FORT SHAFTER, HAWAII-- Soldiers from the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command participated in Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise that was held on August 20th -31st at the Combined Forces Command and Republic of Korea military installations throughout South Korea .
The purpose of the exercise was to enhance the combat readiness of ROK and U.S. supporting forces through combined and joint training while improving ROK and U.S. combat readiness and joint/combined interoperability.
"My role in UFG was to support my noncommissioned officers in providing products to the 94th AAMDC commanding general so that they could keep track of information that was needed during the exercise," said Pfc. Joseph E. McGinnis, a 94th AAMDC intelligence analyst and a Laurel, Del. native.
"My role as a planner was to work with the combined theater air and missile defense group so that any action that happened during the battle could be planned out 96 hours ahead of time," said Staff Sgt. Christopher R. King, a G-3 Korea team planner for the 94th AAMDC and a Willingboro N.J. native. "It showed me higher echelons of how our partnership works and all the steps that each echelon needs to perform in order to help out the fighting force on the ground."
Conducting combined command post exercise training helps Soldiers stay prepared for real world situations and future exercises.
King also said. "It's important because it strengthens the partnership between the United States and our ROK counterparts. In the event for crisis or contingency if we ever have to go to war in support of them."
"This exercise helped me to get more experience under my belt. It helped me understand the integration between us and the Air Force and how they can help us and how we can help them. It made everything have a complete circle," said McGinnis.
Exercises like UFG help to foster relationships and build solidarity of missile defense within Pacific Command's area of operations.
"UFG is important for relations between different countries to come together and work together to support one main goal which is to defeat the enemy," said McGinnis.
"The U.S. has a caring relationship with foreign countries. We are there to support them and we care what happens to them and their people," said King.
The mission of the 94th AAMDC is to deploy in the PACOM AOR and conduct joint and combined theater air and missile defense in support of designated operations plans and contingency operations.
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