Alaska Army National Guard State Command Sergeant Major John Phlegar and Brig. Gen. James Palembas, commander, Alaska Army National Guard and assistant adjutant general, visit Soldiers of the 297th Regional Support Group participating in Pershing Strike 23 and Mobilization Exercise Level II at Fort Riley, Kansas, July 23, 2023.
VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT RILEY, Kan. – More than 40 Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers from the 297th Regional Support Group are participating in Pershing Strike 23 and its associated Mobilization Exercise Level II July 7-Aug. 4.
In the event of large-scale war, the United States requires multiple installations to prepare Reserve Component units for deployment. These exercises test the establishment and operation of Fort Riley as a Mobilization Force Generation Installation, a crucial component in deploying personnel and units to the battlefield.
During the exercises, the 297th RSG tests its ability to synchronize mobilization and demobilization operations, enhancing its capabilities to perform effectively.
Specifically, during MOBEX II, the 297th RSG provides sustainment support as the 2nd Battalion, 358th Armor Regiment, 189th Infantry Brigade, conducts mobilization training for the 268th Inland Cargo Transfer Company, 346th Transportation Battalion, a U.S. Army Reserve unit stationed in Puerto Rico.
Pershing Strike 23 and MOBEX II are led from First Army Headquarters at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, and include participation from Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve Soldiers mobilizing at Fort Riley, Camp Atterbury, Indiana; Fort Cavazos and Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Stewart, Georgia; and Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.
Commanders will use Pershing Strike 23 and MOBEX II to evaluate the flow of units from home stations to ports of debarkation to refine the shared understanding of the challenges of Large-Scale Mobilization Operations across the mobilization enterprise, evaluate planning assumptions, and create mitigation strategies to reduce friction points and increase flexibility.
