• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

2/7 ROK Marines host LAR in Nightmare CAX

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 4/7/2004

Story by Sgt. Joseph A. Lee

SEUNG JIN RANGE, Republic of Korea (April 2, 2004) -- A Light Armored Reconnaissance company from Twentynine Palms, Calif., joined forces under 2nd Battalion, 7th ROK Marine Regiment, to assist in live-fire exercises during the Korean Integrated Training Program here.

The reinforced platoon from Combat Assault Battalion's LAR Co. served as a subordinate unit to support 2/7 ROK Marines during the first week of KITP. Under the command of Capt. Cesar Rodriguez, who was recently awarded a Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Service for actions in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, the element of CAB was designated as Team LAR during the exercise, to support the ROK Battalion.

"We were attached to them, but the ROK Marines were extremely willing and eager to learn from us as we worked together," said Cpl. Chad Nelson, platoon sergeant of Team LAR. "They were highly motivated and put (the U.S. Marines) up on a pedestal most of the time."

Tasked with providing light armored support for a combined ROK and U.S. obstacle breach, the Light Armored Vehicles of Team LAR moved quickly over the mock battlefield to scout out lines of passage and soften targets, allowing the ROK K-1 tanks to take key footholds and devastate their assigned targets.

"The exercises moved along smoothly, considering all our coordinating efforts had to be translated back and forth for either side to understand what was to happen next," said Lance Cpl. William Burress, LAV operator for Team LAR.

Riding along with the command LAV, a ROK Marine translator interpreted incoming transmissions from the ROK command and adjacent ROK mechanized forces.

"So far our communication with the ROK Marines has worked just fine for us," said Burress. "It really hasn't been much of an issue. We're just enjoying the experience out here in the cold mud, working with our Korean counterparts to get the job done, and we seem to be doing just that."

During the early stages of the exercise, a group of scouts from Team LAR got together to teach ROK infantry Marines proper techniques for helicopter-borne operations both during daylight and evening exercises. The U.S. Army was able to lend their hand by providing three CH-47 Chinook helicopters for insertion and extraction of the ROK Marines throughout the exercise. Team LAR was able to assist once again during a separate phase of the exercise, by providing Marines to help instruct Military Operations in Urban Terrain to ROK and U.S. Marine participants in an urban combat scenario.

Whether providing teams of instructors or armored reconnaissance for the elements of the ROK Battalion, the team from CAB was well represented at KITP, and enjoyed every minute of their training with the Koreans.

"Their mechanized forces operate very well," said Burress. "I would fight along-side these ROK Marines any day!"

The LAR Marines are assigned to CAB-based in Okinawa, Japan-for six months as part of the Unit Deployment Program.