Arctic Edge 2026

Marines with the 3rd Civil Affairs Group of Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., complete live-fire training at a range on North Post on Sept. 8, 2017, at Fort McCoy, Wis. In addition to live-fire training, the Marines completed training in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense and on the Fort McCoy Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer over the course of three days. Civil affairs Marines serve as a critical link between local civilians and military units that operate in their countries. Operations in the counterinsurgency environments of Iraq and Afghanistan relied heavily on civil affairs teams for missions like helping civilian populations build infrastructure. And the Marine Corps’ civil affairs capability, which resides exclusively in the Marine Corps Reserve, will continue to be in high demand. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)