Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division, delivers remarks at a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 29, 2023 at Delaney Park in Downtown Anchorage.
(Loren Holmes / ADN) For nearly three years, I have had the honor of living and commanding troops here in Alaska. The state of Alaska and its garrisons, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright have always been much sought-after duty assignments. Service members continue to find a way back here, and some of them never leave, giving Alaska one of the largest retired veteran communities in the U.
S. After living here and having served all over the U.S.
, I think the secret and the appeal of the state is the incredibly supportive communities our soldiers and families live and work in every single day. Nearly two years ago, on June 6, 2022, we reactivated the 11th Airborne Division, uniting soldiers under one patch, under one command with one singular goal: to be the nation’s premiere Arctic fighting force, able to operate, survive, fight and win our nation’s wars anywhere. That goal, that ability to thrive given any condition, is something I believe gives our soldiers an edge over any others, and it’s a quality they can only learn here.
Living here, whether civilian or soldier, requires a certain level of grit and the people we live and work with here are an incredible example of that last frontier spirit. As I prepare to leave this amazing place, I want to say thank you. Thank you for .
