--- title: "Marines set up new rotational force in Alaska" description: "The \"Campaign - Alaska\" effort includes a new permanent detachment as well as the rotational force for training Marines in Arctic operations." date: "2026-05-09" modified: "2026-05-09" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marines-rotational-force-alaska/" categories: - "Marine Corps" - "Military Branches" - "News" tags: - "Modern Day Marine 2026" --- # Marines set up new rotational force in Alaska ![Header Image: U.S. Marine Raiders assigned to Marine Forces Special Operations Command conduct live-fire training during Arctic Edge 2026 (AE26) on Fort Greely, Alaska, Feb. 21, 2026. AE26 is a NORAD and U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise designed to improve readiness, demonstrate capabilities, and enhance Joint and Allied Force interoperability in the Arctic. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Trey Hutcheson)  ]() *Marine Raiders carry out a live-fire exercise during Arctic Edge 2026. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Trey Hutcheson.* The Marine Corps is establishing a new rotational force for Alaska, part of a wider expansion into the Arctic and in preparation for cold-weather missions. The Marine Corps announced “Campaign - Alaska” on Saturday, a new initiative that will give the service a permanent presence in the northernmost state and expand training in what Gen. Eric Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps, called “a region of growing strategic importance.” The largest part of the effort is the creation of Marine Rotational Force - Alaska. “The Marine Corps must be prepared to operate and win in its extreme conditions. MRF - Alaska and SALT - Alaska are critical to ensuring our Marines are forward postured, trained and equipped to project power globally, reaffirming our commitment as the Nation’s expeditionary force in readiness,” Smith said in the announcement. The new rotational task force will vary in size depending on the time of year. The Marine Corps did not specify where in Alaska the Marines will be based or what units will be a part of the inaugural rotation. [According to]() Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), the new Marine Corps force is a task-organized Marine Air-Ground Task Force meant to operate in "extreme cold weather, austere terrain, and limited-infrastructure conditions." Lt. Gen. Bobbi Shea, commanding general for Marine Forces Northern Command, which will oversee the rotational force, said that Alaska "will only grow in strategic importance" and that the new initiative is meant to meet the goals of the 2026 National Defense Strategy. ![Body image: U.S. Marine Raiders assigned to Marine Forces Special Operations Command conduct a final assault on an objective during ARCTIC EDGE 2026 (AE26) at Red Dog Mine, Alaska, March 7, 2026. The exercise enhanced the ability of forces to maneuver, sustain operations and maintain readiness in extreme cold-weather and austere Arctic environments. AE26 is a NORAD and U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise designed to improve readiness, demonstrate capabilities, and enhance Joint and Allied Force interoperability in the Arctic. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Ashley Low) ]() *Marine Raiders maneuver through the snow during Arctic Edge 2026. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Ashley Low.* The Marine Corps has conducted training in Alaska in recent years — with Marines taking part in exercises such as Red Flag or the Kaiju Rain drills currently ongoing around the Pacific theater this month — but most of its Arctic preparation has been done in Europe. Earlier this year roughly 3,000 Marines [went to Scandinavia]() to take part in Cold Response 26, a NATO exercise. Marine Raiders recently took part in the Arctic Edge exercise in Alaska earlier this year. The U.S. military has an extensive presence in Alaska, with several installations, including missile defense facilities. The Army’s 11th Airborne Division, specializing in [cold weather operations](), is headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Air Force units stationed in the state also play an important role in the North American Aerospace Defense Command's operations, including intercepting planes in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. The Department of Defense has been looking to expand its Arctic presence and capabilities, including adding new infrastructure to [Greenland](). The Marine Corps is also setting up a permanent detachment in the northernmost state. Marine Corps Forces Reserve is establishing the new Supporting Arms Liaison Team - Alaska. The team will comprise Marines from the 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, based out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. That unit will work with elements from other branches of the military in Alaska. ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()