Photo By Sgt. Cedric Haller | U.S. Marine Pfcs. Ian C. King, left, and Alek T. Zirkle assemble an anti-personnel...... read more read more
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POHANG, Republic of Korea — Republic of Korea Marines with the 1st ROK Marine Engineer Battalion and U.S. Marines with 9th Engineer Support Battalion executed a combined forces breaching exercise May 9 during Korean Marine Exchange Program 14-6 in Pohang, Republic of Korea.
KMEP 14-6 is a series of continuous combined training exercises designed to enhance the ROK and U.S. alliance, promote stability on the Korean Peninsula and strengthen ROK and U.S. military capabilities and interoperability.
“What we were focusing on was specifically conducting a breaching exercise,” said U.S. Marine Capt. Gabriel I. Christianson, commanding officer for Company A, 9th ESB, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “We set up obstacles we would see on a common battlefield. This type of breaching exercise has been used many times in the past. The exercise allowed us to demolish various obstacles which allowed mobility and that is one of our core missions as engineers. We not only used explosives but also heavy equipment, so we were doing mechanical breaching as well.”
The exercise provided a good opportunity for ROK and U.S. Marines to work together, learn how each other operates, and come together as a single force, according to U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Thomas L. Heinzelman, a platoon sergeant with the unit.
“The breaching operation began with the Marines sweeping a minefield,” said Heinzelman, a Twin Falls, Idaho, native. “After the minefield was cleared the Marines then used Bangalore torpedoes to clear a wire obstacle. The Marines then proceeded to the next obstacle, which was a berm that they leveled with shaped charges and cratering charges. Once they got past the berm the next obstacles were huge concrete blocks that restricted vehicle traffic which were destroyed using counterforce charges. And lastly the Marines breached a belt of obstacles using anti-personnel obstacle breaching systems and more Bangalore torpedoes.”
KMEP familiarizes U.S. Marines with the Korean Peninsula and builds upon an existing strong relationship between ROK and U.S. Marines.
“This is my first time working with ROK Marines, and I have noticed that they learn pretty fast which it made it easier to accomplish our main goal,” said Pfc. Michael T. Kilcrease, a combat engineer and a Bruce, Miss., Native with the unit. “When we were conducting bridging exercises, they had never used our bridging equipment before and they learned in little to know no time, it was pretty impressive. The most important thing I learned from working with the ROK Marines is that we’re different in so many ways but very similar at the same time. Seeing two completely different forces work together is pretty amazing.”
The most important aspect of this exercise was that the Marines developed a strong relationship with the ROK Marines, according to Christianson, a Fargo, N.D., native.
“The best part of this exercise for the Marines is the experience they shared with the ROK Marines,” said Christianson. “These Marines have made a lot of long term friends. When the Marines share adversities, they become a more cohesive team. We’ve come together as one with the ROK Marines. It’s not ROK and U.S. Marines, its one team, one fight.”
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2014 02:34 |
| Story ID: | 130231 |
| Location: | POHANG, BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI [PUSAN-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Hometown: | BRUCE, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Hometown: | TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 365 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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