Photo By Capt. Eric-James Estrada | U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Tyler Cowan (center), a native of Pittsfield, Mass. and a...... read more read more
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CAMP COURTNEY, Japan – The U.S. Army's only airborne brigade west of the Mississippi River participated in Exercise Ulchi-Freedom Guardian (UFG) here Aug. 18 - 29.
Home stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, along with Airmen of the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron who are assigned to the Spartan Brigade, trained with U.S-South Korea alliance military forces during the annual Korean Peninsula-wide exercise.
Defensive in nature, the joint/combined command post exercise was designed to enhance the Republic of South Korea’s defensive capabilities in the face of an aggressor threat on the Korean Peninsula and ensure stability in Northeast Asia. The exercise is named after the famous 7th Century Korean General Eulji Mundeok, who was the commander-in-chief of the army of Goguryeo, which repelled an invasion by China's Sui Dynasty. Along with Exercise Foal Eagle, UFG is the second of two command post exercises held every year in South Korea.
This year, the annual large-scale computer-simulation involved more then 3,000 personnel from all military branches within the U.S. and across the Pacific region to perfect mission readiness and combat effectiveness by simulating real world situations in real time. U.S. and South Korean forces were also joined by United Nations Command forces from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the U.K.
UFG operates at a four-star command level. On Okinawa, the III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Headquarters serves as one of the combined headquarters of Joint Forces Command and the 3rd Marine Division serves as the ground combat element to III MEF.
These types of exercises help to work through coordination issues that are common when multiple services and coalition partners are involved, such as the employment of airborne and air assault task forces, amphibious operations, and navigating the cultural nuances of each military service.
“It is a joint fight,” said U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Jeff O’Neill, G-3 current operations officer for the 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “Part of this exercise involves working through the coordination issues that are sometimes challenging when working with other services and other nations.”
For Col. Matthew McFarlane, commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, he sees those challenges as a way to build on existing relationships and grow from new obstacles encountered during these types of exercises.
“It’s always the personal relationships you establish with the leaders of these different organizations,” said McFarlane. “As you build trust amongst one another, [you] learn about different opportunities to potentially [capitalize on] in the future.”
This is not the first time the Spartan Brigade and III MEF have crossed paths during training exercises. Over the past couple of years the Spartan Brigade and III MEF Marines have participated side-by-side during Exercises Talisman Saber in Australia and Cobra Gold in Thailand, with each unit having its own set mission.
“As we’ve done multiple exercises over the past couple of years, [III MEF has] been in and around those exercises,” said McFarlane. “This exercise is a great opportunity for us to build on our relationships that we have established with III MEF – specifically 3rd [Marine Division] on Okinawa – as they operate in the same area we operate.”
Participating in UFG ’14 also gave the Spartan Brigade a chance to train with the Republic of Korea’s Marine Corps.
Lt. Col. Christopher Ward, a native of Caldwell, Idaho, and commander of 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4/25 IBCT (ABN), whose battalion mission was to ensure the synchronization and deconfliction of all fires assets into the overall mission, noted the similarities between South Korean Marine Corps systems and those of 2-377 PFAR.
“They have a lot of artillery systems that are similar to ours,” said Ward. “Being able to better understand their systems and how they employ them will only make us better as a combined team if we ever have to fight along side each other in the future.”
During the exercise Ward highlighted the professionalism of the South Korean Marines and their willingness to learn foreign equipment and systems.
“It’s been fantastic,” said Ward. “They’re a very professional force who are eager to learn, yet we’re able to learn from them as well.”
South Korean Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jooshin Kim, a combat engineer with the Republic of Korea’s Military Logistics Group’s Landing Support Battalion, highlighted the professionalism of the Spartan Brigade, noting what an incredible experience the exercise offered.
“Great experience,” said Kim “This is the first time I’ve come in contact with U.S. Army personnel.”
“During the exercise, very professional,” Kim added. “That’s why the [South Korean] Marines love to work with all branches of the U.S. military; that high degree of professionalism.”
O’Neill, whose experiences with the Army date back to the Infantry Captains Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, was impressed with the Spartan Brigade’s efficiency and motivation during their portion of the exercise.
“4/25 is an extremely professional unit,” said O’Neill. “They were very focused on their portion of this operation plan.”
O’Neill concluded by adding that, “It’s been very enlightening for our staff and it’s a good exchange for our Marines to learn from the Soldiers of 4/25.”
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2014 04:54 |
| Story ID: | 140626 |
| Location: | CAMP COURTNEY, OKINAWA, JP |
| Hometown: | CALDWELL, ID, US |
| Web Views: | 371 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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