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United Nations Command: The UNC, established on 24 July 1950, marked the first time in history that nations of the world united under the UN flag to repel aggression. The mission of UNC is to maintain the provisions of the Armistice Agreement, which resulted in the cessation of hostilities. The Military Armistice Commission, which supervises implementation of the Armistice, is composed of officers from the UNC, north Korea and China.

Combined Forces Command: CFC exercises operational control over Korean and American forces responsible for the defense of the Republic. Should the mutual policy of deterrence fail, Combined Forces Command would direct combat operations to defeat an enemy attack.

U.S. Forces Korea: A U.S. Army four-star general serves as commander-in-chief of the United Nations Command, the ROK/US Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea. USFK includes all U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine, and Special Operations elements stationed in Korea. USFK headquarters is located on Yongsan Army Garrison, Seoul.

5 Component Commands of USFK

7th Air Force: The mission of 7th Air Force is to plan and direct air component operations in the ROK. The 7th Air Force maintains readiness of more than 100 operational units and 10,000 personnel. 7th AF, headquartered at Osan Air Base, includes the 51st Fighter Wing, 554th RED HORSE Squadron, 607th Air Support Operations, Air Intelligence and Air Operations groups, and the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan AB.

Eighth United States Army: The largest element in Korea today is the 8th U.S. Army (EUSA), the core force of the United Nations Command during the Korean War. It has been in Korea since 1950. Major subordinate commands are the 2nd Infantry Division and the 19th Theater Army Area Command. 8th Army is headquartered on Yongsan, Seoul.

U.S. Naval Forces Korea: CNFK is the Navy regional coordinator for the ROK. It provides U.S. Navy expertise to Joint, and Combined Commands for plans, policy, and sustainment ashore of Naval forces in defense of the ROK. It also provides liaison in armistice and wartime to U.S. and ROK Naval forces afloat. Its headquarters is on Yongsan with detachments in Chinhae and Pohang.

Special Operations Command-Korea: SOC-KOR is the special operations component command for USFK/CFC. SOC-KOR brings Army, Navy and Air Force special operations forces into the Korean Theater of Operations for the war fighting CinC. SOC-KOR is headquartered at Camp Kim, Seoul, with subordinate units located across the peninsula.

U.S. Marine Forces Korea: U.S. Marine Corps-Korea plans and directs Marine Corps operations in support of USFK/CFC in the Republic of Korea. MARFOR-K is headquartered in Yongsan, Seoul.

Army Units

19th Theater Army Area Command: 19th TAACOM is the logistic support arm of 8th Army with the mission of sustaining combat power throughout the peninsula. It's also responsible for the operations and support of the 82 Army installations in Korea. Its headquarters is located on Camp Henry in Taegu, with subordinate commands located in each of the Army's four areas of operation on the peninsula.

2nd Infantry Division: The 2ID is the major U.S. ground combat unit in Korea. The Division's headquarters is located at Camp Red Cloud, Uijongbu, and its primary mission is to deter war on the Korean peninsula by maintaining a high state of combat readiness and vigilance. 2ID units "SECOND TO NONE" stand shoulder-to-shoulder with first-echelon Korean units immediately south of the DMZ.

UNC Security Battalion-Joint Security Area: The UNC Security Battalion- Joint Security Area is composed of both ROK and U.S. military. The unit's mission include providing security in the JSA, manning Observation Post Ouellette in the Demilitarized Zone, and running the Panmunjom tour program. The unit is also responsible for the security and civil affairs of Tae Song Dong, the only Korean village within the Demilitarized Zone.

Special Forces Detachment-Korea: Special Forces Detachment-Korea serves as liaison between the Korean Special Forces and the U.S. military here on the peninsula. Det-K's operations range the entire Korean peninsula and involve all branchs of the U.S. and ROK military. Det-K is headquartered in Songnam, with subordinate LNOs located with each of the ROK Special Forces Brigades.

Special Operations Theater Support Element: The SOTSE is a forward deployed logistics planning and coordination element for U.S. Army Special Operations Support Command, Ft. Bragg, NC. The SOTSE ensures logistic support is planned and executed for U.S. Army Special Operations Forces deploying into the Korean Theater of Operations. The SOTSE is headquartered at Camp Coiner, Seoul.

8th Personnel Command: The mission of 8th PERSCOM is to sustain personnel readiness and exercise command and control over assigned theater-level personnel units. The theater PERSCOM manages critical personnel systems and synchronizes personnel network operations throughout the theater. The command is headquartered in Yongsan with subordinate units located throughout Korea. The 516th PSB is headquartered in Yongsan with detachments located at Cp Humphreys and Cp Henry. Also, the 516th PSB, Delta Co, is responsible for controlling all incoming mail to Korea. Postal platoons are located in Yongsan, Kimpo Airport, Cp Humphreys and Cp Henry. The 1st Replacement Company, located in Yongsan, is responsible for controlling and processing all incoming soldiers entering Korea. The EUSA Band in Yongsan, performs throughout the Korea. The 509th PSB at Cp Casey has subordinate unit, the 19th AG Company (Postal) with platoons located at Camp Casey and Camp Red Cloud.

1st Signal Brigade: The 1st Sig Bde is headquartered in Yongsan with units throughtout Korea. 1st Sig Bde provides strategic and tactical communications, and information management to USFK and component command headquarters in the ROK. They provide mobile tactical communications, fixed tactical voice and wide area networking, message center and tactical data communications, satellite communications and contingency restoral of Defense Communications System circuits, long-haul, inter-nodal connectivity bwetween geographically dispersed sites. 1st Sig Bde operates and maintain all AFKN TV, FM and AM radio transmission facilities.

8th Military Police Brigade: The 8th MP Brigade, headquartered in Yongsan, conducts wartime mission of area security, law and order, enemy prisoner of war and battlefield circulation control operations throughout the theater. The brigade supports the Commanders of USFK and EUSA with an uninterrupted flow of combat, combat support and combat service support resources to the combat zone. The 94th MP Bn in Yongsan commands and controls all non-divisional military police in the northern one-third of the ROK. The 728th MP Bn at Cp Henry, Taegu, commands and controls all combat support military police from Cp Humphreys to Cp Hialeah.

175th Finance Command: 175th FINCOM in Yongsan provides appropriated and nonappropriated fund accounting services and finance support to soldiers, civilian employees and family members in theater, directs the overseas banking program, and provides staff finance and accounting policy advice and operational guidance.The Centralized Pay and Accounting DivIsion provides accounting, vendor pay, foreign national pay, and civilian pay customer services.

501st Military Intelligence Brigade: The 501st MI Bde is subordinate to the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command providing intelligence and security support to headquarters, EUSA. The brigade’s mission is to provide combat information and multi-discipline intelligence to joint and combined warfighters. It is comprised of the brigade staff elements and four battalions with remote elements throughout Korea.

Logistic Support Element Far East: The LSE Far East's mission is to enhance warfighting weapons system readiness in forward-based and deploying units in Korea and the Pacific Rim. The Command is headquartered at Camp Market, with subordinate Logistic Assistance Offices at: Camps Casey, Red Cloud, Henry, Humphreys, Carroll, Long, Page, Stanley and Eagle.

17th Aviation Brigade: The 17th Aviation Brigade is headquartered in Yongsan with the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment at K-16; the 2nd Bn, 52nd Avn. Regt. at Camp Humphreys; and the 164th Air Traffic Services Group at Yongsan, and with elements located throughout the peninsula. From its inception in 1965, the soldiers of the 17th Avn Bde have performed with distinction in both peacetime and combat, while remaining as the "CUTTING EDGE" of freedom in the Republic. The 1st Bn, 52nd Avn. Regt. provides combat aviation support to USFK, ROK-US CFC and EUSA with UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and C-12 Huron fixed wing aircraft. The 2nd Bn, 52nd Avn. Regt. is the only unit in the Korean theater that provides medium lift support assets to USFK, CFC and EUSA, utilizing CH-47 Chinhook helicopters. The 164th ATS Gp provides air traffic services and Army Airspace Command and Control (A2C2) throughout the entire Korean theater in support of all Army aviation operations.

Joint U.S. Military Affairs Group-Korea: The Joint U.S. Military Affairs Group-Korea assists Republic of Korea armed forces in management, logistics and organization. JUSMAG-K also offers guidance in the establishment of industrial and commercial agencies directly related to national defense. JUSMAG-K is headquartered in Yongsan, Seoul.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District: The Far East Engineer District is the Department of Defense Design and Construction Agent for Korea. The district is headquartered in Seoul with offices throughout the peninsula. During its forty years of existence in Korea, the Far East Engineer District has "Built for Peace!"

18th Medical Command: The 18th MEDCOM's primary mission is to serve as the strategic link to the CONUS medical base and plan/coordinate US Army medical support at the operational and tactical levels through the early stages of conflict. The secondary mission is to provide theater level command and control of assigned and attached medical units conducting combat health support within the Korean theater. MEDCOM is headquartered in Yongsan with subordinate units located throughout Korea.

6th Cavalry Brigade: The mission of the 6th CAV is to conduct Attack Helicoper Operations as the reserve for the CINC CFC in support of his campaign plan. 6th CAV is headquartered at Camp Humphreys. The 1st and 3rd Squadrons consist of AH-64 Attack Helicopters and are located at Cps Eagle and Humphreys. The 1st Bn, 43rd Air Defense Artillery (PATRIOT) is attached to the Brigade and defends the skies from battle positons across the penninsula.

129th Medical Detachment: Clinics of the 129th Med Det (VM) at Yongsan and Cp Walker along with elements of the 106th Med Det (VS), provides comprehensive veterinary medical treatment for pets throughout Korea. The 106th has clinics at Cp Red Cloud, Osan AB and Cp Hiahlea. The Yongsan Veterinary Treatment Facility serves as the medical and surgical referral center for the peninsula, though outlying facilities are equipped to handle many clinical procedures.

Navy Units

Sources and Methods

• U.S. 7th Fleet Always On Alert, Doran Says By Jim Lea, Pacific Stars And Stripes August 7, 1999 -- When the battle erupted between South and North Korean ships in the Yellow Sea in June, two 7th Fleet AEGIS guided-missile cruisers - the USS Mobile Bay and USS Vincennes - were sent to the area very quickly.
• DoD News Briefing June 16, 1999 -- There are two F/A-18 Hornet squadrons, 10 B-52 bombers, one Patriot and a battalion headquarters, eight F-16CJ Fighting Falcon aircraft, and some additional EA-6Bs on alert to deploy if necessary at various places around the United States.
• First PACAF aerospace expeditionary force leaves South Korea June 12, 1998 (PACAFNS) -- Members of the 3rd Aerospace Expeditionary Group headed home the first week of June after a four-month deployment to Kwang Ju Air Base, South Korea. Nearly 125 days ago, the first of approximately 660 people deployed to South Korea and made history by backfilling for the USS Independence carrier group, sent to the Persian Gulf during a recent build up of U.S. forces there.

• Developing a Base Defense in Korea by Captain Robert Hatcher Army Logistician Jan-Feb 97 -- A rear-area unit confronted by the possibility of attack by the special operations forces of North Korea must work with Republic of Korea forces and tenant units to implement successfully a base defense plan.
• WARTIME HOST NATION SUPPORT UMBRELLA AGREEMENT
• WARTIME HOST NATION SUPPORT PROGRAM UNITED STATES FORCES, KOREA USFK Reg 550-52