The focus of the exercise is to provide requirements based training emphasizing day and night Close Air Support (CAS), Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Air Refueling, Air Drop, and Medical Evacuation missions utilizing Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Major Combat Operations (MCO), and Counterinsurgency (COIN) scenarios.
The exercise runs for two weeks and more than 300 fighter, bomber, mobility, and rotary sorties are planned in order to meet stated objectives for participating units. In addition, more than 30 Joint Terminal Attack Control (JTAC) team members will receive advanced training during the 12-hour daily flying window.
"I am thoroughly impressed with the way this huge exercise came together," said MG Gregory Vadnais, The Adjutant General of the Michigan Army and Air Guard. "Col Teff and his staff in Alpena have a state-of-the-art, world-class training facility; a perfect location for Northern Strike 2012, the first-ever Air National Guard sponsored exercise hosted in the state of Michigan."
Read the article in The Alpena News
There are many reports about what various parts of the military are doing right now, and I have no idea how factual any of it is.
Wikipedia quotes the US Constitution as stating that the purpose of militias is to "execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasion." These were originally envisioned as state-run, so it seems like the federal move in 1903 to create the National Guard as the umbrella organization for all militias was a bit of a power grab.
Meanwhile, other sources claim that various troop movements are acting as cover for law enforcement activities that the military promised to support. I hope we will hear of this more publicly before too long. One channel reports Tim Geithner as an arrestee.