This February, elements of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and the U.S. Army participated in North Wind 25, a bilateral training exercise designed to strengthen the partnership between both nation's militaries.
About 200 troops from 11th Airborne Division and around 400 members of the 18th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade, Northern Army, of the JGSDF took part in the exercise. The 11th Airborne Division is stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska and, of course, regularly trains there for winter and Arctic warfare.
By comparison to Alaska, the temperature in Hokkaido, Japan was tolerable for the American troops. The focus of the exercise was to be at the squad level, so the American and Japanese soldiers bunked together during the multi-day field exercise. It turned out to be a great team-building moment for the soldiers to exchange ideas about tactics.
Following that, there was then a three-day field problem in which the troops worked day and night training. The soldiers worked on combat and mobility skills that included everything from skiing and snowshoeing to sling load operations with helicopters.
"If a perfect score is 100, then I would say 200! Japanese and U.S. forces training to this level as one body has exceeded my expectation, which was actually very high. Any short time spent together turns to fulfilling exchange experience," said Col. Naoki Uehara who is the commander of 18th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade, Northern Army, JGSDF. "I believe Japan-U.S. collaboration will be built upon foundation of relationship of trust and mutual understanding."
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Ryan Hanrahan who ran the exercise explained that the, "Northwind Exercise continues to be a terrific opportunity to share individual and small unit tactics and skill craft."