ISG TAKES PART IN EXERCISE GOBI WOLF 2022 - Defense Security Cooperation University

As the lead coordinating entity for 10th annual Exercise Gobi Wolf 2022, The Institute for Security Governance (ISG) brought together stakeholders from U.S. Army Pacific, the Alaska Air and Army National Guard, the U.S. Forest Service, and the international community to exchange expertise and best practices in disaster response. Taking place in early September in Bayankhongor, Mongolia, Exercise Gobi Wolf is part of the Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE) program, which focuses on interagency coordination and foreign humanitarian assistance. The six-day exercise featured three main events: an expert academic discussion, tabletop exercise, and field training exercise. The events are designed to develop comprehensive measures and to test disaster responses involving interagency coordination. 

ISG planners and facilitators designed, coordinated, and implemented the exercise that brought together 300 first responders to exchange best practices, exercise disaster response operations, and tactical training related to Search and Rescue and dealing with hazardous materials disaster situations. Working with counterparts in Mongolia's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), ISG also developed and executed a dynamic tabletop exercise (TTX) over a two-day period. The TTX utilized real-world assets to increase Mongolia's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) capabilities, as well as to bolster their communication techniques. 

Commander of the Alaska Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Tracy Smith remarked about the training potential of the exercise during the opening ceremony and stated how much each entity and country has to learn from one another. “Our nations continue to become stronger as we exercise our ability to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the effects of a domestic crisis or disaster,” said Smith. “This regional approach to strengthen and refine our goal of a government model for emergency operations is key to security, stability and recovery.” 

For more information on ISG’s efforts building resilience with Partner Nations, see our Building Resilience for National Defense Smart Sheet.