Union Army Sgt. Joseph H. White, interred in a now-abandoned cemetery in 1916, will have a permanent headstone placed at his burial site this summer.
Legislators question federal directive for Alaska National Guard to prepare for ‘civil disturbance’
Alaska National Guard officials say they have received the Pentagon’s order to prepare for “civil disturbance operations” but have not begun training, and say it will not interfere with disaster relief efforts.
Veterans Day events and offers around Anchorage
A traditional JBER ceremony has been canceled, but another event honoring veterans will be held at Merrill Field.
Government shutdown forces cancellation of JBER Veterans Day ceremony
The ceremony was scheduled for Tuesday at the Alaska National Guard armory on JBER.
4 injured in back-to-back military convoy rollovers on icy Richardson Highway
The U.S. Army said the soldiers suffered minor injuries in the crashes reported Monday near Birch Lake.
With twin threats from Russia and China, U.S. military puts new focus on Alaska
In the past, large-scale exercises “occurred in Alaska,” one general says. “Now, this is high-end training that is occurring — that is about Alaska, from Alaska.”
Trump directs the Pentagon to use ‘all available funds’ to ensure troops are paid despite shutdown
Trump said in a social media post Saturday that he was acting because “our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.”
Trump calls for using US cities as ‘training ground’ for armed forces in unusual speech to generals
Trump was joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who declared an end to “woke” culture and announced new directives for troops that include “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.
Alaska’s 1st state-run cemetery for veterans set to open in the Interior in 2027
The cemetery was awarded a $16.7 million federal grant from Veterans Affairs.
A flag was raised on Lazy Mountain to honor a fallen soldier. Now it inspires others
The father of U.S. Army Spc. Shane Woods, killed in Iraq in 2006, placed the flag atop the peak near Palmer. Volunteers ensure it keeps flying.