CAMP CASEY, South Korea (Oct. 27, 2015) -- The ability of Army units to "Fight Tonight" is not just a casual phrase on the Korean Peninsula, it is a mental and physical state of readiness shared by Soldiers and officers alike.

To enhance its already high readiness levels, the 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division, conducted a leader development exercise with company and field grade officers at Camp Casey, South Korea, Oct. 13-16.

The four-day exercise was broken into two parts and increased the officers' shared understanding of physical readiness training and the maintenance environment within the Korean theater of operations.

"The exercise is to give [officers] the capabilities to manage and provide oversight of an effective maintenance program," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Benjamin White, the exercise's maintenance course instructor from 70th Brigade Support Battalion. "It is to look for indicators that indicate whether or not their units are adhering to standards, being successful in their maintenance efforts and program requirements."

Prior to their daily training, officers conducted a tailored physical readiness training, or PRT, workout led by the unit's master fitness trainer and concluded with health discussions on nutrition, injury prevention and supplements from the brigade surgeon.

The coordinated effort between master fitness trainers and surgeons provided leaders with effective ways to implement variety into PRT programs and addressed the need for educating Soldiers on health-related topics.

Afterward, officers spent the rest of the day receiving instructional maintenance courses including field maintenance concepts, report forms and manuals, tracking methods and preventative maintenance checks and services.

The maintenance training culminated with a practical exercise, where officers conducted preventative, maintenance checks and services, or PMCS, on several of the brigade's combat platforms, including the Paladin self-propelled howitzer and multiple launch rocket system.

Although all officers received the same training, each took away something different from the experience to help shape and develop them as leaders.

"It is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge, so that when you move throughout the force you have a better understanding of how to properly conduct maintenance and supervise maintenance operations," said Capt. Matthew Southwell, intelligence officer and Edgerton, Wisconsin, native assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment.

For Maj. Elijah Ward, the operations officer for 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, the exercise provided him with a greater insight on the amount of time required to ensure equipment is properly maintained and battle ready.

"From this exercise, I can take away the practical knowledge of what our crews do on a daily basis and how some of our equipment works, how it functions and the maintenance it requires," said Ward, a Greenville, Virginia, native.