Camp Grayling is a military training facility located near Grayling, Michigan, United States, primarily in Crawford County, and spread over three counties. Camp Grayling is the main training facility for the Michigan National Guard and is the largest US National Guard training facility in the United States.
History
Camp Grayling was founded in 1913 on an initial grant of land from Grayling lumber baron Rasmus Hanson to the state for military training.[1] It includes 147,000 acres (590 km2) in Crawford, Kalkaska and Otsego counties.
Troops first started training at Camp Grayling in 1914.[2]
In 2024 five Shanghai Jiao Tong University students who participated in an exchange program with the University of Michigan were charged with espionage related offenses after being caught during exerscises at Camp Grayling which included Taiwanese forces.[3]
Training events
Grayling Air Gunnery Range provides over 147,000 acres of joint use ground maneuver and impact range space
During the summer months, Camp Grayling hosts National Guard units from Michigan, the surrounding states, and Canada. Large artillery, mortar, and tank ranges as well as maneuver courses highlight the camp. Recently Forward Operating Bases have been constructed to allow company-sized units to simulate operations.
For two weeks each year starting in 2014, Camp Grayling hosts the National Guard's Exportable Combat Training Capability program.[4] Each year, Camp Grayling schedules training for over 20,000 military personnel from National Guard units from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, as well as regular Army and Reserve units.
Each year since 2011 Camp Grayling has hosted Northern Strike. Military units from neighboring states, the U.K. and other U.S. allies participate. During the exercise the population on base swells to over 2,000 military personnel.
Grayling Army Airfield is located at Camp Grayling and includes 70 helicopter tiedown pads as well as two 5,000 ft (1,500 m) runways capable of handling C-130 and C-17 aircraft.[5] Camp Grayling has over 600 soldiers in traditional Army National Guard units regularly assigned to it.[6]
The installation provides over 200 full-time jobs to local residents. Consequently, Camp Grayling is one of the largest employers in the county. The camp activities generate over $30 million annually in the local economy.
The camp has a partnership with the Northern Michigan Law Enforcement group for training purposes. The camp has small arms ranges and urban assault ranges. Camp Grayling has an IED (improvised explosive device) Lane. This is used to train troops to protect themselves from IED's. They have a 10.2-mile (16.4 km) live fire convoy commander's reaction course that trains commanders. The post is used for research and development.
^Michigan State National Guard (2020). "Units and Leadership". Lansing, MI: Michigan State National Guard. Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
