Advancing as One

Photo By Sgt. Amaia Unanue | A Republic of Korea, or ROK, Marine sights in alongside U.S. Marines as ROK Assault Amphibious Vehicles shoot off smoke behind them July 6, 2016 at Suseong Range, South Korea during a Korean Marine Exchange Program, or KMEP. The goal of the KMEP is to sustain the combined force and enhance the ROK-U.S. team at the tactical level to build combined warfighting capabilities. During this exercise the Marines carried out a bilateral regimental-sized Marine Air-Ground Task Force operation for the first time. The ROK Marines were a part of 73rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division. U.S. service members participating in KMEP 16-11 as part of the ground combat element are with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force through the unit deployment program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Amaia Unanue/ Released)  

SOUTH KOREA

07.01.2016

Story by Lance Cpl. Amaia Unanue    

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

SUSEONG RANGE, Republic of Korea -- On one side of the range, U.S. woodland MARPAT uniforms and the gray Republic of Korea digital camouflage uniforms merge together as the Marines sit shoulder to shoulder on the back of a truck. On the other side, ROK and U.S. Marines wait in the darkness of assault amphibious vehicles, rifles in hand and ready to attack. ROK tanks align and await their opportunity to engage in the fight. Bell utility helicopters are heard approaching in the distance.

The ground shakes as the sounds of explosions begin.

The first shots come raining down toward the supposed location of the enemy. Mortar fire goes off and the riflemen in the back of the trucks jump out and push in toward the tree line. The ROK tanks drive into action followed by the AAVs.
Approximately 600 Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force deployed from Okinawa, Japan, to the Republic of Korea for the Korean Marine Exchange Program 16-11 starting June 27, 2016.

The KMEP is always fluctuating for the purpose of advancement in the U.S.-ROK forward readiness. KMEP 16-11 is the first exercise designed to build a regimental-sized Marine Air-Ground Task Force capability within the ROK Marine Corps.
1st Lt. Patrick Vincent, an infantry officer with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the Unit Deployment Program, said the Korean Marine Corps has never fought with an air combat element, ground combat element and logistics combat element synchronized to take down a large scale strategic objective. Vincent believes working together through an exercise of this size will build confidence within the small units themselves and also the commands.

“We’re showing them how the Marine Corps does [the MAGTF operation] because that’s really what the Marine Corps is best at,” said Vincent. “We’re demonstrating our capabilities with that and hopefully we’re influencing the Korean Marine Corps.”
Preparation for the actual combined-arms exercise was from June 27-July 5. This included small unit training sessions and rehearsals of the big event. During this time, ROK and U.S. Marines integrated and worked together to learn each other’s skills and techniques.

Col. Jong Bum Jung, the 7th regimental commander of ROK Marines, believes that the methods used, with combining the ROK and U.S. Marines into one force, helped complete the mission.

“The rifle company has established combined forces to carry out the exercise and with that I have come to the conclusion that this way of participating was astonishingly effective in becoming proficient with combat techniques,” said Jung. “As a commanding officer I’m feeling very proud.”

Lance Cpl. Ryan Bosler, a rifleman with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines currently assigned to 4th Marines under the Unit Deployment Program, said integrating the Marines is a must. It allows the Marines to feel alike and more powerful as one.
“They’re our allies,” said Bosler. “One day we might be working together in a real-life situation. It’s important to build that trust and confidence in one another and build those relations with our counterparts. So when that day comes when we actually have to do something together we’re familiar with each other.”

The actual combined-arms exercise occurred July 6, 2016 and included U.S. Marines from 2nd Marine Battalion, 2nd Marines as the main effort with support from Marine Aircraft Group 36 and Combat Logistics Battalion 4. The ROK Marines involved were from 73rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division.

To finalize the operation, a “Super Huey” lowered into the helicopter pad and dropped off ‘urgent supply’. U.S. and ROK Marines worked together to carry a training casualty into the aircraft and ran away fast before experiencing a blast of wind and dirt. The helicopter took off into the air, the propellers spinning like a giant fan, kicking up dirt and whipping the trees back and forth.

• Date Taken: 07.01.2016
• Date Posted: 07.08.2016 23:51
• Story ID: 203384
• Location: KR
• Hometown: HONEY BROOK, PA, US
• Hometown: ORLANDO, FL, US