11th Airborne Division Activates Installation Reception Companies as Arctic Force Grows

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — The 11th Airborne Division activated Installation Reception Companies at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and F… JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — The 11th Airborne Division activated Installation Reception Companies at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright, formalizing a new capability designed to receive, prepare and integrate Soldiers and families joining the division in Alaska. The activation comes as the 11th Airborne Division continues to grow its formations and strengthen its ability to operate across the Arctic. The new companies will serve as the first point of contact for many Soldiers arriving to the division, introducing them to the standards, culture and unique demands of serving in one of the Army’s most challenging environments.

“This is America’s Arctic,” said Lt. Col. Chris Gensler. “Our operational environment is defined by extremes, bone-chilling cold, unforgiving terrain, and unrelenting operational demands. Out here, the environment does not negotiate.” Gensler emphasized that preparing Soldiers for those conditions begins before they reach their first training event or tactical formation. The Installation Reception Companies are designed to go beyond traditional in processing by helping Soldiers and families understand how to live, train and operate successfully in Alaska. “We aren't just checking in processing boxes or handing out cold-weather gear,” Gensler said. “We are teaching Soldiers and their families how to adapt, how to master