CAMP CASEY, Republic of Korea -- Republic of Korea Army Lt. Col. Park Sung Ho, the commander of the 26th Tank Battalion, 60th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 20th Mech. Inf. Division, signs a partnership agreement with the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regi...

CAMP CASEY, Republic of Korea -- Lt. Col. Matthew Garner and Command Sgt. Maj. Waylon Petty, the commander and senior enlisted leader of 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and Lt. Col. Park Sun...

CAMP CASEY, South Korea -- Burt's Knights Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and Republic of Korea Army Soldiers from the 26th Tank Battalion, 60th Mechanized Infantry Briga...

CAMP CASEY, Republic of Korea -- Lt. Col. Matthew Garner, the commander of 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and Republic of Korea Army Lt. Col. Park Sung Ho, the commander of the 26th Tank Ba...

CAMP CASEY, Republic of Korea �-- During the Korean War, the Republic of Korea Army's 26th Tank Battalion fought against their enemies alongside the 6th Tank Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment of the U.S. Army.

More than 60 years later, the Korean Tank Battalion reencountered the U.S. Armor Regiment as the 3rd Battalion from the 66th Armor Rgmt. is on a nine-month rotation to South Korea with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

In order to recall the past experience with the brothers in arms, build a stronger partnership, and develop a fight-tonight readiness in South Korea, the key leaders from the ROK 26th Tank Bn. and the U.S. 3-66 AR signed a partnership agreement at the Burt's Knights vehicle maintenance facility on Camp Casey, South Korea, December 9.

"The partnership is the most important thing that we do here," said Lt. Col. Matthew Garner, the commander of 3-66 AR. "Because they have to trust us, and we have to trust them."

After signing the agreement, the two battalion commanders discussed a plan for a combined exercise, which would take place next year, thereby ensuring that every Soldier gets the same training value.

"It builds a strong work-cohesive unit," said 1st Lt. Nicholas Duffield, battalion adjunct to 3-66 AR. "If we do have to fight, we are able to fight more efficiently with our ROK counterparts because we will train to the same standards so that we would operate interchangeably with each other."

By holding the combined exercise, Soldiers believe that it will offer more than just advanced knowledge and skills in the combat field.

"Having people and counterparts in the unit who now we get to work with, we can integrate into the Korean culture and understand it better," Duffield said.

For Soldiers in the ROK Army, the partnership will serve as reinforcement to the historical alliance as well as a method to strengthen their capabilities against the enemies.

"It is a great honor to partner with the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment whom our ancestors fought in blood with," said ROK Army Lt. Col. Park Sung Ho, battalion commander to the 26th Tank Battalion, 60th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 20th Mech. Inf. Division. "I hope both battalions to grow into the strongest Armor battalions by developing a strong alliance and sharing our combat experiences."