Alpena CRTC commander praises unmatched community support during Northern Strike
Trending
ALPENA – As thousands of service members from across the nation and partner countries converge on northern Michigan for Northern Strike 26-2, Lt. Col. Lucas Freudenburg is overseeing operations at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center with a clear sense of purpose and an even clearer appreciation for the community that surrounds the base.
"Between Grayling and Alpena, we have 9,000 participants in the exercise this year. There are roughly 1,500 here in Alpena currently," Freudenburg said. The massive joint readiness exercise, one of the Department of War's largest reserve component events, runs through mid-August across the National All-Domain Warfighting Center and focuses on preparing forces for large-scale combat operations.
For Freudenburg, Northern Strike is familiar ground. He first participated in 2017, working in the Operations Center for the first two years. During that early involvement, he and a five-person team brought MQ-9 Reapers onto the ramp in Michigan for the first time, a milestone that helped expand the training center's capabilities with remotely piloted aircraft.
He later served as inspector general for the wing at Battle Creek, where Alpena was a partner installation. That role allowed him to build relationships with personnel at the Alpena base well before taking command. He assumed leadership of the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in a formal change-of-command ceremony late last year after serving with the 110th Wing.
"When I came up here, I pretty much knew everyone, which was awesome. It was a great transition, and I absolutely love the team and the ability to command here," Freudenburg said of his roughly eight months in the role.
Northern Strike itself functions as a critical qualification exercise. "Before a base leaves they must go through certain qualifications to be able to deploy to certain areas. This is a qualification exercise where they are going to get certified at the end for deployment wherever they are needed," Freudenburg explained.
The training changes completely each year, keeping units sharp and adaptable. Industry partners participate at no cost to the military, allowing service members to test drones, equipment and other systems while providing real-time feedback. Looking ahead, Freudenburg noted plans to develop "one giant exercise" that further integrates the full scope of multi-domain operations.
At its core, the work is about preparation, Freudenburg said.
"We are forging airmen to become war fighters. We must prepare them here so that when they get there, they have already done it, they have experienced it and they are prepared to do their job," he said.
Yet for all the focus on readiness and high-end training, Freudenburg repeatedly returned to what he sees as the exercises and the base's greatest strength: the relationship with the Alpena community.
"I have never felt the love of a community that I feel here. The support from this community is hands down the best I have ever witnessed in my 25 years in the Air Force," he said.
He specifically thanked individuals who helped him become part of local life, including Anne from the hospital, Jake Straley of Jimmie Garant's, Paige from the Alpena Chamber of Commerce, and Kevin Fisher, the harbormaster, among others who "helped him get ingrained into the community."
That partnership will be on full display next month during the Valor Game of football between Gaylord and Alpena.
."We are doing something special for the community during the Valor Game between Gaylord and Alpena on Friday, September 18. We set up an F-16 flyover for the National Anthem," Freudenburg said.
The idea grew from local connections, he said.
"Coach Szymoniak is from Grayling, and he always arranged helicopter flyovers. Last year we had short notice but this year we made sure all the paperwork was filled out and it's going to be great." He hopes for a packed stadium and noted additional plans for the festivities: "I believe the Army will be providing a helicopter people can check out and there will be fire trucks and other equipment from local emergency services."
The mutual support between the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center and the surrounding community has long been a hallmark of the installation's success. Local residents and businesses routinely open their doors to visiting service members during major exercises, while base personnel contribute to civic life, emergency response and public events. Freudenburg's experience underscores how that relationship strengthens both sides, giving military members a supportive home away from home and ensuring the community remains closely connected to the training that occurs in its backyard.
Northern Strike continues to evolve as a proving ground for joint and multinational forces. The combination of realistic scenarios, advanced equipment testing and the steady backing of a welcoming community creates an environment where Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and others can hone skills that will matter when it counts.
In the coming days, additional coverage will examine specific training events witnessed during Northern Strike 26-2, including Expeditionary Airfield Damage Repair and Aeromedical Evacuation operations that highlight the full spectrum of readiness work underway at Alpena and across the National All-Domain Warfighting Center.