YECHON AIR FORCE BASE, Republic of Korea -- Combat engineers teamed up with Korean airmen March 29 for exercise Foal Eagle's combined Rapid Runway Repair, also known as triple R, exercise.
"It was a great opportunity to exchange ideas about triple R," said 2nd Lt. James Lagasca, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 construction platoon commanding officer. "It also gave the Marines a chance to train in a real-life scenario."
With base commanding officer, Brig. Gen. Yeongoon Oh, overseeing, Korean airmen commenced filling a crater 50 feet in diameter puncturing a practice runway.
Using a variety of heavy equipment, including excavators, sweepers and dump trucks, the hole was filled and compacted in an hour and a half.
Meanwhile, Marines barreled onto the runway with skytracks pulling a 30-foot folding fiberglass mat (FFM). Using a combination of machine strength and human maneuverability, the engineers swiftly unfolded the mat and attached straps to pull it over the top of the crater.
"It's a matter of timing when it comes to installing the FFM," Lagasca said. "The Marines had to plan the movement, staging, and unfolding of the mat in conjunction with the (Korean's) scheme of maneuver. This was a very important process because the Koreans had a lot of moving vehicles working in a small restricted area."
"The language barrier made coordination a challenge," said Sgt. Adam Lauritzen, construction platoon sergeant. "But everyone knew their job pretty much. We had to watch them and figure out what we should do next. Then we just had to work around their gear without being in the way."
Practice is critical to successful triple R, and the Marines had plenty of opportunity to train with the Koreans before the exercise.
"Once we got the hang if it, we started picking up speed," said Lauritzen. "The experience of working with allies was invaluable. I think the (Koreans) were pretty proficient and able to adapt quickly. Overall, we did well, but we can always get better."
The exercise was the first combined training experience for Lance Cpl. William P. McMahon, MWSS-171 combat engineer.
"You get really into the work," explained McMahon. "You're not thinking about much except doing it as quick as possible."
McMahon also assisted in demonstrating the process of laying out the FFM for the Koreans.
"I felt like we contributed to another country because we taught them something valuable," he said. "It created a stronger bond too because we were out there working with each other and having fun."