Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Public Affairs Office

Released: March 4, 2021 Download
By: Lt Col Candis Olmstead
Joint Force Headquarters

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Approximately 80 Alaska Army National Guardsmen from the 297th Regional Support Group are scheduled to return to the Joint Military Complex, here, Wednesday evening after a nine-month deployment to Poland in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Since April 2014, U.S. Army Europe and Africa has led the Department of Defense’s Atlantic Resolve land efforts by rotating units based in the U.S. to Europe. There are approximately 6,000 regionally allocated Soldiers participating in nine-month Atlantic Resolve rotations at any given time.

There are four types of U.S. Army Atlantic Resolve rotations – armored, aviation, sustainment task force and division headquarters. Rotational units conduct bilateral, joint and multinational training events across more than a dozen countries. Atlantic Resolve is funded by the European Deterrence Initiative, which enables the U.S. to enhance deterrence, increase readiness and provide support to NATO.

The Alaska National Guard’s mission entailed the coordination or management of base security, dining facilities, living quarters, showers, laundry, latrines, gyms, and recreation spaces at 11 forward operating sites through host nation agreement and contracted services.

Upon return, the Guardsmen will be placed under a 14-day restriction of movement in accordance with local and base guidelines to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19.