WARRIOR BASE, South Korea –
For a grueling five days, the 25th Transportation Battalion, 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, headed to Warrior Base located five miles below the Demilitarized Zone on the Korean peninsula for their crew certification exercise as part of the live-fire crew gunnery exercise conducted by the unit, June 18-30.
As the one and only U.S. Army Transportation Battalion stationed on South Korea, Soldiers assembled from all regions of Korea and were divided into four company units to demonstrate proficiencies as movement control specialists, completing the crew certification during the course of exercise.
"The importance of this exercise is to identify the weakness of the crews and see what additional training is needed. We need to strengthen our weaknesses to ensure the readiness of the Soldiers," said Sgt. 1st Class Latichia S. Goode, S-3 senior movements noncommissioned officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 25th TB, 19th ESC.
The four primary tasks the 25th TB carried out were rail, air, mode selection and highway movement operations. As key missions implemented by the battalion, their roles are pivotal in sustaining the battlefront of the peninsula providing logistical throughput from the sea to the DMZ.
Under scorching hot weather conditions, five high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles were strategically stationed with nearly 20 Soldiers on the unification bridge leading to the DMZ.
Right below a historic signal reading "Way to Unification," Soldiers were installing trackers on tactical vehicles to record geographical information while conducting highway movement operations from the rear to the forward line.
In the meantime, another team was engaged in rail operations, a demanding task requiring numerous steps of preparation and precision. The movement specialists were training on how to send vehicles from one point to another during contingencies. An hour ride from Paju, where Warrior Base is located, Soldiers moved to Camp Casey in their Humvee to execute their missions.
"It was the first time I've conducted rail operations at a field exercise since AIT [advance individual training]," said Pfc. Charae E. Bowden, a training cell movement specialist with the 665th Movement Control Team, 25th TB, 19th ESC. "The training was a refreshing and exciting experience for me and helped me discover my strengths and weakness."
The two other operations, air and mode selections, were conducted near the Warrior Base helipad. Air operations are essential to loading tactical ground vehicles on aircraft and mode selections investigate and determine the shortest route in transporting military equipment.
Sgt. Kim Dae-seong, senior KATUSA, HHD, 25th TB, 19th ESC has participated in five field exercises including two gunnery exercises during his time.
"Through these exercises, I have learned to motivate myself to do my best, adjust to new environments and grow partnerships with my U.S. counterparts that cannot be built indoors at our office," said Kim.
Soldiers of the 25th TB showcased their expertise by successfully completed both individual and collective missions, fostering cohesive tactical movement capabilities while developing a stronger unit, maintaining our "Fight Tonight" readiness.