Michael Tolzmann penned the following article for the Joint Hometown News Service about a Quincy man serving in the United States Air Force in Alaska:

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska — When the son of a Quincy couple steps outside, inhaling crisp air on a base surrounded by mountains and pristine wilderness in America’s “last frontier,” he is far more likely to run into a bear or moose than an enemy of the United States.

But Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mark D. Kleiboeker, son of David N. and Nancy L. Kleiboeker of Cheshire in Quincy, and the rest of his colleagues, are strategically as close to North Korea as they are to Washington D.C.

Kleiboeker recently participated in a massive American military exercise called “Northern Edge,” where more than 9,000 U.S. service members sharpened their skills for responding to crises throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Kleiboeker is an integrated avionics craftsman with the 525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

“My responsibilities here were as a specialist expediter. I coordinate maintenance for all integrated avionics and electrical and environmental systems on the F-22A,” said Kleiboeker, a 1992 graduate of Quincy Senior High School.

He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2002.

Military maneuvers over the Gulf of Alaska and areas of the Alaskan wilderness, in an area the size of New Mexico, allowed for aircraft to conduct maneuvers in ways that cannot be done anywhere else.

Air Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel participated with aircraft flying in simulated air combat, many times flying in excess of the speed of sound, a restriction found nearly everywhere else in the United States.

Naval warships and land-based forces also synchronized with aircraft in creating a large combined force.

For Kleiboeker, this important exercise provides an opportunity for his unit to better itself in combat situations and in working with other American military services.

“Bringing in experience from many other bases and several years of maintaining the Raptor provides excellent training for new airmen who are learning to maintain the jet. Every new success and challenge provides new learning opportunities to sharpen our skills. The more exercises the Raptor is a part of, the more the command can integrate the Raptor into the military’s arsenal,” said Kleiboeker.

With Alaska situated between Russia and Canada, and within a good part of the Arctic Circle, the region provides a unique setting for both professional and personal experiences.

“I’ve have really enjoyed getting to work in such a unique environment. Training in Alaska is challenging, due to the extreme cold weather conditions,” said Kleiboeker.

Kleiboeker’s personal military background illustrates why his experience is ideal for military operations in Alaska, such as this one.

“I joined the Air Force in January 1998. I will continue my career in the Air Force until retirement,” said Kleiboeker.

With the sounds of jet aircraft screaming overhead, wildlife such as moose and bears are undeterred from randomly appearing at this frontier base. But with vigilance found by service members serving in this geographically important location, their efforts will help keep the region’s greater threats at bay.