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CAMP HOVEY, South Korea – U.S. Soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, deployed to South Korea to support the Republic of Korea-U.S. Alliance for the second time in the last three years.
Soldiers from the 181st Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Company (Hazard Response) "Double Dragons" are supporting the 23rd CBRN Battalion “Lions,” 210th Fires Brigade “Thunder,” 2nd Infantry Division ROK-U.S. Combined Division “Indianhead” and Eighth Army “Pacific Victors.”
The 181st CBRN Company replaced the 95th CBRN Company “Arctic Dragons” from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, as the rotational CBRN company.
The Double Dragons are serving close to the Korean Demilitarized Zone, the world’s most heavily guarded border. The company deployed together with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
The Double Dragons previously deployed to South Korea for nine months in 2022 – 2023.
The Fort Hood, Texas-based 181st CBRN Company “Double Dragons” are part of the 2nd CBRN Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Department of Defense’s premier multifunctional and deployable CBRNE formation.
Soldiers and Army civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and multinational operations.
U.S. Army Hazardous Response companies conduct CBRN reconnaissance, surveillance and decontamination operations with conventional and Special Operations forces around the world and provide support to civil authorities across the nation.
Capt. Justin C. Schmidt, the commander of the 181st CBRN Company, said the company prepared for the deployment during a combat training center rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Advanced Chemical Warfare Agent training at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.
“The situation in Korea is unlike any other theater, with CBRN-forces playing a much more critical role in readiness. The training opportunities, both jointly with the ROK Army and U.S. forces internally, are better and more aligned to our missions than events and exercises we have in the continental United States,” said Schmidt, a native of Tacoma, Washington.
“Being in a deployed environment promotes a focus on training and readiness,” said Schmidt.
A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Schmidt previously helped to manage two Air Defense Artillery batteries in the U.S. Central Command Area of Operations.
Many Soldiers from the 181st CBRN Company have deployed to South Korea multiple times. “This creates good continuity and a base of knowledge that contributes to interoperability with the ROK military,” said Schmidt.
Two of the Double Dragons platoons are attached to support ROK Army forces during exercises.
The Double Dragons commander said his company is also relying on Korean Augmentees to the U.S. Army, or KATUSAs, to strengthen interoperability.
The KATUSA program was started during the Korean War to support U.S. forces and KATUSAs continue to serve as a cultural bridge between ROK and U.S. troops.
“The Double Dragons have had the opportunity to integrate with our KATUSA partners during day-to-day operations and welcomed them with a patching ceremony where we presented the 48th Chemical Brigade patch to them to wear,” said Schmidt. “We have integrated our KATUSAs into training and they conducted cultural classes that helped our new Soldiers better understand the history, cultural norms and military structure of the ROK Army forces. The end result is a cohesive and ready team that is focused on one mission: to deter any adversary who may intend to do us harm.”
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the frontlines of freedom, the ROK-U.S. Alliance has defended liberty on the Korean Peninsula and contributed to security in the Indo-Pacific region since the Korean War armistice was signed 72 years ago.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2025 15:47 |
| Story ID: | 544718 |
| Location: | CAMP HOVEY, KR |
| Hometown: | TACOMA, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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