Photo By Sgt. Daniela Lechuga | Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command,...... read more read more
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UNC, CFC, USFK Commander Underscores Partnership at Khaan Quest 2026 Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, visited Khaan Quest 2026 on Tuesday to emphasize the critical importance of multinational cooperation and alliance interoperability.
Brunson spoke directly to service members at the Five Hills Training Center, highlighting the strategic value of joint work conducted with regional allies and partners at the premier Pacific peacekeeping exercise.
“What you all are doing out here is critically important,” Brunson told the troops. “The ability of us to come together and work amongst nations is something that only we have with our allies.”
Brunson pointed to the practical significance of the work underway, noting that partnership initiatives—including infrastructure improvements at the exercise site—represent far more than tactical operations. Instead, they exemplify a commitment to leaving a place better than it was found while reinforcing the bonds that define alliance relationships.
“It begins with that road out there that y’all are working on,” Brunson said. “It means that much more when you do it along with a friend, a partner, or an ally.”
He challenged the service members directly: “Don’t let anybody ever tell you that this does not matter, because it absolutely does.”
Brunson also addressed a contingent of Republic of Korea Marines from the 1st Marine Division's 3rd Brigade, stressing the importance of their participation and the broader mission of the exercise.
“Thank you all for being out here,” Brunson told the ROK Marines. “Keep working hard to make everybody back home in Korea proud.”
He then introduced Command Sgt. Maj. Robin Bolmer, the senior enlisted leader for all three commands, who reinforced the bilateral nature of the training.
“You’re going to learn a lot of lessons from the Mongolians and others, but you’re also here to teach and help train them,” Bolmer said. “Take the skills you learned in your army and teach them to the Mongolians as well.”
The exercise marks its 20th anniversary this year. What began as a bilateral training event between the Mongolian Armed Forces and U.S. Marine Forces Pacific has grown into a regional institution that brings together military personnel from around the world.
Khaan Quest 2026 provides participating nations with opportunities to improve interoperability, enhance readiness, and develop skills necessary to conduct peace support operations in complex environments. The exercise features personnel from the U.S., Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, and other nations committed to regional stability and international security cooperation.
For every service member engaged in the exercise, Brunson’s visit underscored a foundational message: the daily commitment to working alongside allies forms the bedrock of deterrence and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the Pacific.
| Date Taken: | 12.31.1969 |
| Date Posted: | 07.01.2026 10:28 |
| Story ID: | 569135 |
| Location: | MN |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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