Photo By Sgt. Jesse Smith | The 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment lined up their OH-58 Kiowa helicopters Jan. 20...... read more read more
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – It’s always hard to say goodbye. That’s what the 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment Soldiers did when they left on a deployment nine months ago to South Korea. They said goodbye to their families, friends and their country and set off to complete their mission. Now the nine months is over, and they face a different kind of goodbye.
Lt. Col. Matt Ketchum, a native of Dallas, Oregon and the 6-17th Cav. Regt. commander, spoke about the bittersweet end to his unit’s deployment on the radio show “Talon Talk” on Feb. 5 at the AFN station on Osan Air Base, South Korea.
“A nice thing about coming here to Korea is it provides more training then back in Alaska,” Ketchum said.
He said that the unit is fully funded here which allows for more opportunities to train Soldiers.
“Soldiers are able to do the work they signed up to do,” Ketchum said.
Having rotational units in Korea is still a relatively new concept he said. He thinks it is a great idea and he said it only furthers the 2nd Infantry Division’s mission to be able to fight tonight.
“We trained for this as if it was going to be a full blown deployment into Iraq or Afghanistan,” Ketchum said. “We arrived ready to fight.”
The concept of a rotational unit was a success and it seemed to only strengthen and support the armistice in Korea he said.
“I think it helps increase the readiness of U.S. forces on the ground,” Ketchum said.
The squadron was able to participate in a wide variety of training exercises with many units on the Korean Peninsula wanting to train.
“We were able to conduct live fire exercises at the combined, joint and multi-national levels,” Ketchum said. “Everyone wants to fly.”
A lot of organizations to include the 8th U.S. Army, the Republic of Korea Army, the Air Force and the Marines had units that wanted to come out and train he said. You just had to reach out to them and make the most of the training areas here in South Korea.
The 6-17th Cav. Regt. time here has not been all work and no play. Their Soldiers have been able to get out and experience some of the Korean culture.
“I have been able to get most of my Soldiers out to the see the DMZ (de-militarized zone),” Ketchum said.
He said he thinks it is very important for Soldiers to be able to see it while they are here. He has visited the DMZ twice. Once while stationed here in 1996 on his first duty assignment and then again on this deployment.
Some of the Soldiers Families were even able to visit while here on deployment. They were also able to be immersed in the Korean culture for a brief time.
Ketchum said he has much advice for the unit that is replacing his but the most important is to “Get out and find other units that want to train.” If you extend to them with open arms, people will want to help you and train with you and you can make the most of this deployment.
The 6-17th Cav. Regt.’s deployment has come to an end, but they have gained so much as a unit. They will go home and get to see their Families once again and they will always be second to none. Once a Talon, always a Talon.
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2015 01:23 |
| Story ID: | 153720 |
| Location: | PYEONGTAEK, 41, KR |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, OR, US |
| Web Views: | 754 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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