DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA (Jan. 19, 2016) -- U.S. Army Korean Service Corps, or KSC, Battalion, 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command conducted its annual three-day mobilization exercise, or MOBEX, at the Daegu Mobilization Station located at Daebong Elementary School, Daegu, from Jan. 12 - 14.
KSC's mobilization operation, designed to swiftly activate a skilled labor force of nearly 22,000 personnel, is one of its most important functions. KSC controls four mobilization stations across the peninsula and each station conducts an annual MOBEX to rehearse the operation procedures.
Lt. Col. Devon D. NuDelman, KSC battalion commander, proudly compared his battalion to "a lion" for its unparalleled strength and versatility.
"The 8th Army relies upon KSC because we help them get their legs underneath them. We buttress the whole thing for the first 30-60 days of war," NuDelman said.
The Korean Service Corps is the U.S. Army's single largest battalion. First established during the Korean War, KSC consists of 17 companies and 2,188 paramilitary individuals provided by South Korea to support U.S. Forces Korea, or USFK, armistice and wartime operations. KSC is one of the most versatile units with capabilities including air traffic control, heavy equipment transportation, information technology service and language support.
Tong Un Yi, mobilization specialist of the 32nd KSC Company and Daegu Mobilization Station, said a total of 500 personnel are in place for MOBEX at the Daegu Mobilization Station.
The mobilization process is simple but efficient. Mobilees, who are pre-registered in the system, first go through the identification procedure and physical exam. Then, they receive basic Army warrior training and chemical, biological, radiation-nuclear training, which prepares them for life-threatening situations. Once they are trained and issued supply items, the mobilees are ready to go. The entire process is completed in only six stations. The operation cell oversees the process and deploys the troops.
"This MOBEX is extremely important to us because we need to train and rehearse the process. We've got to validate what we've missioned ourselves to do. Beyond that, it's even more important to the 8th Army and the USFK because this is the proving ground of the plan," NuDelman said.
On the second day of the exercise, NuDelman briefed the personnel from different branches of the USFK, Republic of Korea army and South Korean government on the purpose of MOBEX and overarching plan for KSC's mobilization operation. The guests had a chance to look around the stations and walk through the mobilization process. NuDelman hoped the guests built knowledge and confidence in KSC's mobilization plan through his briefing and tour.
KSC's next big mission is to conduct a command post exercise and wartime host nation support exercise.
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