CAMP MUJUK, South Korea -- U.S. military forces from around the world combined with the Republic of Korea military forces and kicked off the annual Foal Eagle 2011 exercise in the Korean peninsula March 10.
Foal Eagle is a joint and combined defensive military exercise. The training is designed to exercise the defensive field and air capabilities of the participating units in the defense of the Republic of Korea against any regional contingency.
Iwakuni-based Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Combat Logistics Company 36, Marine All- Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 service members are scheduled to start their portion in the exercise March 21.
“(Foal Eagle) exercises (MAG-12’s) ability to operate on the Korean peninsula in partnership with the U.S. Air Force, Army and our coalition partners, the Koreans,” said Lt. Col. P.J. Kerr, MAG-12 operations officer in charge. “We all operate together to increase our readiness.”
The exercise is defensive in nature, and although Iwakuni-based service members are scheduled to finish their training in Foal Eagle April 1, portions of the exercise involving other U.S. and ROK units are slated to run until April 30.
More than 1,000 Iwakuni-based personnel are scheduled to participate in the exercise. Also, roughly 300 sorties are slated to be conducted by MAG-12’s aircraft during Foal Eagle.
Foal Eagle is also scheduled to have defensive training in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack. The training will ensure the participating service members can continue to complete their daily functions under any condition.
Foal Eagle provides important training in adapting and overcoming a variety of situations to accomplish a mission side-byside with the ROK forces, Kerr said.
Also as part of the exercise, service members are scheduled to participate in numerous community relation projects in schools and orphanages.
In addition to his other duties, 1st Lt. Joseph Choe, MALS-12 maintenance officer, assisted in organizing many of the community events scheduled during Foal Eagle.
“The effectiveness of our mission in this exercise, and all other exercises, will be far greater with the support of the local populace,” said Choe. “The community relation projects are just one small tool we use to gain that support.”
A static display open to Pohang city officials and a small group of reporters is scheduled for March 20. The display is slated to feature aircraft from VMFA(AW)-242 and VMFA-314. There will also be aircrew present to answer any questions. Marines have also volunteered to participate in a kindergarten school yard cleaning project and will work to remove debris left behind by a recent storm.
“Our goal here is to create a positive rapport between the U.S. military and the citizens of Pohang,” said Choe. “On the military side, we’d like to create a bond with our ROK counterparts and have the opportunity to work together in the future. The joint military exercise and community relation projects will help to lay a solid foundation to achieve those goals.”
Foal Eagle is a joint and combined field exercise, which runs after the conclusion of Key Resolve. Key Resolve is an annual command post exercise designed to exercise the decision-making skills of senior leaders involved in the training.
According to a press release by the ROK Public Affairs Office, this year’s Key Resolve ran from Feb. 28 - March 10. When the decision making skills conducted through Key Resolve are finished, exercise Foal Eagle follows directly afterward.
The Key Resolve/Foal Eagle 2011 exercises are carried out in the spirit of the Republic of Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty signed Oct. 1, 1953.