Pacific Perspective:Soldiers of the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division Deployed to Remote Island for Force Protetcion

By 13 September 2024,Soldiers of the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division (Arctic Angels) along with two other units of U.S. Army Pacific from Hawaii and Washington State,were in place for a Force Protection Operation in light of stepped up Russian and Chinese military operations over the past year in the Arctic Region.At least 130 troops were deployed with a HIMARS rocket system and radar capability to the remote Shemya Island,one of the Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific Ocean.Shemya Island is about 280 mi/450.6 km from Russia.Task Force Geronimo consisted of 11th Airborne Division troops out of Joint Base Elmedorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright,Alaska along with the other U.S. Army Pacific troops.The crew of the USCGC Stratton (WMSL 752),a Legend-class National Security Cutter,spotted four Russian Navy vessels in a Surface Action Group consistng of a Sverodvinsk-class submarine;a Dologuriky-class submarine;a Stereguschkiy class frigate;and a Seliva-class tug.The deployment of U.S. Army Pacific Task Force Geronimo was part of previously scheduled drills in response to Russian and Chinese military posturing in the Arctic Region.In addition,a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer,the USS Sterett (DDG 104) pulled into the rarely used port of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands.According to U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM),it was:deployed to support U.S. Northern Command's Maritime Homeland Defense mission in response to the known Russian exercise in that region.*Said the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division (Arctic Angels) in a tweet:The Indo-Pacific represents more than 50% of the world's population,and some of the most diverse environments on Earth...the Soldiers of Task Force Geronimo made up of units from across U.S. Army Pacific landed there last week with long range fires and radar capability.Success there requires deploying ready,lethal forces who can survive,fight and win everywhere.*Said Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska):These escalating incidents demonstrate the critical role the Arctic plays in great power competition between the U.S.,China and Russia.Authoritarian regimes are testing the United States.Dictators like Vladimir Putin see through the lense of either strength or weakness,which is why I've long encouraged our senior military leaders to respond with strength.*