MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- OSAN AIRFORCE BASE, SOUTH KOREA-- Twenty-four Republic of Korea Army infantrymen wait armed in their field gear as the rear hatch of a Marine Corps CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter drops to sand. Instantaneously a Heavy Marine Helicopter 463 crew chief hits the beach and escorts the ROK Soldiers out of the chopper to their assembly area.
Although the lifts and drops are only practice, the mentality of the soldiers and the helicopter's crew is real during the Korean Incremental Training Program.
The KITP, a 23-day field-training program, incorporates Marines from HMH-463, ROK Army Soldiers and Marines and Twenty-nine Palms' 2nd Battalion 7th Marines during practice lifts and drops around the Demilitarized Zone in South Korea.
With the squadron currently at Osan Air Force Base, the Marines from the unit are receiving valuable training that is sometimes hard for a helicopter squadron to get, according to Lt. Col. Scott Kerchner, HMH-463 commanding officer. "The terrain here in Korea, provides junior pilots and crew chiefs a good opportunity to practice low-level flights and confined drops due to its mountainous terrain and small roadways," he said.
Although flying is the main mission behind any helicopter squadron, the maintenance crew, who works around the clock preparing the helicopters for flight, is also gaining valuable training to make them more versatile for combat.
"The maintenance crew is having to work under Air Force structure, which varies from that of the Marine Corps", which is good since they might be put in that situation during combat," said Kerchner.
The Marines from HMH-463 will further their training when they move from Osan to Pohang's Camp Muujuk, to provide support to infantrymen from 2/7 in a field environment.
The training in Pohang will give the squadron the opportunity to perform the services that they exist for.
"We exist to haul Marine lance corporals with M16s into combat. It is good to practice what we are trained to do," said Kerchner.