III MEF/MCIPAC Consolidated Public Affairs Office

Okinawa Marines in the Asia-Pacific region

Okinawa, Japan

3d Marine Division sets the stage for MEFEX 2014

By Capt. Breck Archer | III MEF/MCIPAC Consolidated Public Affairs Office | March 13, 2014

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Lance Cpl. Stephen X. Hawkins and his ROK counterpart patrol the perimeter of the 3d Marine Division combined operations center at K2 air base in Daegu, South Korea March 12. MEFEX 2014 exercises the interoperability and combined capability of ROK and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Forces. Lance Cpl. Hawkins is an intelligence specialist with Headquarters Battalion, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (Photo by Capt. Breck Archer)

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A Marine with Headquarters Battalion, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force buries a communications wire at the combined operations center at K2 air base in Daegu, South Korea March 12. The 3d Marine Division command post was established in order to support MEFEX 2014. MEFEX 2014 will consist of a Command Post Exercise, a Field Training Exercise, and bilateral live-fire training. (Photo by Capt. Breck Archer)

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Lance Corporal Steven Maldonado walks through the communications area of the 3d Marine Division MEFEX 2014 combined operations center as a Korean police helicopter lands on the flightline of K2 air base in Daegu, South Korea March 12. MEFEX will enhance the interoperability between the U.S. Marine air-ground task force and the ROK Marine task force. Lance Corporal Maldonado is a radio operator with Headquarters Battalion, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (Photo by Capt. Breck Archer)

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DAEGU, Republic of Korea -- Marines and sailors of 3d Marine Division established a command post with Republic of Korea counterparts at K2 Air Base in Daegu, Republic of Korea in preparation for the Marine Expeditionary Force Exercise 2014 (MEFEX) March 12.

MEFEX is an umbrella exercise, overseeing the series of ROK-U.S. bilateral activities and engagements on the Korean peninsula: Korean Marine Exchange Program - consists of multiple small-scale exercises designed to increase unit interoperability; Freedom Banner 2014 - a maritime prepositioning force offload; Ssang Yong 2014 - an amphibious assault exercise; and Key Resolve 2014, a command post exercise.

“The purpose of this exercise is to work together with our ROK counterparts in order to improve interoperability,” said Lieutenant Colonel Steven J. Kotansky, the force synchronization officer for 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “We’ve been doing it for years and it only strengthens the bond between our two nations that helps secure stability in the region,” he added.

The Marines and sailors of 3d Marine Division filled into buildings and aircraft hangars around the flight line at Daegu; running communication wires, setting up tents, barbed wire, and other facilities necessary for a functioning Division headquarters as ROK-U.S. bilateral security teams patrolled the makeshift command post.

“It was good getting to know my ROK-counterpart while we patrolled the perimeter of the combined operations center,” said Lance Cpl. Michael X. Hawkins, an intelligence specialist with Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF. “We shared a few laughs while maintaining security in the cold rain,” he added.

The month-long Korean theater exercise takes place from March 10-April 10, 2014.