Lone Signaleer: One 25U Keeps the Network Alive in Thailand
Story by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Richard Cole
LOP BURI, Thailand – Surrounded by racks of radios, cables, and network equipment, one Soldier quietly keeps the mission connected. As the only Signal Support Systems Specialist (25U) supporting his unit’s overseas mission in Thailand, Spc. Cory Quehe carries the responsibility of maintaining the communications that allow Soldiers and leaders to stay linked across the exercise.
Quehe is assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He is currently in Thailand supporting Hanuman Guardian 26, a bilateral training exercise between the U.S. Army and the Royal Thai Army in the Kingdom of Thailand. Now in its 17th year, the exercise enhances readiness through realistic training while reinforcing the enduring U.S.–Thailand alliance, one of America’s oldest partnerships, dating back to 1833, and a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“They can’t communicate without us,” said Quehe, emphasizing the importance of reliable signal support during the exercise.
On a daily basis, Quehe maintains radios and tactical communications networks between infantry and artillery units conducting key training events during Hanuman Guardian 26. Reliable communications are critical for coordinating operations and ensuring safety in complex training environments, particularly those involving heavy weapons and aviation assets. Most recently, Quehe supported communications during a successful air assault exercise with U.S. Army and Royal Thai Army partners.
“I have been everywhere in this exercise,” said Quehe. “I have been traveling nonstop from location to location, getting radios up and maintaining communications security.”
Being the only 25U on the ground requires Quehe to be a jack of all trades, often taking on challenges he has never encountered before. When a Special Forces team approached him with communications equipment he had never worked with, he accepted the challenge, diagnosed the issue, and got their system back online.
For his efforts during Cobra Gold, Quehe was awarded the Army Commendation Medal by Maj. Gen. Bernard J. Harrington, commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division. He earned the recognition for assisting multiple units with programming and configuring their communications systems, keeping critical networks operational throughout the exercise.
With just three years in the Army, Quehe is already looking ahead to the next step in his career. He hopes to one day become a Signal Warrant Officer, serving as a technical expert who manages and integrates communications networks while advising commanders on critical signal systems. Until then, Quehe remains ready for any signal support task that comes his way. From troubleshooting radios to maintaining tactical networks, his work ensures that when the call comes through, the signal is always there.