Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2012 Begins
YONGSAN GARRISON, SEOUL, Republic of Korea – The Republic of Korea - United States Combined Forces Command exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian starts today and will end Aug. 31.
More than 30,000 U.S. participants from the Republic of Korea and the United States are taking part in the exercise from the Korean peninsula and from the U.S. to include the military headquarters in the Pacific.
“Ulchi Freedom Guardian is a key exercise in strengthening the readiness of Republic of Korea and U.S. forces,” said Gen. James D. Thurman, Combined Forces Command commander. “It is based on realistic scenarios and enables us to train on our essential tasks with a ‘whole of government’ approach.”
This routine exercise is centered on readiness, deterrence, and, like all Combined Forces Command exercises, the ability to defend the Republic of Korea. The training event allows senior leaders’ to exercise their decision-making capabilities and trains commanders and staffs from both nations in combined planning, command and control operations, military intelligence, logistics, and personnel procedures.
All of the Combined Forces Command’s major units are taking part, and U.S. forces are augmented by about 3,000 military personnel from the United States and other military bases in the Pacific region.
The exercise is one of two annual Combined Forces Command peninsula-wide exercises and is named after Ulchi Mindeok, a Korean military leader who repelled an invasion by China’s Sui dynasty in the 7th century.
Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission observers will monitor the exercise to ensure it is in compliance with the Armistice Agreement. Seven United Nations Command sending states will participate in the exercise: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Norway.
The United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission informed the Korean People’s Army through its Panmunjom Mission of the exercise dates and non-provocative nature of this training.
Training exercises like Ulchi Freedom Guardian are carried out in the spirit of the 1953 ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. These exercises also highlight the longstanding partnership and enduring friendship between the two nations, helps to ensure peace and security on the peninsula, and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the region.