U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) has helped secure a record amount of funding for Operation Northern Strike, which is held at the Alpena Combat Readiness Center each summer.

Peters helped the Senate Appropriations Committee pass the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act. This bipartisan legislation supports the nation’s servicemembers, bolsters Michigan’s military installations, and funds high-impact local projects across Michigan that are vital to our national security. The bill now advances to the full Senate.

Peters secured a record $27.3 million for Northern Strike – the National Guard Bureau’s largest joint service and multicomponent exercise which takes place annually in Michigan. Northern Strike takes place at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC), which utilizes both the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Center.

“Michigan plays an absolutely essential role in protecting our national security, with key military installations as well as a robust defense sector that support and protect our servicemembers,” said Senator Peters. “I was proud to secure provisions in this bill that make investments in Michigan’s defense capabilities to help our country meet the evolving threats posed by our adversaries like Russia and China. It’s critical that we work in a bipartisan way to get this commonsense bill passed into law.”