CAPE COD, Mass. — The 360th Civil Affairs Brigade conducts Operation Viking, the only joint task force exercise in the Continental United States at Joint Base Cape Cod, July 17-31, 2022. Operation Viking is a high-intensity exercise including range training, mission-essential civil affairs training, and very ambitious airborne operations. These airborne operations will increase air traffic near Joint Base Cape Cod.

In its second year, Operation Viking continues on the mission to level up the way Servicemembers train in a realistic training environment in a short timeframe and within the United States. Soldiers, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen all benefit from Operation Viking.

This year, the 360th CA Bde is looking to continue providing exceptional hands-on training and logistics to transport Soldiers in C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster aircrafts from multiple air bases within the U.S., all to prepare Servicemembers for real-life missions.

This training will enable military members to team up for strategic, tactical, and airborne simulated deployment training. “One of the best ways to measure a unit’s combat readiness is not thru metrics but through challenging and tough, realistic training,” said Lt. Col. Charles J. Scheck, commander, 412th CA Bn. “As we have seen in the past 20 plus years, to win decisively, the Army depends not only on its three compositions but on inter-service operations.”

Last year, “the joint training environment here challenged our Soldiers to bring together multiple capabilities as they were tested to work together and complete the assigned mission,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Michael A. Rich, command chief warrant officer with the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne).

Operation Viking is possible because of the support and cooperation from the local community, JBCC, and all the military services and non-government organizations involved. This joint exercise requires comprehensive collaboration between the multiple commands at JBCC – Camp Edwards MA Army National Guard Training Site, Otis Air National Guard Base, and U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod.