Operation Allies Welcome

Marines with 2nd Civil Affairs Group, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, hike to an overlook of the Shenandoah Valley, near Woodstock Tower, during the unit’s recent staff ride exercise through the Shenandoah Valley on September 8, 2017. During the three-day staff ride exercise, 2nd CAG’s Marines reviewed Gen. Sheridan’s 1864 campaign through the Shenandoah Valley in the context of civil military operations. At the overlook, the Marines discussed the impact that Sheridan’s campaign had on the Valley’s civilian residents, and how better civil affairs planning could have avoided or lessened the resulting refugee crisis. 2nd CAG, along with its sister units of 1st, 3rd, and 4th CAG, provides an enabling function to combatant commanders by planning and conducting civil-military operations in support of the commander’s objectives. 2D CAG supports II Marine Expeditionary Force and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, as well as those commands’ subordinate units.