Interoperability improves units' fire support operations

By Staff Sgt. Carlos R. Davis, 210th Field Artillery Brigade Public AffairsMarch 31, 2014

Interoperability improves units' fire support operations
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CHEORWON, South Korea " U.S Army 1st Lt. Christian Kolbe (middle), from Buffalo, N.Y., the battalion ammunition officer for 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, signs out rocket pods to U... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Interoperability improves units' fire support operations
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CHEORWON, South Korea " U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Dong Lee (right), from Tamuning, Guam, the liaison officer assigned to 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, goes over the live-fire timeline with... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Interoperability improves units' fire support operations
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CHEORWON, South Korea " Pfc. Jacob Shook (left), from Cumberland, Md., a signal support specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, works with Lance Cpl. Christian Spinks (right)... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Interoperability improves units' fire support operations
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CHEORWON, South Korea " Col. Chris Lewis, from Lincoln Neb., the 1st Fires coordinator assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force, greet leaders from Republic of Korea 5000th Field Artillery Battalion at Rocket Valley near Cheorwon, South Korea M... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Interoperability improves units' fire support operations
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CHEORWON, South Korea " Leaders from 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, the ROK 5000th Field Artillery Battalion, and the III Marine Expeditionary Force discuss coordination between their units for a combined live-fire exercise at ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CHEORWON, South Korea -- The 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division joined U. S. Marines and Republic of Korea Army soldiers for a combined joint live-fire exercise in Rocket Valley near Cheorwon, South Korea March 24-28.

The three services worked together to enhance the interoperability of the units to provide coordinated fire support.

"We are able to demonstrate our ability to use U.S. Army technology and integrate it with our Korean counterparts and show our joint capability by working with the U.S. Marine Corps to provide accurate, lethal and timely artillery fires," said Lt. Col. Mark Brock, the commander of 6th Bn., 37th FA Regt., 210th FA Bde.

U.S. Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Forces traveled more than 6,700 miles from El Paso, Texas, fired rockets side-by-side with ROK 5000th Field Artillery Battalion and 6th Battalion, 37th FA Regt., in the Republic Korea for the first time using the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

"This is something we typically do not have a chance to do often as reservists and something I never had a chance to do on active status," said Capt. John Hiett, from Albuquerque, N.M., the platoon commander for D Battery, 2nd Bn., 14th Marine Corps. "Normally our annual training is down in El Paso, Texas, so this is definitely a change of scenery, and it is definitely a great place to train."

The units tested their equipment, developed cohesion between branches, and built confidence in their skills while firing live rockets at a target more than 10 kilometers away.

"This is a terrific opportunity for us to come out and train with our ROK partners as well as the U.S. Marines," said Brock, from Stillwater, Okla. ?"Combined joint live-fire exercises enhance 210th Field Artillery Brigade?'s readiness to deter aggression against South Korea."

Through integrating their command and control processes, the organizations gained a better understanding of how each of their systems operate when receiving, transmitting and processing fire missions.

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