• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

CFC commander lauds CMFC's performance during UFL-03

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 8/25/2003

Story by Cpl. Luis R. Agostini

PALAN, Republic of Korea(Aug. 24, 2003) -- Army Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, commanding general, Combined Forces Command, visited the Marines and Sailors of Combined Marine Forces Command here Aug. 24.

Accompanied by Lt. Gen. Wallace C. Gregson, commander, CMFC, and Republic of Korea Marine Lt. Gen. Kim In Sik, commandant of the R.O.K. Marine Corps, Gen. LaPorte made his way through the various CMFC sections, praising the efforts of the combined Ulchi Focus Lens-03 staff for their hard work.

"I am very impressed with CMFC and III MEF's brilliant efforts over the past year," said Gen. LaPorte.

Combined Forces Command had the confidence that Marines from Okinawa could get on high-speed vessels and engage in conflict early on, if conflict ever occurred, said Gen. LaPorte.

"[Lt.] Gen. Gregson and [Lt.] Gen. Kim provided the basis for that capability to deploy the U.S. and R.O.K. Marines on very short notice," said Gen. LaPorte.

Marines serving in the Combined Marine Force Command's area of responsibility can expect to see Korea a lot more than a couple months out of the year.

"We are going to try to have Marine training here every quarter," revealed Gen. LaPorte. "We don't know at what level, but there will be a Marine training event every three months."

Ulchi Focus Lens-03 exercised the higher headquarters' staffs of the U.S. and R.O.K. military services through computer-driven gaming scenarios, providing the CMFC and R.O.K. staffs the ability to maneuver armies, corps, and Marine Expeditionary Forces on the computer-simulated battlefield.

The annual combined exercise took place in several locations across South Korea, including Seoul, CP Tango, Taegu, Pohang, Osan, Chinhae and here.

Combined Forces Command, the organization responsible for the overall direction and operation of UFL, reflects the mutual commitment of the Republic of Korea and the United States to maintain peace and security, and the willingness and capability to take that commitment into battle, if the need arises, according to www.korea.army.mil/cfc.htm, CFC's official web page.