SD Guardsmen support US, South Korea military exercise

Courtesy Photo | Soldiers from the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 115th Brigade Signal Company work on a satellite terminal during the 2014 Ulchi Freedom Guardian, a computerized command-and-control exercise, at Camp Humphries, South Korea, as a part of their annual training Aug. 20, 2014. Thirty-nine Soldiers from the BSC based in Brookings, South Dakota, joined service members from all branches of the South Korean and U.S. military for the exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula. (Courtesy photo)  

SOUTH KOREA

09.17.2014

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Theanne Tangen 

South Dakota National Guard Public Affairs   

USAG YONGSON, South Korea – The South Dakota Army National Guard’s 115th Brigade Signal Company conducted their annual training supporting U.S. and South Korea military forces during the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, Aug. 9-30.

Approximately 30,000 U.S. troops and 50,000 South Korean troops took part in this year’s computer-simulation exercise that enhances the combat readiness of the Republic of Korea and U.S. supporting forces through combined and joint training.

Thirty-nine Soldiers from the 115th based in Brookings, South Dakota, joined service members from all branches of the South Korean and U.S. military for the computerized command-and-control exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula. The focus of the exercise is on strategic, operational and tactical aspects of general military operations in the Korean Theater of Operations should defense of the peninsula become necessary.

“Our primary mission is providing a secure network for the military,” said Staff Sgt. Darin Huwe, 115th training noncommissioned officer. “In South Korea we were able to work with classified, unclassified and coalition force networks.”

The exercise provided the South Dakota Guardsmen with the opportunity to work with the U.S. Army’s 1st Signal Brigade, who enables joint and combined command, control, communications, computers and information management throughout United States Forces Korea and other areas of operation.

“Korea is a major hub for signal communications in the Army and they are testing several cutting edge technologies,” said Capt. Bracken Robinson, 115th commander. “Working with the 1st Signal Brigade gave our Soldiers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with equipment that is not native to the South Dakota National Guard, yet we would use in a deployed environment.”

The South Dakota Soldiers served in several locations throughout the Korean peninsula and trained on the latest technology in the world of communications.

“It was great to not only get our hands on new equipment, but to see different techniques we can implement with our equipment,” said Huwe. “Traveling to Korea was a fantastic experience for all of us in the signal company and we’re looking forward to applying the lessons learned from the exercise.”

• Date Taken: 09.17.2014
• Date Posted: 09.18.2014 09:07
• Story ID: 142515
• Location: KR