U.S. and ROK forces train in defense of South Korea
US Marine Corps News
4/7/2011
By Cpl. Claudio A. Martinez, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
CAMP MUJUK, Souh Korea -- Pacific theater-based Marine squadrons here concluded their portion of exercise Foal Eagle 2011 March 26.
Foal Eagle is a joint and combined defensive military training evolution designed to exercise the defensive field and air capabilities of the participating service members. U.S. military forces from around the world, combined with the Republic of Korean military forces, participated in the annual exercise to improve their abilities to defend South Korea against any regional contingency. All training conducted during the exercise is defensive in nature.
Iwakuni-based Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Combat Logistics Company 36, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 service members participated in the exercise.
Okinawa-based service members with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1, Marine Wing Support Group 17, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 18, Marine Wing Communication Squadron 18 and Marine Air Control Squadron 4 also participated in the exercise along with augments from MAG- 24 based out of Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
Service members with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 based out of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., also participated in this year’s Foal Eagle.
In light of the approximate 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern Japan March 11, the participating Pacific Marine forces were faced with various challenges throughout the exercise.
“The biggest challenge was we had a plan we were going to execute; the earthquake struck and all of III MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force) was rapidly planning and responding to provide support to the humanitarian relief effort,” said Lt. Col. P.J. Kerr, MAG- 12 operations officer in charge. “Because of that, a number of resources that were scheduled to be applied to Foal Eagle were in question, and as a result, there were a lot of change in plans.”
Twenty-four MAG-12 aircraft were slated to land here and fly more than 222 sorties in support of exercise Foal Eagle. Also, more than 1,040 Iwakuni-based service members were scheduled to participate in the exercise. After disaster struck Japan, the MAG-12 units were challenged with continuing the exercise with fewer people and operating from two different locations while supporting the humanitarian efforts.
“We ended up completely changing our plan to where all the aircraft were in Iwakuni instead of here,” said Kerr. “That is significant when you consider how you communicate with them and how you plan. We had to do it on the fly.”
By the end of the exercise, 152 sorties were flown by aircraft operating out of MCAS Iwakuni and approximately 465 service members supported the exercise here.
Although the exercise was scaled down in size, the participating Marine squadrons were able to conduct valuable aerial training that improved their ability to defensibly react to an attack on South Korea. The Marine pilots conducted their training alongside their U.S. Air Force and ROK counterparts.
They were also presented with the unique opportunity to train alongside Marine UAVs. UAVs are vehicles that can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely. They can obtain imagery of an area and direct laser guided weapons to their targets. No live ordnance was used during the UAV training.
“This is the first time we’ve had a UAV squadron here for Foal Eagle,” said Maj. Robert J. George, MAG-12 operations officer. “UAVs are being utilized more and more in the battlefield. The more we can train with the UAVs and understand how they operate and the more they can work with fixed wing and rotary aircraft, the better they are suited to go into Afghanistan and do it for real.”
In the past, MAG-12 units conducted exercise Foal Eagle out of Yeocheon, South Korea. This year, it was moved to Pohang. The move presented the units with the challenge of adapting to a new environment.
“This is the first time we’ve done Foal Eagle out of Pohang,” said George. “The significance is that this was an untested airfield for Marine aviation up to this point. It was really a validation of what the base could provide.”
George said the MAG-12 units now have a better understanding of what resources Pohang can provide in support of an operation being conducted here.
Also as part of Foal Eagle 2011, Lt. Cmdr. Mark Tanis, MWSG- 17 chaplain, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Banks, MWSS- 171 religious programmer, lead various community relations projects to local areas and schools. Some of the projects included teaching students and ROK service members English, and others involved beautification projects at local schools.
“Most people who joined the (Marine Corps) raised their hand to be of service,” said Tanis. “Many might have thought their service would have been at the pointy end of a spear or a gun or on the flight line. Sometimes the service is in the community just building relationships, so we don’t have to use our weapons.”
Tanis said the community relations projects were an opportunity for the Marines to see the faces of the people they might one day have to defend and the local people were able to meet the service members who might one day fight for them.
Although Iwakuni-based service members finished their training in Foal Eagle March 26, they continued to conduct individual unit training here until April 1. Also, 24 MAG-12 F/A-18s safely landed at Pohang Air Base March 30 to hold a warriors’ lunch.
Other U.S. and ROK units are scheduled to further their training until April 30. Exercise Foal Eagle 2011 is carried out in the spirit of the Republic of Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty signed Oct. 1, 1953.
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