Military Sealift Command (MSC) reserve-component Sailors traveled to Pier 8, Busan, South Korea, and participated in exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 2024, Aug. 19-29.
Exercise UFS 24 is a combined exercise between the U.S. and Republic of Korea with participation from United Nations Command Member State militaries as well as U.S. and ROK governmental agencies to fortify the combined defense posture and enhance response capabilities. The annual exercise was focused to ensure a constant state of readiness and is defensive in nature.
The 11-person team of MSC Sailors were from Reserve unit MSC Far East Det. 101 out of St. Louis.
Despite their small exercise footprint, the scope of the training was both diverse and complex, managing a large number of simulated U.S. government and commercially contracted dry cargo ships and fuel tankers to and from the Korean area of operations.
According to Navy Reserve Capt. Jonathan B. Bass, chief staff officer, MSCFE Det. 101, MSC-related scenarios included adverse weather, unscheduled maintenance, fueling of vessels, bunkering, and working with host nation port authorities.
During UFS 24, the MSCFE team monitored and directed all simulated MSC shipping traffic throughout the western Pacific.
“We’re that liaison between the ship and port operations,” said Bass. “Having the knowledge and familiarity with our ships and their [ROK] ports are important. We can help spot issues and recommend courses of action if our ships need to be diverted to another port. We can advise if a port is capable of receiving a ship of a particular size or draft.”
At Pier 8, the Sailors from MSCFE Det. 101 augmented permanent MSC Office Korea (MSCO-K) staff. They helped man a 24/7 crisis action team, and the Combined Seaport Command Center, which is a centralized command and control center that can manages cargo ships at ports throughout South Korea.
MSCFE Sailors worked closely with MSCO-K, the Army's Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, and ROK army and Navy personnel.
“The Naval Reserve augments we receive from the MSC Far East Reserve unit are critical to MSCO-K’s successful participation in UFS and our support to U.S. and ROK Alliance,” said Cmdr. Patrick J. Moore, commanding officer, MSCO-K. “Being able to have a number of Sailors participating in this exercise for the first time also ensures we continue to expand the training audience and build depth on the bench. The team performed extremely well and integrated seamlessly with the MSCO-K team.”
Despite yearly participation, this exercise provides a continuous challenge for the MSC reserve unit. Every year, the majority of reserve unit members are new to the Korean peninsula and to UFS. Some members had to travel far to their U.S. drill site in St. Louis, prior to ramping up for the exercise.
“We have a good mix of people from various parts of the U.S. that are participating this year,” said Lt. Cmdr. Steven D. Pascal, watch stander with MSCFE Det. 101. “They are also a wide range of rates.”
The Reserve team was made up of information systems technicians, administrators, quartermasters, gunner’s mate, interior communications technicians, information system technicians, logistics specialists, and officers.
“When they show up, they’re well prepared and ready to go from day one,” said Pascal. “Only four of the 11 have been to Korea before. We’re constantly training the next wave of folks; it’s an ongoing process.”
Pascal, from Lenexa, Kan., was on his third consecutive year supporting the exercise in South Korea. His main focus this year was to provide the necessary training and guidance he’s garnered from those years of experience to those who are here for the first time.
“This is such a unique exercise, you really don’t understand what’s going on until you sit in that watch-stander seat and see firsthand what is going on,” said Pascal. “There are so many components involved.”
Prior to the exercise at the Navy Reserve Center, the team discussed expectations, command structure, and understanding the Korean culture.
“All our preparation at home paid off,” said Pascal. “These folks have been training hard. We have a lot of new people but they’re doing well, and between the mixes of people that have done this a couple of times, we have the right skills, and we have the right people.”
MSCO Korea provides operations, logistics, maintenance, and administrative support for all MSC operated, controlled, and interest vessels in support of the Type Commander and/or as directed by the Area Commander in support of the Fleet Commander.
MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and Reserve military personnel.