FORT STEWART, Georgia -- American Soldiers from the 92nd Chemical Company returned home to Fort Stewart, Georgia, following a nine-month deployment to South Korea.
From July 2021 to March 2022, the “Rock Steady” company supported units from the 2nd Infantry Division-Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division Rotational Brigade Combat Team, the Fort Bliss, Texas-based 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, on Camp Hovey, South Korea.
The 92nd Chemical Company is part of the 83rd Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Department of Defense’s premier all hazards formation.
Soldiers and civilians from the 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.
Capt. Mark J. Evans, the commander of the 92nd Chemical Company, said training for the rotational deployment began in August 2020 and included a combat training center rotation with the 82nd Airborne Division at the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Polk, Louisiana.
The company then focused on weapons qualification with the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle, M4 carbine, M249 squad automatic weapon, M2 heavy machine gun and MK19 grenade launcher to stay ready throughout the deployment.
A 15-year U.S. Army veteran from Rochester, Indiana, Evans said his company continued to hone its life-saving and mission-enabling skills during the deployment.
“Our biggest highlight came three months into the deployment when the unit participated in the validation exercise Warrior Bulldog Strike,” said Evans. “The 2nd Infantry Division hosted the validation exercise to confirm the rotational Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, is prepared to support operations on the peninsula. Rock Steady participated in a wet gap crossing and combined arms breach providing the counter Weapons of Mass Destruction capability to the ABCT.”
Following the exercise, the company continued to build relationships and support other units across Korea.
Noncommissioned officers from the company volunteered to teach 25th Transportation Battalion Soldiers during an annual CBRN training event and gas chamber training. The company’s 2nd Platoon assisted during the 168th Multifunctional Medical Brigade field training exercise by providing thorough decontamination support during the culminating event.
Rock Steady noncommissioned officers also hosted a training event for Chemical Corps Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, teaching the proper maintenance and operation of the M26 decontamination equipment.
Staff Sgt. Patrick G. Allen, the 92nd CBRN Company’s reconnaissance platoon sergeant, served as observer, coach and trainer for the NBCRV Platoon certification, helping to ensure that three crews are ready to operate independently during mounted CBRN missions.
In addition to the 28,500 U.S. troops permanently stationed on the Korea Peninsula, U.S. Army units routinely deploy to Korea.
The rotational units support the ROK-U.S. Alliance and contribute to the security of the Korean Peninsula and stability of Northeast Asia.