650RSG: first one in, last one out

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Chanelcherie DeMello | 650th Regional Support Group Soldiers set up the OE-254 Antenna designed for broadband, omni-directional ground-based communications in support of Exercise Maple Resolve 18, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada, May 11, 2018. The primary purpose of Maple Resolve remains the validation of the Canada’s High Readiness Brigade. The increased US and UK involvement increases the realism of the environment and have proven beneficial to our capacity to work together in achieving our national and bi-national interests in unified land operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Anna Bandilla)  

WAINWRIGHT, AB, CANADA

06.01.2018

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Chanelcherie DeMello 

650th Regional Support Group

650th Regional Support Group, a U.S. Army Reserve unit out of Sloan, Nev., expeditiously deployed and redeployed 71 Soldiers in support of Exercise Maple Resolve 18-01 to Canadian Forces Base, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada, April 26 through May 31, 2018.

Over 5,000 service members from the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Airforce, U.S. Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Marines, British Army, French Army, and the Australian Army, participated in this Canadian Army annual brigade-level validation exercise.

Maple Resolve 18-01 increased unit readiness by creating a dynamic, multi-component, force-on-force scenario in a multidimensional environment that served to replicate deployment operations.

For the 650th RSG, providing command and control for over 1,400 participating U.S. service members, while performing Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration (JRSOI) operations required the unit to be the first one in and last one out in order to support the Canadian Army’s “Road to High Readiness”.

“This mission is perfect for an RSG because we can expect to be employed as a theater opening asset in wartime, where we are responsible for the mission command of all deployed forces,” said Col. Rodney J. Fischer, 650th RSG Commander and senior mission commander for U.S. Forces during exercise.

Fischer also explained the value of training at Maple Resolve for U.S. Army Reserve units.

“Maple Resolve provides USAR units with an excellent opportunity to improve their mission readiness. As the USAR strives to become a more expeditionary force, participating in exercises like Maple Resolve where we deploy to a foreign country enables USAR units to train on unit deployment tasks,” he said.

Additionally, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) of the RSG provided real-life support for over 850 participants, while managing an opposing force base camp, allowing execution of their wartime mission and interoperability with allied partners in a realistic operational environment.

“Maple Resolve enabled HHC, 650th RSG to train on all four Mission Essential Tasks,” said HHC First Sergeant Skyler R. Cordova. “The unit provided operational support to command posts for companies and coordinated a hypothetical security plan for the OPFOR base. In short, Maple Resolve presented an amazing opportunity for the unit to test itself while working with allies from around the globe.”

“I am very proud of the HHC, said Capt. Ross Wallace, HHC commander and OPFOR base camp commander.” “We worked in and outside of our jobs making the camp run seamlessly with no issues and attacking issues dead on as they arrive.”

U.S. involvement in Maple Resolve has grown substantially over the past few years, from a handful of combat troops serving as opposition forces to more than a 1,000 Soldiers functioning as a combat brigade fighting alongside their Canadian counterparts.

“To deter our adversaries it is important for the U.S. to have partners that it can rely upon in a crisis. A big part of this is being able to work with and maneuver with our military partners on the battlefield. Maple Resolve enabled the US forces to work through interoperability issues ranging from tactical communications to logistics management,” said Fischer.

“I am extremely proud of how the RSG was able to plan, prepare and execute this mission. 650th RSG is the first USAR unit to execute mission command of all U.S. Forces at Maple Resolve” said Fischer. “The staff started the planning process last fall and continued to plan, execute, and build relationships with our Canadian partners.”

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On order, the HHC, 650th RSG, will mobilize, deploy, and provide command and supervision over personnel assigned to the unit in the theater of operations or Defense Support of Civil Authorities. The HHC will provide unit level support, administration, billeting, discipline, security, and training for assigned personnel in order to support united land operations.

• Date Taken: 06.01.2018
• Date Posted: 06.01.2018 19:08
• Story ID: 279319
• Location: WAINWRIGHT, AB, CA
• Hometown: LAS VEGAS, NV, US
• Hometown: LOS ANGELES, CA, US
• Hometown: SLOAN, NV, US