Photo By Staff Sgt. Ian Vega-Cerezo | Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond S. Young, the 2nd Infantry Division Division-Artillery...... read more read more
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSEL) from across the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea banner engaged with Republic of Korea senior enlisted leaders during ROK-U.S. Keystone 2025, May 28 through May 29, at the Republic of Korea Army Noncommissioned Officer Academy in Iksan, South Korea.
ROK-U.S. Keystone serves as an opportunity for CSELs from both services to exchange leadership philosophies, deepen bonds, and increase understanding and interoperability between coalition partners, reinforcing the strength and unity of the Alliance.
“The ROK-U.S. Keystone course allows Senior Enlisted Leaders at the Nominative level, to collectively plan, gather, focus, and discuss emerging tactics, techniques, and procedures; we draw on lessons learned from here in the ROK during our annual Freedom Shield exercise, as well as the conflict ongoing in Ukraine,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, Senior Enlisted Advisor, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea. “The Keystone workshop provides a venue to share best practices, incorporate technology and discuss how we can drive, shape, and influence our formations-to best accomplish our Commander’s priorities across the Republic of Korea.”
This year’s Keystone curriculum featured lectures from prominent ROK leaders and discussions between the CSELs allowing for a mutual exchange of lessons and perspectives from both militaries.
“Keystone provided me with not just an understanding of the concerns, issues, and techniques, tactics and procedures, but the concerns and issues as far as what we in the U.S. Army can provide to our ROK partners to help with the development and mentoring of their NCOs,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Young, Command Sergeant Major, 2nd Infantry Division Artillery. “Their command structure is similar to ours, so it helps me understand their viewpoint when we're discussing these challenges faced by both our nations militaries. Keystone has shown me that we aren't alone in dealing with the challenges affecting our organizations. We have shared concerns, but by coming together, we can find solutions to those issues.”
Keystone participants shared meals and executed physical fitness training allowing them to find common ground and speak more openly, leading to more productive and eye-opening discussions.
“Through this Keystone event, I realized that ROK and U.S. NCOs face a lot of the same challenges, and I hope to have imparted on my U.S. counterparts that while we may have differences between our cultures and command philosophy, we can overcome any issue together through our unity of effort,” said Command Master Sgt. In-Ho, Choi, the ROK Air Force Operations Command Chief. “This event was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn about how we should conduct ourselves as leaders to guide the junior generation of NCOs. What struck me as especially important was that our role as leaders is to develop our junior NCOs to one day take our place in leading the future force.”
Ultimately, the insights gained from ROK-U.S. Keystone 2025 will play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing the future development of the combined NCO Corps.
“We must continue to be adaptive to change; we have a responsibility to inform, to influence, engage and educate our NCOs on the changes occurring across the Korea Theater of Operations,” said Love. “We integrate lessons learned into our tactical, operational units-across the NCO Corps, then consider how to best incorporate lessons into both our professional military education and self-development. Keystone is another training opportunity that we execute annually; this allows NCOs to plan, execute and learn together. Ultimately, we are strengthening mutual trust across the Senior Enlisted Leaders here on the Peninsula, to ensure our readiness to respond to any threat. We make it a priority to train together often. People are our platform as we ensure peace through strength.”
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.30.2025 06:38 |
| Story ID: | 499239 |
| Location: | GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], KR |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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