[KOR] ROKGAPFOR Training Exercise Carpathian

[Jay]

Training Exercise CARPATHIAN
Timeline of Training Exercisei, 10 SEPTEMBER 1997 - 31 SEPTEMBER 1997
Security Classification: CONFIDENTIAL

PREFACE FOR THE
CARPATHIAN TRAINING
EXERCISE
OF
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
ARMED FORCES​

INTRODUCTION
1. Purpose. This training operation, in combination with the post-operation training for senior leadership, non commissioned officers, and regular personnel of Korea’s Contribution for the General Assembly Peacekeeping Forces Romania (KGAPFOR/ROKGAPFOR) is to understand possible complications for the mission, risks to personnel, and training our personnel for this level of international operation and professionalism. This training exercise will provide a detailed assessment that will provide guidance on developing and executing a long-term multinational peacekeeping mission.
2. Background. The passing of GA Resolution A/R0006 has led to the creation of GAPFOR. The Blue House’s request for an ROK contribution has been met by a 420 strong peacekeeping contingent supported by 4 helicopters of the ROK Army and Air Force. This contingent may expand or decrease depending on the support provided by other member states and subject to the analysis of necessary force allocation as a deterrence against North Korea and a capacity to ensure mutually assured response to any provocation. Providing a direction for overall readiness of the military for, multinational operations, and logistics within their commands, and coordination of administrative and support elements (including control of resources and equipment, internal organization, and training), and discipline necessary to perform missions assigned to the units.
3. The Ministry of National Defense will use the exercise to assess the standing of the ROK armed forces and our ability to support the President’s Oversees Peacekeeping Initiative (OPI) goals. The OPI consists of direct personnel contribution, logistical assistance, and equipment donation on the basis of multinational global cooperation.

4. The PFORTE is designed to improve the readiness of ROK Forces to perform in all types of joint operations

09 September 1997


LEARNING OBJECTIVES

A-1 Tactical and strategic level exercises that examine plans, policies, and procedures under a variety of simulated crisis situations.

1. The exercise will be a principal means for maintaining trained and ready forces, exercise their contingency plans, and support their campaign plan engagement activities. It will train to both mission capability requirements described in the white paper review 1994, as well as support theater and/or global/world-wide security cooperation requirements as directed in the OPI. KPFOR- designated KGAPFOR including medical service component, engineers, aerial support, and ground personnel to training events.
2. Educational service programs conduct training to prepare peacekeeping forces to operate as a member of a multinational force under command and control of a multinational command structure.
3. The Training Environment (TE) shall replicated the Operational Environments (OE) necessary and sufficient to conduct training and joint force development. The TE is defined by the conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect the achievement of readiness levels and employment of capabilities that are based on decisions made by the commander. The TE enables the OE and fulfillment of OPI and KPFOR objectives.
4. Commanders must synchronize the command’s active mission planning, security coordination planning, and broader strategic objectives in a multinational command setting. To ensure a seamless operating environment, command training plans (CTP) should also consider intergovernmental requirements with other korean and intragovernmental requirements with foreign entities, multinational partners, non-governmental organizations (NGO), and intergovernmental organizations (IGO).
5. Commanders’ responsibility for joint operations of assigned forces under multinational task force. The JOAF requires a surface level cultural understanding of partner members and linguistic ability to communicate in stress-based incidents in foreign languages. All personnel and components shall train on their linguistic abilities to establish conditions and standards to provide the capabilities that support the multinational mission and the concepts of operations across all phases of joint campaigns.

A-2 Operational Goal and Assessment and Planning

1. Conduct operational appreciation and assessment of the threat to civilians during the Crisis Response Planning (CRP),
   • To simulate mental capacity of troops and enforce extraordinary factors that may be possible to ensure the formation of critically aware personnel
   • Plan actions to protect civilians during the CRP and subsequent long-, medium-, and short-term planning activities,
   • Building up on the skills of the 15,000 strong ROK military in maintaining the DMZ between Korea and North Korea
2. Develop Effects and Measures of Effectiveness related to the type(s) of threat to civilians,
   • Incorporate threat to civilians in Operational Assessment and Planning (OAP).
   • Supporting the broader strategic mission at operational and tactical level. Through understanding and having an expertise in the integrated strategic mission of multinational missions.
   • Knowledge and use of all relevant joint operations HQ reference documents and operational assessment guidance in a multilingual context.
   • Finding strategic and tactical limitations of ROK Army and Air Force deployed outside of the Korean Peninsula

A-3 (Skills to be acquired from this training)

• Intelligence Gathering
• being able to effectively create a community outreach program
  • Gaining locals trust in the efficacy of the peacekeeping mission
  • Gaining locals cooperation in removing militias and state violators hiding within the population
  • Engaging the community in Romanian and Moldovan reducing linguistic challenges
  • Being able to provide medical and engineering assistance to the local communities with ROK Area of Responsible
  • Being able to provide transport locals to main FOB back in GAPFOR Mission HQ if requiring advance surgical and medical assistance
• Responding to hostile and dangerous
  • Fire/Don't fire stress testing
  • Noncombatant and Irregular militias differential practice
  • being able to distinguish Combatants dressed as irregulars
  • being able to respond to a state-level attack against the GAPFOR mission alongside allied members of non-korean or non-english speaking capacity
• being able to respond quickly to an attack on the FOB
  • To be able to repel
    • attack on FOB
    • patrols around the FOB
    • protect civilians inside the FOB
• being able to respond quickly to a state violation of the GA Resolution and Peacekeeping Mission
  • To be able respond without causing an escalation of violence or encouraging state continued violation of mission
  • To be able to respond to state violence against civilians or ROK personnel
• being able to respond quickly to a non-state violation of the GA resolution and Peacekeeping Mission
  • To be able to respond without damaging community-mission relations

A-4 (Post-training Mission)

• Intensive Romanian lessons by MOFA and Seoul National University
  • Supplemental lessons in Spanish, English, and Russian if applicable
    • Unit Leaders must take 1 of the supplemental lessons
    • Mission Leader must take Russian lingual supplemental lessons
• Reading the briefing provided by MOFA/MOND

TRAINING EXERCISE C.

I. Force Composition of Training Exercise

GAPFOR-ROM ROK-GAPFOR-ROM Engineering Battalion 40/80 Advanced Scouting Team: 20/40 Medical Battalion 80/120 Advanced Scouting Team: (15/80) 36th Infantry Brigade 22nd Infantry Regiment 200/480 Advanced Scouting Protection Team: 80 Advanced Scouting Surveillance Team: 8 Advanced Scouting Intelligence Team: 2 3rd Aircraft Wing (8 Pilots) Advanced Scouting Team Transport assistance: 6/8 GAPFOR-ROM 22nd Infantry Brigade (200)

NON-GAPFOR-ROM Controlled Non-state actors + Romania/Moldova 107th Infantry Brigade (200) 1st-2nd company (Romanian Army) (50) 2nd-3rd company (Moldovan Army) (50) 4th-6th company (Moldovan Militias) (25) 7th-9th company (Romanian Militias (75) Volunteer Civilians (200) Moldovan civilians supporting GAPFOR (75) Moldovan civilians opposing GAPFOR (25) Romanian civilians supporting GAPFOR (75) Romanians civilians opposing GAPFOR (25)

Active Development Equipment




3rd Aircraft Wing
[4] KAI KUH-1 Surion

Helicopters
[100] K200A1 Base Model
20 [TM-170]
10 [K242A1]

Engineering Battalion
[10] Logistical Vehicles and Transport
Medical Battalion
[2] Field Hospitals
[3] Ambulances


Conditional Situation Formation:
Spanish Strategic Airlift Units deploying Korean GAPFOR PEACEKEEPERS from Seoul to Romania and Moldova, ROK-Ukraine coordinate Logistical Transfer of Food, equipment, weapons, armaments, personal packages, and other logistical needs, Sector Provided exclusive to ROK Forces under GAPFOR command

Operating bases

Designation	Location	Status
Forward Operating Base	DMZ, Romania-Moldova	Inactive

Objective I	Depart from Spanish GAPFOR FoB Base and set up ROK FOB in designated AOR	Timeline: 48-72 hours upon arrival to GAPFOR FOB	Planned
Objective II	Set up ROK-GAPFOR Safezone	Timeline: 24 hours after completion of objective I	Planned
Objective III	Securing the area around the KGAPFOR FOB	Timeline: 6 hours after completion of objective II	Planned
Objective IV	Reach out to local communities inside Safezone, gather preliminary information on the situation of armed groups, unarmed groups, organized local gangs, and local political agents	Timeline: 24-28 hours after Advanced Teams complete Objective II and KGAPFOR completes objective II	Planned
Objective V	Secure the major ground and civilian infrastructure: roads, railways, hospitals, government offices	Timeline: 4 hours after completion of objective IV	Planned
Objective VI	Active patrolling and Passive mission oversight, proving supplies and assistance to the safe zone residents and the broader KGAPFOR sector and AOR ensuring peace within the sector and AOR.	Timeline: Remainder of GAPFOR Mission	Planned

Operation Broad Objectives

Operation	Description	Status
Operation Carpatian	Arrive at Spanish FOB and complete equipment and logistical check Advanced scouting party to leave FOB upon arrival to scout ROK FOB Aquire intelligence Assess situation alongside GAPFOR command and unit intelligence Assess infrastructure situation Set up Field Hospital inside FOB 1 for ROK Force Use 1 for civilian use Set up engineering command center to coordinate rebuilding effort	Planned
Operation Carpathian Oversight	Active and Passive Patrolling Mission DMZ maintenance Bilingual coordination with local communities, police, government entities, and operation partners	Planned
Operation Carpathian Overwatch (Phase II)	Deployment of Special Forces and ROKAF TA-50 Multirole Fighters to neighboring state (UKRAINE) Providing overwatch assistance and QRF support to ROKGAPFOR Providing air support and QRF support to ROKGAPFOR	PLANNED | Outside Current AOR

Operation Size: 920 Participants + 12 HQ personnel + 50 referees





Training Operation Funding: $5,000,000.00

HQ Roles:
KGAPFOR-GAPFOR liaison office: Language Fluency,
KGAPFOR- Community Outreach Office: Language Fluency
KGAPFOR- Security Operations Team: Fluency in Romanian and if possible Russian, ability to understand local dialects if applicable

Referees/Training Lead:
Special Operations Group

Questions for Briefing Team at GAPFOR HQ:
To be prepared on conclusion of this exercise

Training Causalities

K/GAPFOR	Unknown Combatants	Non-Combatant Civilians
TBU	TBU

 

[Jay]

ROKAF Pilots from the 3rd Aircraft Wing departed from 'FOB Gib-do' to 'FOB Descendant' carrying 24 members of an advanced scouting team. The 24 members included 18 infantrymen and reconnaissance experts, 2 medical personnel, and 4 engineers. The AST would initiate an advanced screening for the set up of FOB Descendant. 2 of the 3 Surion's would land as the third provided overwatch they de-boarded. The first two Surions provided overwatch as the third helicopter landed. The troops already departed fanned out and set up a permitter as the third Surion landed and left after its crew exited. 2 Helicopters left as the third provided overwatch circling above the AST. The troops began canvasing the area, marking trees to cut, any natural barriers offering protection or obstructing field of view. The 4 engineers worked with 10 of the infantrymen to set up markers for where the helicopters could land with supplies and further personnel. 6 reconnaissance personnel moved across the terrain to uproot possible hostile personnel armed with rockets and small arms. 2 of the reconnaissance experts and the medical personnel set out on foot to a nearby village roughly 1.2 km east of the FOB site.

As they set up the base, a second wave of AST personnel mostly engineers were brought in. In a similar process as the ROKAF helicopter pilots practiced varying levels of insertion, rappelling, landing, touch and go, and medical extraction in a hot zone. They were assisted by special forces acting as militiamen armed who fire blanks and other things at the helicopters. Forcing the AST to identify them, neutralize them, and protect the landing zones.

Back at the main base, Korean ROKAF pilots commandeering firefighting department aircrafts practiced landing supplies on the makeshift runway. Limiting their total cargo, they made repeated trips and practiced their take off, landing, and moving equipment off and on. The ROKAF pilots would practice both scenarios at night and at day. Coordinating with English 'air controllers', Russian 'ground personnel', and Spanish 'logistical assistance', all professors speaking a foreign language to test the pilots ability to find common language and use signals to direct each other. At night the pilots found it difficult to communicate with the Russians and Spanish, English proved useful to an extent as the professors were constraint from using it. Attempting to stimulate the multi-national environment of the scenario.

The ROKAF pilots practiced bailing and crash landing procedures on a simulation at the Korean Military College simulating a crash in their specific helicopters or aircraft. The pilots worked out how to drop explosive equipment, when and where to do so, how to eject. Because of the foreign environment, it was difficult to simulate survival skills for the European theater. However, Korean-standard SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape). The pilots would be tested in a simulate crash and be hunted by 'Romanian militias' with the goal of making it to the 'Moldovan border' the next day.

The KGAPFOR personnel at the main base worked on deconstructing and reconstructing their equipment, cargo, and logistics as the FOB was being set up. Cleaning their weapons and gear, inspecting their vehicles, and ensuring the supplies brought in by air were not damaged, correct, ad registered. The troops practiced again as night began to set in, utilizing night vision googles, flashlights, and makeshift illumination equipment. These scenarios were aimed at training them to operate even if the mission arrived at night.

The KGAPFOR in the morning were awoken by professors yet again, dressed up as foreign soldiers shouting at the troops that they had stolen their equipment or of the sorts. The officers were being tested in how they could de-escalate their own troops and these foreign troops. The arguments continued, pushing the limits of the troops. Not only trying to solve an issue between the two units, but in a different language. The officers managed to find a soldier in their units capable of translating, working to identify the other units officers, and de-escalate their men before handling the foreign troops.

The KGAPFOR would be tested the next day on a CRP with a 'Moldovan militia' targeting Romanian civilians. Testing them on their target identification capabilities, ability to respond quickly, ability to detect threats beyond the briefed assignment, collect intelligence, and respond adequately and proportionally.

 

[Jay]

Training Exercise Fallen Angel
ROK GAPFOR personnel repond to a downed helicopter scenario
Task: Recover pilots and crew
Extract pilots and crew
Protect sensitive data on crashed helicopter
Destroy if unable aircraft unable to extract helicopter
------
Bohoja (KGAPFOR Command): “Gujoja Actual, priority mission over. Priority mission. Darak Heyli. Darak Heyli. Requesting QRF assistance to coordinates 2003-202102 , Sector Echo-2. Confirm traffic.”

Gujoja-Actual: “Actual responding. Confirming traffic. Gujoja-Actual responding to DH, priority mission. B-A out.”

Bohoja: “Affirmative Gujoja. Bohoja out.”

Gujoja-Actual: “All Gujoja Units within vicinity of patrol zone Echo-2 respond over. All Gujoja Units respond over, critical mission, QRF force.”

Gujoja 2-1: “2-1 responding”

Gujoja 3-1: “3-1 responding”


The QRF on standby at the KGAPFOR Base of Operation departed, but due to the distance the Gujoja Patrol Unit would arrive before the QRF. The Gujoja were tasked with recover and extraction, with the QRF to provide reinforcements and ensure data and the helicopter could be withdrawn. The scenario involved the area to be a hot-zone, meaning the initial force would have to hold the area until the QRF could arrive to destroy the helicopter.

Gujoja 2-1: "Actual! 2-1 is on site, eta on 3-1 and 4-1 over?"
Gujoja Actual: “2-1, advise on situation over. 3-1 and 4-1 enroute, eta 4 mikes
Gujoja 2-1: “2-1 confirms. Pilot severely injured, medic providing onsite care… reporting possible broken ribs, fractured arm, second pilot bleeding from glass shrapnel across his left arm…Medic will provide emergency care as we load them up.”

Gujoja 3-1: “Actual, this is 3-1, we are lost. Confirm your coordinates, we can not see anyone over.””
Gujoja Actual: “3-1 confirm your current location.”
As 3-1 checked their maps, a militiamen armed with a bolt action sniper rifle fired at the gunner. A splash of red paint hit the gunner, he was out.”
Gujoja 3-1: “WE’RE UNDER ATTACK”

Gujoja Actual: “3-1 confirm your last.” Gujoja Commanding Office only heard returning fire on the comms as 3-1 responded to the attack. “4-1, 4-1, be advised. Possible Ambush planned along MR-Echo. All Gujoja elements, be advised we’ve lost contact with 3-1, possible ambush. Be advised, MR echo possible compromised.”

Gujoja 4-1: “Actual confirm your last. We’re on MR-echo and... 4-1 went silent
Gujoja Actual: “4-1 repeat last over…4-1 repeat last.”

Gujoja 4-1: “Actual be advised. hostile forces have cut us off. We’re being attacked from the front and back...MR-echo compromised. Requesting QRF, suffering casutilities.”
Gujoja Actual: “Gujoja QRF, Gujoja QRF be advised. MR-echo is compromised. Reroute your APCs and ™-170to 4-1’s last position”...”2-1, be advised. You are cut off. I repeat you are cut off. Hostile militias, unknown factions, are engaging 3-1 and 4-1. Destroy the helicopter and move the pilots now.”

Gujoja 2-1: “Copy last. Destroying the helicopter.”

The Gujoja elements already on site laced the crashed dummy helicopter with explosives and loaded the pilots onto the helicopter.
Gujoja 4-1: “Actual be advised. We’ve located 3-1, taking heavy fire. Where’s the QRF? We’re unable to assist 2-1, hostile militias engaging us... they’re using the treeline and bushes for cover.
Gujoja Actual: “Copy 4-1, can you get out of there?”

Gujoja 4-1: “Negative Actual, we’re cut of on both flanks. We’re holding our position, we reached 3-1, assisting their casualties. We’ve got 3 guys hurt, 3-1 has 8.”

QRF: “Gujoja 4-1, this is Mabeobsa over. We are coming south of your current location. Be advised. We’re coming to your location from your south. Break...I have visual on hostile militias to your south 4-1, prepare for engaging.”
Gujoja 4-1: “Copy Mabeobsa. Go ahead, 4-1 copies all, we’re gathering our wounded now.”

QRF: “Copy 4-1, firing autocannon..."the QRF engaged the hostile militias from the rear sending them fleeing. As they engaged the militiamen, one of them fired an RPG-7 knocking out one of the APCs , the QRF managed to dislodge the militiamen and extracted 4-1. They left MR-Echo as Gujoja 2-1 had already destroyed the helicopter and brought the pilots back to the KGAPFOR base.

At the base, the ‘casualties’ were registered before they were brought back to life by the referee. The tally was 4 KGAPFOR KIA and 7 wounded. The militiamen suffered 17 casualties, but 0 were captured, not giving the KGAPFOR any intelligence. At the debrief, two special force operators talked with the platoon leaders

Captain Noh: “Gentleman. Good work addressing your wounded, calling for assistance, and fighting back. Most likely your ROEs will be to engage only if you have been engaged. This makes pre-emptive capabilities limited, but it also limits your exposure. Avoid making patterns, because those patterns will be turned into ambush sites. The crashed helicopter is an easy ambush site, 2-1 got lucky that 3-1 accidentally ran into the militiamen moving towards the helicopter site.

When you are being ambushed, do not panic. Don’t just drive forward or backward, be calm. Because if you just go ahead you may just get yourself into an inescapable scenario. 4-1, great move with moving forward slowly and rescuing 3-1, you saved some lives there.”


Sergeant Min: “Let’s look at the tactical map.

“2-1, you made a calculated decision to move ahead. However, by moving the entire platoon forward you exposed yourself to an attack from the rear. Please remember guys, this is a peacekeeping mission. But, don’t expect to arrive as heroes in a post-conflict zone. You will be seen as foreigners, occupiers, and unwelcomed by some. Today’s attack is just a taste of what will happen in the next couple of days as you are tested with ROE, Shoot/Don’t Shoot, and responding to ambushes and attacks, because guess what. You will be attacked first on practically every occasion.

Let’s refocus here. 3-1, you accidentally walked into the ambush. It was a bad day for you guys. But, staying put concentrated forces on you and allowed 2-1 to complete their mission. 2-1, good work moving forward and into the open fields through the north instead of going backwards. 4-1, your tactical decision to assist 3-1 saved lots of lives.

When responding to an ambush you need clear communication. 3-1, your communication was weak, 4-1 had good communication with their company leader. If the company commander can not hear you, they can not allocate resources properly to assist you. Know your locations at all time. When you have time, study the maps and MSR, MR, AoR, etc… and be familiar.”

Captain Noh: “Good work today. Get some rest, keep up a strong patrol and rotation pattern. Assume that you will be attacked, and if they ever attack, you will be prepared. Rest assured. “

 

[Jay]

Educational Training
1 week intensive course on Romanian Language

Soldiers in the GAPFOR mission were sent to Seoul National University to take a week long intensive Romanian course to teach basic Romanian language reading, and commands. Being able to issue directives like stop, turn around, colors, and basic language skills.

This course will be a 6 class session, with 2 classes everyday one at 5:00 am and another at 6:00pm both two hours long.

A handful of GAPFOR members were selected to take a full month long intensive course to be able to communicate with locals in the region. Unit leaders began taking supplemental lessons in Spanish, and the Mission Leader was taking language courses in English instead of Russian.

These efforts were to ensure that the mission would not be compromised by linguistic limitations. While most Korean soldiers spoke english well, due to the educational system, many had not practiced it often. Still, the Korean peacekeepers were selected on some basis based on linguistic capacity.

The training team had another reason for this pause. They wanted to test the soldiers ability to take a leave and return to a training exercise. To see how they may seem lax and how that would influence their combat and cognitive functions. Upon their return, the militia leaders were instructed to plan an ambush on the FOB as part of their combat training, while civilian actors were training to act hostile, to act aggressive, and to be compliant in varying situation. On the peacekeeping mission, this level of balancing a lax atmosphere due to the peacekeeping nature, and a state of readiness due to the fact hostilities may resume, would be a learning curve. Yet, the trainers were trying their best.

 

[Jay]

Militia action: Securing positions overlooking KGAPFOR

Scanning the camp, the ROK Army Special forces poising as militiamen surveyed the peacekeeping force. Their routine spying had developed a pattern of lunch and dinner times, as well as poking the fences around the encampment to find weak points They discovered the rear of the camp was at its weakest during a shift of guards during lunch on Wednesdays. Planning was underway to drive a vehicle laden with explosives to the front gate to cause a distraction early on and infiltrate the base from the rear.

The militia fighters would be ordered to prepare for their attack throughout the night. Setting up small mortars, and preparing a vehicle armed with a remotely controlled explosive device. The Peacekeepers for their part had reduced their patrol patterns most likely due to the lack of engagement over the past week and expecting to be relieved of their rotation by another force in the next two days. This essence of laziness was exactly what this training exercise would remove. The saw civilians going to engage with the Peacekeepers, these were professors who had previously trained the peacekeepers in Romanian the previous week. This was to test their language skills, giving basic commands such as to stop, put their hands up, and hand over any weapons. These were routine encounters. Patrols sent out would talk with locals to gather intelligence. Movement of militias was recorded by the peacekeepers, but no official intelligence could be gathered beyond that.

Militia action: Attacking KGAPFOR
On the afternoon of the attack, a militiaman drove the vehicle towards the front gate. The peacekeepers acted instinctively, warning the vehicle as it sped up towards the gate. The private at the gate first fired warning shots before the sergeant next to him fired his machine gun into the vehicle killing the driver. Their quick reaction stopped the vehicle from reaching the gates, saving some 5 peacekeepers from perishing in a ball of flames. The militiamen continued with their attack, firing mortars (referees began calling hits on peacekeepers), indicating they were taking indirect fire, the peacekeepers began spreading out to avoid clustering. The peacekeepers returned fire with their grenade launcher attachment to their rifles, while machine gunners in the guard posts laid suppressive fire into the tree-line.

The referees simulated different wound types on injured peacekeepers, the medical staff and military medical personnel had to deal with multiple casualties and treating combat wounds while munitions flew overhead. On the field, medical staff would not have the luxury of a sterilized medical facility, or time. This attack forced the medical staff to coordinate and speak with one another at a pace and sound level that was constantly challenged by the chaos of the scenario. The militiamen continued to fire on the base with small arms and mortars. The scenario also practiced multinational aspect by putting the officers in stressful scenarios of dealing with the attack, causalities, and requesting assistance from the other multinational task force members. Coordinating in English to request assistance proved a challenge, but ultimately, the training would only ensure the peacekeepers would be able to do it cleanly when they were deployed.

 

[Jay]

In the aftermath of the attack on the camp, the peacekeepers were exhausted. The exercises had continued for over 48 hours, adopting both wave assaults as well as irregular maneuvers that tested the notion of uniformed confrontation with a state. The Joint Chiefs hoped that the experience of Korea's special forces with North Korea's asymmetric warfare tactics could influence how the peacekeepers reacted. The post-scenario briefing included lots of advise and informative sessions on how the North Korea conducted border raids, attacks on isolated patrols and outposts, used mines and other explosives. The peacekeepers were visibly tired, dealing with the attack. Yet, the sessions continued. In the end of the sessions, the peacekeepers were given the go ahead to shower and eat their dinner. All still exhausted, yet, the smell of food and a warm shower keeping them energized. Even if their real deployment would never get this intense, they needed to be trained and ready for any scenario.

That evening, the special forces using inflated ballots set up various concealed artillery and tank positions for the next phase of training to include surveillance and reconnaissance. Giving locations of interest to civilian actors for the peacekeepers to investigate, and the former militiamen changed into army uniforms with Romanian and Moldovan patches to simulate the uniformed armed forces of both states maneuvering near the DMZ. Throughout the night, they built makeshift locations for the next phase of training.

In the morning, the peacekeepers began part two of their combat training with patrolling operations. Armed with the K200A1 and TM170 painted in white and black letters reading out GA on the front and left side and GAPFOR on the right with a Korean flag hanging upwards on the rear of the vehicle, they set out on patrols. Based on their briefings from last night, they watched for any patches of uprooted mud, trashcans on the paved roads, and suspicious items. The referees had dumped trashcans with weighted light objects to avoid them flying off and polluting the training area, and placed dummy mines in various locations. The peacekeepers paused at every juncture, setting up a security perimeter with riflemen squatting and crouching watching their surroundings as one of them armed with a minesweeper moved towards the area of concern. Machine gunners and the auto-cannons moving around 360' providing cover. This became routine, ensuring the troops readiness to combat and address the possible challenges from a deployment.

As they approached civilians, they began their community-relations building offering kids snacks, mostly chocolate but also handful of Korean snacks that seemed at first weird to the kids. They used their basic Romanian skills to extract information such as suspicious activities, people, any movement of people from outside the community, etc...trying to get a grasp on possible build ups. One squad had been informed a villager in the countryside that sold apples in the town center had heard rumbling of tanks at night, but thought it was just peacekeepers. They recorded the evidence sending a radio relay to the command center to inform them of this discovery and to send units to investigate immediately.

 

[Jay]

Camp Sangmin, K-GAPFOR Operating Base {Simulated}

The final week of the training mission was underway. This time, the peacekeepers were given their new uniforms, blue helmets, GAPFOR-ROM patches, and equipment being painted in white. All of these steps were to clearly identify Korean peacekeepers as peacekeepers. Upon deployment, some vehicles would be given Korean flags to signify that they were Korean. The White TM-170s and KA200A1's were painted with black letters GA to signify they were General Assembly personnel. In terms of personal armament, Korean peacekeepers would be armed with the standard issue equipment of the ROK Army, awaiting the delivery of German Panzerfaust-3 anti-tank rockets. The units where organized into a the 1st ROK Peacekeeping Regiment made up of 1 infantry regiment, 2 engineering companies, 2 medical companies. Equipped with standard issue equipment of the ROK Armed Forces and using TM160 and K200A1 vehicles with support vehicles including 81 and 4.2 mm mortars and K263A3 anti-air gun.

The force was joined by its command squadron, consisting of Liet. Commander Jeong Seungeun, the mission commander, and was assisted by Captain Kim Seojeong, and Captain Kim Woojook. The command team passing their linguistic qualifications mostly with acceptable margins, and would be equipped to be split into a multinational focus team and also a sector team. The peacekeepers began their final leg of the training, focusing on executing the parameters of their mandate: surveillance, mediation, and peace. The peacekeepers would monitor their makeshift outpost, and engage with the local community providing medical care,

Deployment Force


1st ROK Peacekeeping Regiment

• 1st ROK Peacekeeping Command Squad
  • x 10 Personnel
• 1st ROK Peacekeeping Support Company
  • x 50 Personnel
  • x 4 K711 Truck
  • x 4 K242A1 (indirect/direct fire assistance) 4.2mm
  • x 4 K281A1 (indirect/direct fire assistance) 81mm
  • x 2 K263A3 (SPAAG)
    • Small arms: K2 Rifle, K5 sidearm
    • Equipment: Standard Uniform (Granite B), PAGST Headgear, Body-armor, Gloves, Uniforms, Radio, Googles, NBC equipment
    • Training Qualifications: (passed the KGAPFOR training mission and listed skills, support personnel, capable of coordinated and sustained artillery support, (illumination, and smoke as well), units equipped with self-propelled mortar vehicles, and anti-air gun)
• 36th Infantry Brigade
  • 22nd Infantry Regiment x200 personnel
    • x 18 K200A1
    • x 4 TM170
      • Small arms: K2 Rifle, K5 sidearm, Squad Assault Weapon K3, Squad Designated Marksmen (K14), Panzerfaust-3 Anti-Tank Rocket Propelled Grenade (to-be-delivered)
      • Equipment: Standard Uniform (Granite B), PAGST Headgear, Body-armor, Gloves, Uniforms, Radio, Googles, Visors, Riot Shields, Riot equipment, NBC equipment
      • Training Qualifications: (passed the KGAPFOR training mission and listed skills, motorized/mechanized skills, regular infantry corps, capable of combined armored/infantry tactics, units equipped with self-propelled mortar vehicles, armored vehicles, and dedicated anti-tank squads)
• 2nd Engineering Battalion
  • 2nd Engineering Company, 2nd Battalion x40 personnel
    • x 40 personnel
    • x 8 K288A1 (repair/recovery vehicle)
    • x 2 Doosan Excavator (civilian grade)
      • Small arms: K2 Rifle, K5 sidearm, Squad Assault Weapon K3
      • Equipment: Standard Uniform (Granite B), PAGST Headgear, Body-armor, Gloves, Uniforms, Radio, Googles, Visors, Riot Shields, Riot equipment, NBC equipment
      • Training Qualifications: (passed the KGAPFOR training mission and listed skills, combat engineer skills, engineering technical and operational skills, advise and assist capacity, limited combat stress test capabilities)
• 1st Medical Battalion
  • 1st Army Medical Company, 1st Battalion
    • x 60 personnel
    • x 5 TM170 (Medical Signs on both sides of the vehicle to demarcate it as medical vehicle)
      • No Small Arms
      • Equipment: Standard Uniform (Granite B), PAGST Headgear, Body-armor, Gloves, Uniforms, Radio, Googles, Visors, Medical Patches
      • Training Qualifications: (passed the KGAPFOR training mission and listed skills, medical skills, engineering technical and operational skills, advise and assist capacity, general combat stress test certification)
  • 1st Combat Medical Company, 1st Battalion
    • x 20 personnel
    • x 2 TM170 (Medical Signs on both sides of the vehicle to demarcate it as medical vehicle)
    • x 3 K200A1 (manned by 22nd Infantry Regiment)
      • Small arms: K2 Rifle, K5 sidearm, Squad Assault Weapon K3,
      • Equipment: Standard Uniform (Granite B), PAGST Headgear, Body-armor, Gloves, Uniforms, Radio, Googles, Visors, NBC equipment
      • Training Qualifications: (passed the KGAPFOR training mission and listed skills, combat medical skills, medical technical and operational skills, combat stress test certification)

Total Force Size:
380 Personnel
Total Equipment Size:
4 K711 Truck (Logistics Truck)
4 K242A1 (indirect/direct fire assistance) 4.2mm
4 K281A1 (indirect/direct fire assistance) 81mm
2 K263A3 (SPAAG)
11 TM170 (MPV)
21 K200A1 (APC)

This week's training scenarios

Scenario: Tracking and reporting military movements and violations of GA-Resolution

The patrol had radio'd in information of possibly violations of the DMZ by the Romanian government, equipped with tanks and unknown number of ground troops. Due to the threat of tanks, the ROK peacekeepers informed the main GAPFOR mission stationed in the main base. A reconnaissance squadron, made up of 4 personnel were deployed to scout the position and take pictures. Armed with 2 carbines, 1 sniper rifle, and 1 SAW, and carrying binoculars, cameras, night vision googles, long-distance radios, and anti-tank equipment, the reconnaissance team set out towards the location.

The team reached the wide area of interest, they moved together, heading towards a nearby field where most likely the tanks would be covered in bushes and concealment. They moved towards the hill to gain a vantage point. They set up a small binocular post as they looked around below, they spotted a handful of Romanian soldiers, splitting into two, two of the team members moved towards where the Romanian soldiers where. Due to the possible nature of a major build up, it would be difficult to simply walk up to them and ask them if they were violating the resolution. The team made a tactical decision to survey the area themselves. Taking a camera, the two reconnaissance members took pictures of the Romanian troops and continued to move and search the nearby area. They ran into at least 100 more Romanian troops, but could not find the tanks.

As they continued to search, it slowly became dark. They regrouped at the hilltop, and after an hour or so without any movement decided that the intel was not concrete enough. But, they had yet, found a violation and moved to inform command to send an official statement to the main mission and the Romanian government. They recorded their location and the time of the photo before moving back towards their rendezvous point. As they continued to walk , they heard rumbling and sounds of tanks moving, Immediately scattering and hiding on the small ridge on the side of the road, they peaked to see what was passing. Simulating the tanks, the ballon tanks were making sound affect through a speaker. They quietly took pictures and made notes on the design, T-55 MBT, 6, covered in foliage and greenery to hide it in forest-terrain. They quickly moved away quickly and radio'd their command with verbal confirmation of the violations.

The violations would be reported and Romania would be sent a letter demanding they withdraw or face sanction consequences including possible force to evict the violators. The planners decided to forgo a scenario for where they would be refuse and require force as to maintain the more peacekeeping nature of this training exercisee.

Scenario: Angry civilians {actors to complete final phase of training with KGAPFOR personnel}

At the main gate of the base, a small crowd of angry civilians began amassing. Immediately the front gate security notified the command and raised the alert status, troops inside were told to be armed with riot gear, including a plastic shield and a baton. While the front gate manned their machine gun posts in case this was a diversion for an attack. They aimed away from the crowd and surveyed the forest line near them. The front guards who were trained in limited Romanian took a loudspeaker and spoke to the small mob. Directing them to stand back as they were approaching a peacekeeping mission base.

The mob slowly moved towards the base, the guards deployed a fireteams of 10 personnel towards them, holding a line while 24 peacekeepers equipped with plastic shields and their batons holstered moved towards the gate. As some in the mob rushed the guards, they were easily apprehended. Handcuffed, and detained, the guards repeated their message, asking the people to disperse and to cease their action. Some began to pelt the peacekeepers with rocks, forcing them to retreat behind the safety of their manned post, taking the detained civilians with them. As they moved back, the civilians began moving forward, only to be met with an unarmed KA2001 and as it got closer 24 peacekeepers split out from behind it, forming a V as they moved forward seeking to envelope any more aggressive mobsters.

As they moved forward however, the mobsters moved backwards. They straightened out their line and moved in unison pushing back the mobsters until eventually they all dispersed. This would require a follow-up investigation to understand what had happened. The command center began informing the patrols to remain vigilant over possible mob-rushing and to gather any intelligence. The local Romanian police unit arrived, taking the 3 detained civilians, handed over, the Koreans left it at that.

Scenario: Assessing/Preparing/Repairing civilian infrastructure {in coordination with local South Korean authorities}

The Engineering Battalion deployed a structural integrity team to assess a nearby school 'damaged by artillery' and make repairs. First they deployed an ordinance specialist to ensure the shell was not active and to mark areas of clean up for fragmentation. No reports of chemical weapons being used allowed an expedited process of clean up. The engineers began marking places in need of cement to reinforce the concrete, where walls needed to be replaced, and how to fix the electrical wiring. The electronic team came in after them specifying where to fix and marked other areas for the other teams to be careful not to cover up or to open up. They traced the wring across the building and checked the main power source, still in acceptable conditions.

The engineering team met with a local Romanian engineering group to discuss how to proceed as they wished to support the local community in making their own resources and fixing their community. They coordinated, lucky for the Korean engineers these 'Romanians' were speaking Korean, largely difficult to simulate the engineers speaking in Romanian in this scenario. They still had a translator to coordinate with a lead Romanian who was a Professor from Korea University.

The engineering team completed their assessment and began making adjustments and guiding the Romanians giving them input and advice here and there and checking their progress. This would require about a weeks worth of attention, and so they set up makeshift tents outside and a small fireplace to heat meals as they rotated their duties. They shared their food with their Romanian counterparts as they cleared debris and continued working.

Scenario: Civilian medical attention required {in coordination with local South Korean authorities}

Based on the design of the base, the Korean medical personnel were operating two field hospitals one for military use and one to be an open medical clinic for locals. The military medical personnel regularly checked their stocked equipment, ensured the sterilization of their equipment, and surgery equipment readied to be used if necessary. They checked their medical stocks, making sure nothing was missing, and otherwise, did other tasks as most of their days were quiet.

Local civilians began filling in, the medical personnel registering them in an orderly fashion, using English as a modem of communication to understand and where unable a translator being provided. It was clear a handful of translators would be required, hoping to find some from neighboring countries to assist the peacekeeping mission. They checked their symptoms provide basic care and provided them medical prescriptions mostly ranging from antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and digestive pills. They would also join patrols sometimes, offering on-site medical assistance to some civilians and to reinforce a positive image of the peacekeeping force. While it was unlikely they would venture off in Romania, they were still training for the possibility of an extension of their mandate.

The medical staff also practiced emergency surgery and medical procedures, and had previously conducted a combat medical assistance scenario. The teams divided into shifts to avoid fatigue with standby personnel on hand. The medical staff also checked up on local diseases and medical conditions to be better prepared, making necessary orders of specific equipment and medications or those conditions. The local government and the Korean Army had used this opportunity to provide medical assistance to local communities and help reach out to those outside urban centers in pharmacy deserts to provide some basic medication and checks.

 

[Jay]

Korean peacekeepers completed their training course over the course of the exercise, certifying their abilities to conduct in a professional behavior their expected duties as peacekeepers and soldiers of the Republic of Korea. The Soldiers congratulated for their completion of their training, and begin assembly for their mission, changing the necessary equipment and preparing for their deployment. The peacekeepers would be granted 2 week leave before being expected to return, subject to the final call by the GAPFOR commanders for deployment.

The Achieved Skills include

• Intelligence Gathering
• being able to effectively create a community outreach program
  • Gaining locals trust in the efficacy of the peacekeeping mission
  • Gaining locals cooperation in removing militias and state violators hiding within the population
  • Engaging the community in Romanian and Moldovan reducing linguistic challenges
  • Being able to provide medical and engineering assistance to the local communities with ROK Area of Responsible
  • Being able to provide transport locals to main FOB back in GAPFOR Mission HQ if requiring advance surgical and medical assistance
• Responding to hostile and dangerous
  • Fire/Don't fire stress testing
  • Noncombatant and Irregular militias differential practice
  • being able to distinguish Combatants dressed as irregulars
  • being able to respond to a state-level attack against the GAPFOR mission alongside allied members of non-korean or non-english speaking capacity
• being able to respond quickly to an attack on the FOB
  • To be able to repel
    • attack on FOB
    • patrols around the FOB
    • protect civilians inside the FOB
• being able to respond quickly to a state violation of the GA Resolution and Peacekeeping Mission
  • To be able respond without causing an escalation of violence or encouraging state continued violation of mission
  • To be able to respond to state violence against civilians or ROK personnel
• being able to respond quickly to a non-state violation of the GA resolution and Peacekeeping Mission