SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- Exchanging information and learning from each other is vital to stay current and ahead of the curve in any area of business, technology, education and life.
This is precisely why the Soldiers and command teams from the Combined Terrain Analysis Team in the U.S. Pacific Command, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, and the 25th Infantry Division hosted two officers from the Republic of Korean Army, here, Nov. 4-9, to talk shop and get a better understanding of geospatial equipment and endeavors.
"They came with an expressed desire to see how geospatial support is implemented at different levels within the U.S. Army, and we have been able to show them exactly that," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Princely Robinson, geospatial production officer, 5th Engineer Detachment (Geospatial Planning Cell), 130th Eng. Brigade, 8th TSC. "With the knowledge they gained here, they will be in a better position to defend the ROK if the North Koreans decided to attack and cross the border."
And with the knowledge that the U.S. Army gleaned off of its ROK counterparts, the Army will be able to better support and defend the Pacific region, he continued.
"I wouldn't call these subject matter expert exchanges just important, I would say they're indispensable to the security of the entire Pacific region," Robinson said. "We hold these types of visits with, not just Korea, but also with Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and every country within the reaches of the Pacific Command. It's about broadening security across the Pacific Command's area of responsibility."
Lt. Col. Ju-Nan Kim, the ROK officer in charge of CTAT, and his senior warrant officer, Warrant Officer Sang-Ki Kim, visited geospatial teams and received briefs from across the island, but was most pleased to see their friends, the Soldiers of the 70th Geospatial Engineer Company, 65th Eng. Battalion, 130th Eng. Bde., who in recent months had just returned from one of their many trips to Korean to work hand-in-hand with Lt. Col. Kim and the ROK soldiers.
"We worked together during several exercises in Korea," said Sgt. 1st Class Adam Justin, platoon sergeant, 3rd Platoon, 70th Geospatial Eng. Co., 65th Eng. Bn., 130th Eng. Bde. "They are good people and very knowledgeable. They took us into their country, and their units and treated us very well."
Justin echoed the sentiments from Robinson, saying that the exchanging subject matter experts keep the flow of information fresh.
"These visits and the sharing of information are vital to the development and the intelligence within the geospatial field," Justin said. "Their guys have skills-sets that ours don't learn, and vise-versa."
In the end, both the Soldiers from the geospatial cells and the ROK army representatives were very pleased with the visit and hope to continue the good working relationship between the two countries.
"I cannot even begin to describe the appreciation I have for this visit and all the support they have shown us," said Lt. Col. Kim. "Our countries have fostered a very fruitful relationship for a very long time, and I am excited to see what new developments and achievements we make together from this and future visits."
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