CAMP CASEY, South Korea -- Beginning in February 2017, Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment ‘Tomahawks,’ have been in Asia training with our allies during this year's Pacific Pathways, demonstrating the commitment of the United States to the region and enriching engagement through a series of linked exercises.

The 1-23 Inf., 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, or Task Force Ghost, began their training mission in the sweltering Thai jungles participating in Exercise Cobra Gold – the largest theater security cooperation exercise in Asia and the unit’s first stop as part of Pacific Pathways.

First Lt. Bryan Guerra, the unit medical officer, explained his additional responsibilities, as the command headquarters battle captain and safety officer, helped him see a different aspect of Army operations, especially when it came to planning the medical support.

“Compared to other exercises and deployments, I’ve gained an incredible amount of experience because much of my work as a medical planner stretched across other services and domains,” Geurra said. “I coordinated our medical operations with the Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC), the U.S. Navy, the Marine 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), the U.S. State Department and U.S. Embassy Bangkok.”

Despite wearing “three hats,” as he self-described his position, Guerra was able to experience some of the Thai culture. “I’ve been able to pet a tiger, eat lots of great Thai food and feed a coy fish. I liked being there.”

After building great relationships and conducting training with the Thai military, Soldiers of 1-23 Inf. broke out their cold weather gear and headed to Korea for Exercise Foal Eagle, one of the largest annual military exercises in the world. This bilateral training event with the Republic of Korea Army develops joint interoperability and prepares Army units to react and respond to crisis events in the Pacific Region, where the past has shaped our current training strategies.

The Tomahawks and 1st SBCT have a long history with the Republic of Korea. The 1st SBCT can trace its heritage to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd ID, which was on the peninsula for 50 years before re-flagging as 1st SBCT out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash, in 2015. Soldiers of 1-23 Inf. fought fiercely and defended South Korea during the Korean War. The current generation of Soldiers within the unit hone their combat skills through a series of combined platoon-level exercises that includes breaching obstacles, medical evacuations of simulated wounded soldiers, and convoy operations with Soldiers dismounting to shoot at targets; Each training iteration a slightly different variation of the former. Some of it is in a simulated urban environment, while other scenarios are more suited to the hilly terrain of South Korea.

“From my part of the battlefield, or 'foxhole', the focus is always force protection first,” said Staff Sgt. Rebecca Osborn, the forward brigade provost marshal officer. “The South Korean forces practice security along the same lines as the American Military. What I have noticed is that the Korean military is very diverse and intelligent. Koreans are mandated to serve for 2-3 years and some of them take a break during college to be able to fulfill those terms.”

Osborn further explained the Korean soldiers are embedded with the American troops, training and working together on a regular basis, thus providing a distinct advantage when compared to other countries’ military forces.

“The Korean’s technique for certain fighting roles . . . may not be that far off from ours because their forces have been training more frequently with the American military,” said Osborn, “Whereas other military forces don't have that constant interaction with American Army, so their tactics differ from ours and we learn from them just like they learn from us.”

However routine or similar in scope it may appear, the participation in such a massive exercise requires a large amount of flexibility – especially in the planning stage since Foal Eagle is part of Pacific Pathways.

“In Thailand, Cobra Gold 2017, as part of our first stop in Pacific Pathways, we were not allowed to drive our vehicles on the roads, whereas in Korea, it isn't as restricted,” said Maj. Joseph Baumbach, the brigade logistical officer. “Our flexibility is what has helped us overcome this difficulty."

“Furthermore,” Baumbach added, “The real difference is between mature and immature theaters. By this I mean South Korea is a mature theater as there is an extensive logistics foot print given the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command is on ground. There is extensive coordination, but impacts are minimal because items such as food, clothing & equipment, fuel, ammunition, medical supplies, major end items and spare parts are already in country.”

Foal Eagle is an annual ROK and U.S. military exercise with its roots going back to 1976, when the U.S. and ROK Army first started combined exercises under the name Team Spirit. Team Spirit concluded in 1993 and Exercise Foal Eagle began in 1997 with the specific purpose of demonstrating the U.S. military and South Korean resolve to deter war and develop the joint operational bearing of the combined allied forces. Since 2001, Exercise Foal Eagle has merged with the former Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration exercise (RSOI) which was renamed Exercise Key Resolve in 2008.