CAMP CARROLL, Republic of Korea – As the combined forces of the United States and Republic of Korea concluded Freedom Shield 2026, the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center-Korea proved its crucial role as the peninsula’s premier medical logistics integrator.
The exercise demonstrated USAMMC-K’s “Fight Tonight” posture, ensuring medical readiness for joint forces and a seamless transition from training to a potential wartime mission.
The annual FS26 exercise, which took place March 9-19, is designed to strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance and enhance its combined defensive posture.
As the designated Theater Lead Agent for Medical Materiel, or TLAMM, USAMMC-K serves as the backbone of medical logistics for every branch of the military operating on the Korean Peninsula.
“Our primary mission is to provide comprehensive support to ensure every unit, from the Army to the Air Force, is prepared for any medical contingency,” said Lt. Col. Myong “Mike” Pak, USAMMC-K deputy commander.
During the exercise, USAMMC-K’s expertise was on full display as it provided critical training to a 10-person Operational Deployment Team, or ODT, from the 354th Medical Company, a Texas-based Army Reserve unit. The center’s subject-matter experts prepared the ODT with advanced skills needed for its medical logistics specialists, commonly known as 68Js, operating in theater.
The partnership culminated in a high-stakes, live sling-load exercise, a training event that features safely attaching heavy equipment, vehicles or supplies to the exterior of helicopters for transport.
Pak said the practical, hands-on training was “not just a drill,” as the ODT supported a real-world resupply mission for the 563rd Medical Logistics Company’s Forward Deployed Team at nearby Camp Casey.
“The successful execution of this helicopter sling-load operation demonstrated the team’s ability to rapidly deploy critical medical materiel in a contested environment, proving the value of this intensive training,” he said.
USAMMC-K is a direct reporting unit under U.S. Army Medical Logistics Command, headquartered at Fort Detrick, Maryland. AMLC, a major subordinate command under U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, serves as the Army’s Class VIII medical materiel command, delivering integrated medical logistics that enable Army and joint forces readiness from the strategic support area to the tactical edge.
| Date Taken: |
03.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
03.23.2026 10:40 |
| Story ID: |
561105 |
| Location: |
CAMP CARROLL, KR |
| Web Views: |
114 |
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0 |
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