The 321st Air Mobility Operations Squadron Participates in Ulchi Freedom Shield

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Bradlee Seehawer
  • 321st Air Mobility Operations Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif --  

The 321st Air Mobility Operations Squadron is prepared to rapidly augment Air Operations Centers during contingencies, but what if there’s not enough time to travel halfway around the world? What if they need to “fight tonight?”

That’s the question the 321 AMOS attempted to answer during Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual joint, combined, and interagency exercise from August 19-29. Centered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, the objective of the multi-week combined exercise is to enhance readiness, interoperability, and coalition partnerships to exercise a range of scenarios designed to strengthen the U.S.-ROK Alliance, joint defense readiness, and promote security and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The 321 AMOS has been supporting annual Korean exercises since the 1970s, back when the squadron would run the Korean Airlift Control Center as part of Team Spirit, the predecessor of Ulchi Freedom Shield. With the longstanding partnership between the AMOS and what became the 607th Air Mobility Division, it was natural to explore ways to deepen the connection between the two command and control elements and explore new ways to help rapidly support the 607 AOC if the need arose.

The AMOS began to look for ways to improve their Weapons System Suite, the collection of networks and systems that serve as a replica of an AOC. Since installing the trainer in 2010 the AOC technology and connectivity has grown to the point where most of the capability of the 607 AOC can be accessed from Travis Air Force Base, California, using a small desktop computer that connects to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Mission Partner Environment and the network that allows for U.S.-Korean collaboration.

This Joint All Domain Command and Control effort was performed alongside the traditional augmentation role for the Total Force AMOS. More than 60 airmen from the 321, 621, 349, and 514 AMOS were simultaneously augmenting the 607th Air Mobility Division, 613th Air Mobility Division, and the Travis AFB WSS, providing around-the-clock coverage in support of the enduring military partnership between the ROK and the U.S., reinforcing the role of the alliance as a cornerstone for regional peace and security of the Indo-Pacific region.

"Katchi kapshida," or "We go together" has been the motto of the U.S.-Korean alliance since Republic of Korea General Paik Sun-yup met General Douglas MacArthur in February 1951. More than seventy years later the motto is on full display at the 607 AMD, which becomes the 607th Combined Air Mobility Division with the addition of the ROK Air Force. 

 "Stepping into the 607, the AMOS quickly builds a united front with our Korean counterparts," U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Matt Tegeler, 607th Coalition Air Mobility Division deputy AMD chief said. "We're working side-by-side through the exercise, building plans for the Combined Forces Air Component Commander as we address their top priority requirements." 

 Tegeler noted that the addition of the Travis AFB WSS has been a successful addition to the exercise.

 "It's allowed the members at Travis to jump into the fight without skipping a beat."

Since the U.S. Air Force established the AOC as a weapons system in 2006, federated operations have been a stated desire to maximize responsiveness and capability. Nearly 20 years later this goal has finally begun to be realized thanks to the initiative and ingenuity of this community of ready warriors, equipped and prepared to control the fight tonight, tomorrow, or whenever called upon.