U.S., ROK Navies Work Together for Future Transfer
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS090130-15
Release Date: 1/30/2009 3:30:00 PM
By Lt. Cmdr. Pamela S. Bou, Commander, U.S Naval Forces Korea, Public Affairs
PUSAN, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- The Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy and the U.S. Navy adapted a traditional ground-training method, rehearsal of concept (ROC) drill, to help prepare for operational control transfer, scheduled for April 2012.
A ROC drill is a tool that ground force commanders use to synchronize, align and coordinate their forces on a terrain model. The ROK/U.S. Navy team adapted this concept for a maritime environment. The team determined that the best place to build the Navy "terrain" model was on the floor of the drained Olympic-sized pool on the Commander, ROK Naval Base in Pusan.
Building an accurate geographical representation of the Korean Peninsula, Japan, China and the surrounding waters seemed daunting until the team realized the pool tiles provided a built-in grid.
"I don't know the scale, but I can show you how we did it," said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Van Davidson, a ROC operational planning team member from Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. "It was like a project in first grade where you just transfer what is in a square on the chart to the larger grid on the floor."
After the terrain was laid out, each task force positioned a placard with their assets in the appropriate location. Even though the set-up may look similar, a ROC drill is not a war game.
During the ROC drill, action officers representing each task force and mission area all gathered on the pool floor, said Davidson. Each component talked about where they are physically, their mission, and the support they need from other components. In the drill, each component acknowledged the request for support and confirmed they could provide the services requested.
"The first couple of ROC drills were the most beneficial," said Cmdr. David Morales, from Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, acting as the CTG 773 during the operational planning team. "We identified some seams and some places where we were over-tasked. Then we were able to work to correct those areas."
Identifying places that need to be modified is not enough; all changes must be documented. In the "work room" at Commander, ROK Fleet Headquarters Building, ROK and U.S. service members sit at computers grouped by functional areas typing and revising their part of the plan.
"Working in such close proximity allows us to reach out and cross pollinate ideas," said Cmdr. Rich Keltner, an operational planning team member. "An added benefit is that personal relationships we have developed with our ROK counterparts. The ROKs are extremely gracious hosts."
This planning team is a culmination of more than 10 months of effort. In April 2008, a similar team comprised of both ROK and U.S. Navy officers met in Yokosuka, Japan. After working individually, the January 2009 team is responsible for combining individual components for one comprehensive document.
"It is not a glamorous job, but someone has to do it, and fast," said Keltner. "You have to be aggressive. We do not have the luxury of taking one to two years to work on a plan."
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