MOBILIZATION
(STRATEGIC LANDPOWER IRP PT 4)

In May 2023, the War College hosted the second annual Strategic Landpower Symposium. Bringing together students, scholars and practitioners, the symposium presented senior leaders with original research and recommendations for the application of landpower to achieve national objectives. Included within the symposium were the findings of the Army War College Strategic Landpower Integrated Research Project, an effort of eleven members of the Class of 2023 in support of Army senior leader priorities. A BETTER PEACE has organized four podcast episodes with those students to discuss their projects, their relationship to the Strategic Landpower Symposium and possible implications for the future of U.S. security policy. In the virtual studio for this fourth and final episode are Mike Barnett, Mark Mullinax, Ryan Noble, and Jon Holm. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the daunting task of mobilization for large-scale operations. Their conversation examines such topics as maximizing the effective use of reserve component mobilization authorities, leveraging alternate mobilization sites, expanding civilian hires and contracting and increasing continuity and reallocation of deployable readiness assets.

The third annual Strategic Landpower Symposium is already scheduled for 7-9 May 2024. On-line registration will open 1 August, 2023 on the Army War College website.

Once we got into the rotational deployments between Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers forgot how to deploy an entire unit so we kind of got used to theater provided equipment. You would just get on a plane with your weapon and a couple small items; you would arrive in theater, and then what you needed would be sitting there for you and we wouldn’t be in a contestant environment.

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LTC Mike Barnett is a Models and Simulations planner. Following USAWC, he’ll lead the Army’s Logistics and Exercise Simulation Directorate supporting sustainment training for Army and Joint forces. He is a graduate of the AY23 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College.

LTC Mark Mullinax is a Logistics Officer with the Kansas Army National Guard. He participated in the Strategic Landpower in the 21st Century Area of Concentration. His last assignment was Deputy Commander and Administrative Officer of the 235th Regional Training Institute in Salina, KS. He is a graduate of the AY23 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College.

COL Ryan Noble is a logistics officer with previous assignments as the Assistant Chief of Staff, SPO of the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary); Commander of the 327th Quartermaster Battalion (Petroleum Support); Assistant Chief of Staff, G4 of the 316TH ESC; Assistant Chief of Staff, G4 of the 78TH Training Division; Chief of Mobilization, 316TH ESC G3; and Maintenance Officer, 553rd Corps Support BN, Fort Hood, TX. He is a graduate of the AY23 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College.

LTC Jon Holm is an active duty Field Artillery officer. Jon’s previous assignment was the commander of 5th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Polk, LA.  His next assignment will be as the Director of Concepts, Wargames, and Experimentation at U.S. Army Pacific. He is a graduate of the AY23 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College.

Ron Granieri is Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.

The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.

Photo Description: Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Airborne Corps file onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Feb. 8, 2022. The Soldiers are deploying to Eastern Europe as directed by the U.S. Secretary of Defense to assure the United States NATO allies and deter Russian aggression.

Photo Credit:  Sgt. Brian Micheliche