YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - The Korean Service Corps Battalion conducted its annual mobilization rehearsal Dec. 8 at Collier Field House here to demonstrate to the 8th Army leadership how the process works at a theater level.
The annual rehearsal is designed to ensure that the KSC can mobilize and effectively begin its mission in a timely manner.
The KSC operates with 2,200 personnel in normal armistice conditions. However, when the KSC is mobilized, their ranks swell to 25,000.
Each KSC member must be in-processed before they can do their wartime job. During in-processing, they receive a physical exam and are measured for their equipment issue. They must complete forms that list all their administrative data and they are issued a Geneva Convention Card, ID Tags and TA-50. Once this process is complete, they are sent to their unit.
The KSC is designed to augment combat service and combat service support capabilities to all U.S. Forces Korea and 8th Army units. Their specialties range from petroleum operations to mortuary affairs.
In almost any scenario, the KSC will have some impact on every mission.
The KSC battalion consists of 17 companies located throughout the peninsula. Each company commander is assigned an American counterpart who acts as a liaison between the unit and the KSC to ensure all roles, responsibilities and expectations are understood. The KSC was formed in 1950 by Presidential Decree No. 6, which designated that each corps be supported by 500 males. Their duties were to provide logistical support to the ROK defenders. Their roles are similar today.
KSC personnel run training facilities at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, handle ammunition at the 6th Ordnance Battalion and even assemble the annual Christmas display on Yongsan.
Upon completion of the rehearsal, Maj. Gen. Robert Williamson, 8th Army deputy commander, displayed his appreciation and gratitude for the service of the KSC battalion by expressing how 8th Army's capabilities are significantly enhanced by the KSC. Williamson called the KSC Battalion a "force provider" that increases 8th Army's fighting ability.
Many of the other senior leaders concurred by expressing their gratitude as well.
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