321st, 621st AMOS Airmen participate in UFG 16

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robert Hicks
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  

Approximately 50 Airmen assigned to the 621st Air Mobility Advisory Group and another five members from the 349th Air Mobility Operations Squadron deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii for Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2016.

 

Exercise UFG is an annual Republic of Korea and U.S. Forces Korea defense-oriented exercise designed to enhance Combined Forces Command's readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula. 

 

The different exercise scenarios provide opportunities to perform full spectrum operations which are used to validate the operations plan supporting the defense of South Korea.  More importantly, UFG highlights the longstanding commitment and enduring friendship between the United States and South Korea and ensures peace and security.

 

“The AMOS personnel played a pivotal role delivering expertise that is not readily available on a day-to-day basis within the 607th Air Operations Center in Korea and 613th AOC in Hawaii,” said Maj. John Langworthy. “As operational command and control experts, the 321st, 621st and 349th AMOS members are essential to the movement of cargo, personnel, patients and aerial refueling.”


The 607th AOC and AMD only has three permanent party members to cover day-to-day operations he added. During times of an exercise or real-world tensions the AMOS team delivers the manning necessary to support 24 hour contingency operations. Our job is deploying to any AOC and immediately fulfilling the command and control requirements of airlift, air mobility, aeromedical evacuation, and aerial refueling.”


In addition to ROK members, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Italy, Philippines, United Kingdom and New Zealand participated in UFG 16. 

 

“Without a doubt, the best part of the UFG experience is working in a fully integrated AOC with our Korean counterparts as well as personnel from several Sending States,” Langworthy said.  “It’s a unique opportunity to resolve problems with people that possess diverse viewpoints based on their training or background.”

 

Members from the 321st and 621st AMOS all could agree that the exercise provided realistic training that they usually see in a deployed environment.


“In regards to training, an exercise such as UFG provides an experience that mirrors running a contingency at any AOC including the combined air operations center in U.S Central Command,” Langworthy said. “Ultimately, we are tasked to C2 mobility forces with the skill and realism that will test the viability of an operations plan.  UFG not only presents a significant training opportunity for the AMOS, but it also provides the combatant command with training for their members and an understanding of the limitations of their operations plan.