Connor McNeil, left, holds the U.S. flag with a fellow solider just after conducting a mission in which they fended off a mock attack on snowmobiles and skis.
A student in the master of arts in international relations program in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs recently returned from a unique training exercise that brought together U.S. and Canadian troops in the Arctic.
Connor McNeil participated in Guerrier Nordique (Nordic Warrior) 25 as a member of the Vermont Army National Guard. He joined troops from the Virginia National Guard, 75th Ranger Regiment, Marine Mountain Warfare Training Center and 10th Mountain Division while partnering with the Canadian Arctic Response Company Group, which hosts and organizes the event.
Over the course of three weeks in March, participants skied more than 20 miles across the frozen Lake Saint-Jean, hauling gear on pulk sleds, and ran recon missions, mock platoon attacks and other tactical operations—all while facing blowing snow and temperatures as low as -25°F.
“Despite the conditions, the training was amazing. We were able to interact with our Canadian counterparts who were delighted to teach us the institutional knowledge they had gained from decades of training in these harsh environments,” says McNeil. “From snowmobiling and skiing to setting up Arctic tents and fixing stoves, we learned exactly what it would take to sustain ourselves in the field. Conversely, we were able to share with them our tactics and operating procedures.”
McNeil says the experience was a good complement to his studies, which he began in August 2024. He said climate change and economic interests will continue to drive human activities in the Arctic, threatening Indigenous communities, wildlife and diplomatic stability.
“As a byproduct of these changes, the demand for highly capable response groups from Arctic stakeholder nations will also increase,” McNeil says. “Multinational military training exercises in the Arctic are amazing opportunities to collaborate with partner nations who are concerned about the preservation and security of the region. This common ground created a two-way exchange for every soldier to teach, learn and share what they have learned and hope to learn about the Arctic. This is the gold standard of developing collaboration between nations.”
McNeil is especially interested in the Asia-Pacific region and a career in international trade and finance. “I hope to also leverage my military connections and develop international military partnerships between the U.S. and foreign nations,” McNeil says. “I know Maxwell is the launching platform for these aspirations and I know I made the right choice by coming to Syracuse. We have world-class practitioners and subject matter experts in the Maxwell School that have truly challenged my abilities.”
