POHANG, SOUTH KOREA -- U.S. Marines and Sailors from 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Exercise Freedom Shield 24, Feb. 22.
Freedom Shield 24 is a defense-oriented exercise designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance, enhance the U.S.-ROK combined defense posture, and further strengthen security and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The exercise, which takes place March 4-14, provides an opportunity to execute command post operations at scale to validate capabilities, tactics, techniques, and procedures with the 1st ROK Marine Corps Division. This is the second year in a row 1st MARDIV’s headquarters has deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The deployment demonstrates the service-wide commitment to our ROK allies.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to participate in this exercise and continue to grow the relationship with our ROK counterparts,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, the commanding general of 1st MARDIV. “We must be ready to deploy and fight at a moment’s notice. It is always an honor to rehearse that with the 1st ROK Marine Division.”
The 1st ROK Marine Division and 1st MARDIV will use Freedom Shield 24 as an opportunity to displace the division command post and fight out of a combined forward CP. In preparation for this exercise, both divisions’ headquarters conducted combined planning and detailed wargaming to integrate the staffs and refine procedures.
"Our Marines and Sailors are learning a lot, most importantly, how to integrate with the ROK Marines so we can learn from each other and improve how we fight,” said Watson. “We can accomplish far more as a combined team, and we’re all working toward bringing home some great lessons from this exercise.”
1st MARDIV’s participation in Freedom Shield 24 underscores a shared history with the ROK that goes back to the 1950’s where U.S. and ROK Marines fought side-by-side during the Korean War. From the landing at Inchon to the fight at the Chosin Reservoir, the ROK-U.S. alliance has grown to be one of the strongest in the world and remains the foundation of peace on the Korean Peninsula.