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Largest joint, combined exercise kicks off

March 17, 2003

By 1st Lt. Tom Montgomery
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AB Republic of Korea -- Forces from all United States services started to arrive here March 11 for the peninsula's largest joint and combined exercise, Foal Eagle and Reception Staging Onward Movement and Integration, RSO&I.

Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will gather in Korea to work hand-in-hand with their South Korean counterparts for the purpose of showing the resolve of U.S. forces to defend the Republic of Korea and to give the warfighters and planners an opportunity to operate in a joint (interservice) and combined (multinational) environment to safeguard the security of the ROK.

An annual command post exercise, RSO&I tests the ability to receive forces onto the peninsula, process them, and move them into position. Combined Forces Command from Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul has set up a Joint Reception Center here to handle the vast majority of personnel coming to Korea for the exercises.

"About 4,000 to 5,000 personnel will be coming through the JRC for these," said Tom Verhage, lead Air Force planner for the exercises who also works closely with a Korean counterpart.

The broad composition of forces deploying into Korea was decided months ago based on training requirements; however, due to high demand in other areas, the equipment coming to Korea has been reduced.

With the varied types of forces that naturally exist when the combined forces work together, the logistical problems can become gargantuan.

A flag officer from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., the director of mobility forces, deploys here to work in concert with a combat logistics center that incorporates personnel from a multitude of disciplines such as personnel managers, logisticians, civil engineers and more. While the CLC and DIRMOBFOR are sorting out problems that may sometimes resemble tangled Christmas lights, Scott AFB computers are spitting out more and more airlift issues to be solved.

"For example, C-5's are being loaded with tanks and at the last minute a commander decides he wants patriots to come as quick as possible; you're the DIRMOBFOR, what do you do," said Mr. Verhage. "The prioritization, and reprioritization is very dynamic and once decisions are made or as cargo is frustrated, the results send ripples throughout the system," he said.

Foal Eagle is an annual field training exercise in conjunction with RSO&I that will test the combat capability of the combined forces to act in defense of the peninsula.

The exercises will spin up the Hardened Theater Air Control Center as Korean and American commanders simulate running an air war with missions ranging from close air support to defensive counter air, said Maj. Larry Brown, 607th Combat Plans Squadron, who is in charge of the schedule of air events for FE.

"This is very challenging; we are always learning quite a bit about our capabilities as a joint and combined team," said Major Brown.

The HTACC will become a hive of activity as Air Component Commander Lt. Gen. Lance Smith directs the air assets of all parties involved.

As the aircrews train overhead, U.S. Air Force security forces, who have deployed here for the exercise and set up in tent city, will practice defending the base in conjunction with in-place security forces, other base personnel, and ROK Army soldiers.

Kunsan is sending approximately 50 opposing force airmen to attempt to breach base security. It is the job of the 51st Security Forces Squadron and its attached forces to stop them.

"We're staging the OPFOR out of Suwon because we can't have those critters running around Osan staying at tent city. We have to keep some fair play in this, so OPFOR will have to navigate to Osan and then infiltrate; it's more realistic," said Maj. Dave Hazlett, 7th AF Security Forces, who plans the air base defense exercise.

Foal Eagle air base defense exercises are the largest of its kind in the Air Force today, and as such have become a benchmark to air base defense exercises.

"Foal Eagle after action reports are basically historical documents in the security forces community," said Major Hazlett referring to the significance of the exercise.

Coming to Korea, integrating into existing units and defending the ROK are the three basic steps that describe RSO&I FE. The linkage of all services from Korean and U.S. armed forces will provide valuable lessons learned and highlight the strength that comes from teamwork. (PACAFNS)