Photo By Staff Sgt. Richard Cole | U.S. Army Sgt. Reishun Poole (right) and Pfc. Fetineiai Tagata (left) assigned to 55th...... read more read more
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Members of the 621st and 321st Air Mobility Operations Squadrons, along with six guard and reserve personnel, deployed as command and control experts in support of the annual multinational exercise ULCHI FREEDOM SHIELD ‘25.
Held every year since 1976 (except during COVID), UFS ‘25 marks nearly 50 years of regular U.S.-Republic of Korea cooperation. The exercise is conducted in support of the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty signed on Oct. 1, 1953. UFS ‘25 showcases the defensive alliance and resiliency of the Republic of Korea, U.S., and United Nations Forces Command in a highly dynamic operational environment encompassing simulated events with a small live component.
Reflecting realistic threats across all domains, participants conducted military operations using land, air, sea, space, and cyber assets. AMOS members contributed to this highly complex exercise by augmenting the Air Mobility Divisions at the 607th Air Operations Center at Osan Air Base, Korea, and the 613 AOC at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawai’i.
Personnel at each of these locations conducted combined command and control of assets in two theaters of operations, shared mission management and planning responsibilities, and supported each other through various contingencies that surfaced as part of the exercise.
In addition, members at the 607 AOC had the opportunity to work together with the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), ensuring the furtherance of a deep historical alliance forged in fire and preserved through common purpose.
Within the larger context of the exercise, AMOS Airmen focused on aerial refueling, airlift, and aeromedical evacuation missions in and around the Korean Theater of Operations.
In one example, 17 simulated U.S. patients moved off-peninsula from an austere location from which no planes could depart. The U.S. and ROKAF medical teams collaborated to execute a ground movement supported by the ROKAF to a base across the peninsula, where the patients boarded a U.S. C-130 cargo plane for the flight to Japan.
“We have a common mission, and it is important to exercise operations together, especially when time is short,” said ROKAF Capt. Kang Hyejin.
In addition to the steady thrum of air operations, AMOS members at 607 AOC traveled to an alternate location to test their ability to maintain situational awareness and workload in a more austere environment along with their ROKAF counterparts.
“The ability to practice resilient continuity of operations is becoming commonplace; we also proved the value of working alongside other AOCs to bridge a potential information gap,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Dave Carruth, 607 AOC Airlift Control team chief.
Every year, this series of exercises evolves to incorporate new challenges, additional complexity, and reflections of real-world possibilities to keep the training relevant and dynamic.
AMOS Airmen, with some returning from previous years, encountered new scenarios and learned a great deal about the theater and its unique mission set in addition to the invaluable contributions they made to UFS ‘25’s ultimate success.
"UFS '25 really pushed us. Every year they throw something new…some fresh curveball that mirrors what we might face downrange. You can't just rely on what you learned before; you must adapt. This year, the scenarios were particularly complex, forcing us to really understand the theater and our mission. It's tough, but it's how we improve. Knowing we played a key role in the overall improvement of the exercise... that's what makes it all worthwhile,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Paul Chavis, 613th AOC airlift planner.
| Date Taken: | 09.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2025 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 547302 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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