Designated Army Reserve Ready Force X units set to shape future battlefields

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Debra Richardson | Spc. Xia, assigned to the 256th Combat Support Hospital, headquartered in Twinsburgh, Ohio, prepares to exit the hospital during a mock gas attach at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, during Combat Support Training Exercise 18-03, March 25, 2018. The 256th CSH has been designated as an Army Reserve Ready Force x unit and must maintain a high level of readiness in order to deploy within days of receiving notification. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. First Class Debra Richardson)  

TWINSBURG, OH, UNITED STATES

03.25.2018

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Debra Richardson 

319th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT McCOY, Wis. – The role of the U.S. Army reserve component has shifted from a widely held perception that the reserve force is used sparingly to the current reality of full participation in overseas operations. This reality has metamorphosed into the designation of newly implemented Army Reserve Ready Force X units.

“Army Reserve units designated as Ready Force X are expected to obtain enhanced readiness with the intent of being capable to deploy, within days or weeks, to meet the projected demands of the ever-changing battlefield,” explained Maj. Keith Grant, public affairs officer assigned to the 319th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, based out of Fort Jackson, South Carolina. To date, more than 600 Army Reserve units have been designated as Ready Force X units, said Grant.

With more than 200,000 soldiers, the Army Reserve provides 78 percent of the sustainment capabilities for the total Army. Units identified as Ready Force X have access to additional funding to be used for equipment and additional training.
The 256th Combat Support Hospital, from Twinsburg, Ohio, has been identified as one of the 600 Ready Force X units.

“As a Combat Support Hospital, or CSH, we have all the capabilities of a civilian hospital even though we operate out of tents,” explained Col. Nathan Lewandoski, executive officer assigned to the 256th CSH. “We can provide CT scans, behavioral health, dental, head surgeries, and any other service generally provided by our civilian counterparts.”

Although the CSH represents a unique niche within the Army Reserve, the 256th CSH must train and increase their readiness, just like all the other units designated as Ready Force X.

“According to Article 24 of the Geneva Convention, we are not allowed to provide preemptive strikes on the enemy,” explained Lewandoski. “However, we have to survive on the battlefield and if our enemies are not following the Geneva Convention, then we have to be able to defend our hospital and our patients.”

During Combat Support Training Exercise 18-03 at Fort McCoy, soldiers assigned to the 256 CSH trained on several basic soldier skills, including identifying topographic symbols on a military map, moving as a member of a team, reacting to indirect fire, selecting hasty fighting positions, detecting chemical agents, and several others.

The creation of Ready Force X units promotes a cultural shift, demanding the highest tier of leadership, energy, and execution, explained Lewandoski.

“As a Ready Force X unit, we stand ready to meet the challenge of generating full-spectrum readiness,” said Lewandoski. “Although readiness is a continuous process, we will continue to prioritize the readiness and deployability of all our soldiers.”

• Date Taken: 03.25.2018
• Date Posted: 03.29.2018 14:03
• Story ID: 271101
• Location: TWINSBURG, OH, US