USFK exercise

RSOI/Foal Eagle 2006

Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, led by Rear Adm. J. W. Goodwin, embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), participated in Reception Staging Onward Movement and Integration and Foal Eagle 2006 (RSOI/FE 06), which began March 26 and ran through the end of the month. Marines and sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarked aboard the Sasebo Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) arrived on Mar. 25 to take part in Exercise Foal Eagle 2006, as well.

The war-fighting skill sets Lincoln and CVW-2 rehearsed included close-air support for ground units, air-to-air defense exercises, maritime interoperability training and expeditionary operations. This exercise crystallized Lincoln’s role as a command-and-control node.

During Foal Eagle 2006, Marines and sailors with the MEU participated in a variety of exercises, including assault climbing, live-fire ranges, urban combat training, community outreach efforts and a combined amphibious landing. In addition to the MEU/ARG arrival, elements of Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and MEU Service Support Group 31 debarked from the USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Juneau (LPD 10). As the Marines and sailors disembarked, a contingent of over 300 ROK Marines and sailors of the 1st ROK Marine Division’s 3rd Regimental Landing Team came aboard the ARG for further combined planning and training in with the Navy-Marine Corp team in amphibious doctrine.

Marines from Headquarters and Services Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the ground combat element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, exercised techniques for military operations in urban terrain at a Korean Marine Corps MOUT training facility. Approximately 25 Marines spent the day practicing the basic principles of vehicle checkpoint procedures and room clearing techniques. Marines were taught the proper escalation of force, the different zones used for conducting VPC's and the different things to look for, such as contraband and warning signs of an attack.

Foal Eagle was the largest concentration of surface and air forces to participate in field training exercises on the Korean Peninsula. It 2006, it involved more than 70 ships, 70 to 80 aircraft, and all four services of both the U.S. and ROK armed forces. The ROK and U.S. navies conducted an officer exchange program during the exercise. Five ROK naval officers embarked Abraham Lincoln to train with the ships’ crew.



RSOI/Foal Eagle 2007

Essex Amphibious Ready Group and embarked elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) on March 5 to conduct Reception Staging Onward-Movement and Integration and Foal Eagle 2007 (RSOI/FE 07). Juneau, commanded by Capt. John D. Alexander, was part of the Sasebo, Japan-based Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, which served under Commander, Task Force 76. Task Force 76 was the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force and was headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

2007's exercise marked the 46th Foal Eagle exercise and the sixth time it’s been combined with RSOI. Essex, the only forward-deployed amphibious assault ship and serves Task Force 76, is the Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious force. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

RSOI focused on initial operational flow of deployed forces to Korean Theater of Operations: receiving military units in Korea (reception); connecting units with their equipment once in country (staging); moving them into their respective strategic position within the peninsula (onward movement) and integrating newly arrived forces with the forces that are already here (integration).

As a field exercise, RSOI involved primarily troops on the peninsula, while Foal Eagle involved more than 40 ships and more than 100 aircraft from all services of both the U.S. and ROK armed forces. Many of the ships hosted their counterparts as part of the Navy’s liaison naval exchange program. They assisted the ships with communications and provided support throughout all the different events, while at the same time conveying interesting ROK Navy perspectives.

In addition to the ship visits, other combined and joint training was conducted throughout the entire Korean peninsula Servicemembers from Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron (NCWRON) 33 from Naval Coastal Warfare Group (NCWGRU) 1 and members of the 308th Early Warning Squadron from the ROK Navy teamed up from 19 Mar. until the end of the month to conduct harbor defense training on the ROK Third Fleet Base, Busan, Cho-do Island and Busan's Pier 8.

Navy pilots attached to Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) learned how successful the integration of two Naval forces can be in the air when they flew P-3C aircraft over the skies of the ROK with their ROK Navy counterparts from Mar. 25 until Mar. 31. In total, VP-4 launched 11 missions with a 100 percent completions rate.

Divers attached to the U.S. Navy Diving Team, Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One Detachment One (MDSU 1 DET 1), and the ROK Navy Diving Team went underway on small Rigid-hull Inflatable (RHIB) Boats off the coast of Chinhae, to conduct various combined training operations from Mar. 22 until Mar. 30.

U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Three (NMCB-3) and the ROK Sailors from Air Wing 6 combined forces to rebuild a runway damaged in a simulated bombing from Mar. 21-23 at the Air Wing Six side of a runway on the ROK Marine Corps Base in Pohang, ROK. This was the second year that the Rapid Runway Repair (RRR) exercise took place.

In addition to the RRR, the Seabees from NMCB-3 came together again with 61 personnel from the ROK Army 1175th Engineering for a bridge building exercise that began on Mar. 26 and lasted until Mar. 29 near the Hangju Bridge, which is located 30 minutes outside of Seoul. This is the first year that this exercise has taken place.

Juneau played an important role in the exercise by launching amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs) of both nations in conjunction with four ROK Navy ships ROKS Hyangrobong (LST 683), ROKS Birobong (LST 682), ROKS Gojunbong (LST 681) and ROKS Sunginbong. The four ROK ships and Juneau launched a total of 32 Korean AAVs and 13 U.S. AAVs.

Juneau’s launch of the AAVs allowed 31st MEU and ROK Marines to reach Mallipo Beach on the western side of the Republic of Korea. Each wave of AAVs were launched with a close interval of 11 seconds each. Deck department aided in completing the mission successfully.

During the AAV launches, Juneau was also simultaneously conducting flight operations. The ship’s air department received an assortment of helicopters -- CH-53E Sea Dragons and CH-46 Sea Knight and a SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter -- which landed for refueling before taking to the air for the aerial part of the landing. The Juneau air crew refueled the helicopters expeditiously and helped transport embarked Marines to their destination.



Ulchi-Focus Lens 2006

Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens '06 ran from Aug. 21 through Sept. 1 across the Korean peninsula. UFL, as the exercise is commonly known, takes place each year in the late summer. The command post exercise is designed to provide simulated combined training for U.S. and Korean forces and to strengthen the alliance between the two countries.

The exercises were designed to help teach, coach and mentor younger military personnel while exercising senior leader decision-making capabilities. Forces from all branches of the U.S. military and their South Korean counterparts practiced working together in an alliance that stretches back to the Korean War.

The Combined Forces Command year-round training program is essential to maintaining readiness to defend South Korea against external aggression, according to UFL officials. The exercise also demonstrates the U.S. commitment to the South Korean-U.S. alliance, while enhancing the combat readiness of both forces through combined and joint training.

2nd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment Soldiers showed their vigilance during Ulchi Focus Lens 2006. The Soldiers spent the two-week military exercise reacting to scenarios and providing airlift support to U.S. Forces Korea. They conducted air assaults, air movements, troop movements, emergency re-supplies, and personnel recovery as to support the ground component commander during exercises.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) Seventh Fleet flagship, was under way on Aug. 18 to support U.S. Seventh Fleet in Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL). There were about 827 Blue Ridge Sailors manning the galleys, pilot house, engineering spaces and other behind the scenes work centers that kept the command ship fully operational for the exercise while staff and UFL embarkees concentrated on their mission.

They provided 3,600 hot meals a day for the duration of the exercise. Throughout the day it took about 60 Sailors to plan, prep, and cook the meals. Engineers took the necessary steps to generate enormous amounts of water for the hundreds of UFL participants onboard. More than 90,000 gallons of water was used each day for drinking, cleaning, and cooking purposes. The communications department about doubled their productivity during UFL by delivering more than 28,000 e-mails and 7,000 naval messages per day.


U.S. 7th Air Force Supports Ulchi Focus Lens 2007

Posted 8/15/2007 Updated 8/15/2007 Email story Print story



7th Air Force Public Affairs

8/15/2007 - OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Air Force leaders from around 7th Air Force are preparing to participate in the annual Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL) exercise, conducted by Republic of Korea and United States Combined Forces Command (ROK/U.S. CFC) August 20-31.

Ulchi Focus Lens 2007 is a simulation-driven, command post exercise involving both U.S. and Republic of Korea forces stationed here. A small number of Airmen will also travel to Korea to participate.

"With the constant turnover of Air Force leadership in South Korea, UFL provides the forum for all military forces to hone and maintain unit and individual leadership skills," said Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Wood, 7th AF commander. General Wood also serves as the Air Component Commander during a crisis.

"Results of the simulated air portion of the exercise help evaluate and sharpen senior leaders' decision-making capabilities," the general added. "Exercises such as these ensure interoperability between the U.S. military and the ROK military and are vital to preserving the Armistice Agreement and hopes for lasting peace on the peninsula."