The Agony of Mobilization, Part 1

Army Reserve and National Guard units, when called to active duty, get to enjoy the unique experience known as mobilization training. Mobilization training is a necessary evil—much like a root canal or colonoscopy, except that no anesthesia is provided.

First United States Army, commanded by the infamous LTG Russell Honore of Hurricane Katrina fame (“Don’t get stuck on stupid), is responsible for inflicting mobilization training on Army Reserve and National Guard units. First Army has embraced the concept of “theater immersion training,” which is designed to replicate conditions in Iraq or Afghanistan as closely as possible. For my unit, “theater immersion” means that we are asked to occasionally endure living conditions that are worse than anything we will ever experience one deployed. These hardship conditions include tents, cots with sleeping bags (instead of beds with mattresses) and the use of portable toilets instead of standard plumbing. Since the unit (average age 35) is full of senior officers and senior non-commissioned officers who specialize in logistics—not combat operations—our periodic bouts of “theater immersion” produce a level of whining and complaining that has to be seen to be believed.

The tents, however, are air conditioned and have floors. While in the simulated operating base (“FOB”), we also received two hot meals a day (breakfast and dinner) with the infamous MRE’s for lunch. We had access to hot showers every day, as well as access to an air conditioned trailer with about half a dozen Internet-enabled computers. Finally, a small PX is open for a couple of hours each afternoon and does a brisk business among shopping-obsessed soldiers.

Because of the unique nature of the unit, we have only spent perhaps a total of two weeks in the FOB and have lived in air-conditioned barracks for the rest of our mobilization. We are spoiled; most units spend at least a month in the FOB during their pre-deployment training. In addition, most of our training and evaluation has occurred in an air-conditioned, heavily computerized command post building.

Did I mention that we are spoiled?