Senior U.S. and Republic of Korea military leaders moved across training sites and command centers throughout the Korean Peninsula during Freedom Shield 26, observing how allied forces train and operate together as the exercise came to a close. 

Their visits underscored a central focus of the annual combined exercise: ensuring that plans translate into coordinated action by forces executing the mission. 

“What FS 26 showed me is a combined, joint force prepared to fight and win,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Robin Bolmer, senior enlisted leader for United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea. “Our ROK, U.S. and UNC NCO corps trained and led Airmen, Guardians, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers to be tactically proficient, technically sound and physically tough enough to execute any mission our plan demands. I have every confidence in these service members. They are ready.” 

The U.S. and ROK concluded FS 26, conducted March 9-19, bringing together U.S. and ROK forces in a series of combined and joint training events designed to strengthen readiness and reinforce the alliance’s defensive posture. The exercise integrated live, virtual and constructive training and incorporated lessons learned from recent conflicts, while remaining focused on deterring aggression and defending the Korean Peninsula. 

Throughout the exercise, allied forces trained in combined and joint all-domain operations, integrating capabilities and synchronizing operations under CFC. Commanders and staffs rehearsed how to respond to complex scenarios, reinforcing how the alliance plans, communicates and operates as one team. 

Freedom Shield 26 also included Warrior Shield, a series of field training exercises conducted by land, sea and air throughout the Korean Peninsula. These events were executed as originally planned with ROK forces and focused on strengthening combined maneuver, interoperability and tactical readiness. Warrior Shield linked field training exercises with command post training, allowing allied units to rehearse how plans translate into coordinated action during real-world contingencies. 

Senior leaders from both the U.S. and ROK conducted battlefield circulations throughout the exercise, visiting training sites and command centers to observe operations and engage directly with servicemembers. 

Across the theater, component forces translated those plans into execution. 

During Freedom Shield 26, the Eighth Army's commitment to being ready, modern, and together was reflected across a series of integrated training events. The Alliance stood Together as U.S. and ROK soldiers executed a complex combined river-crossing, uniting over 700 troops and 200 military assets in a seamless operation. This exercise showcased a modern fighting force by integrating U.S. and ROK bridging equipment for the first time and deploying a Psychological Operations Group to compete in the information domain. Furthermore, the Cross Domain Recon Squadron conducted a multi-domain reconnaissance mission assembling and operating drones to add modern warfare realism into the training. The strategic ready force was highlighted by the 11th Airborne Division's rapid deployment from Alaska, which culminated in a combined live-fire exercise alongside the ROK Army and U.S. Marines. This readiness was further underscored by the "Dragon Lift" medical exercise, which validated a modern, all-domain medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) process using advanced field computed tomography (CT) scanners, ensuring that from the front lines in Korea to hospitals in Japan, the combined force is together and prepared to sustain its personnel. 

Seventh Air Force and the ROK Air Force integrated combined, joint, and all-domain capabilities to enhance readiness and interoperability at every level. A key focus of this year's exercise was the integration of future command and control systems, with software developers from Kessel Run embedded alongside operators to refine the Command-and-Control Incident Management Emergency Response Application in real-time. To strengthen combined warfighting capabilities during FS26, the Pacific Air Simulation Center synchronized U.S. and ROK counterparts from across 40 functional areas, sharpening readiness and real-time, adaptive planning. Seventh Air Force units practiced Agile Combat Employment, honing a diverse set of expeditionary skills including rapid airfield damage repair, counter-unmanned aerial systems technology, and joint mass casualty response drills. Throughout FS26, U.S. and ROK personnel trained side-by-side in realistic, defense-oriented scenarios preparing participants for a range of threats through rigorous training, including joint mass casualty and decontamination drills, advanced medical readiness for chemical warfare scenarios, and rapid airfield damage repair, ultimately forging a more integrated and ready force to ensure security and stability on the Korean Peninsula. 

U.S. Space Forces-Korea enhanced the combined defensive readiness of the U.S.-ROK Alliance by integrating space capabilities across all warfighting domains in the Korean Theatre of Operations. Guardians conducted continuous space operations, providing critical space planning and command-and-control, more than doubling their capacity with surge forces to bolster future operations planning. Working side-by-side with Republic of Korea Air Force counterparts, SPACEFOR-KOR synchronized space capabilities with ground, air, naval, and cyber forces, creating dynamic and immersive scenarios to enhance interoperability and ensure the Alliance's ability to "Fight Tonight."  

Naval forces from U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F), U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK), and the ROK Fleet (CRF) collaborated to enhance combined maritime operations and strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance. 

For the first time, Marine Forces Korea took the lead in the first week of the exercise, later integrating with III Marine Expeditionary Force staff and components of 1st Marine Division. These three separate units worked together alongside their ROK counterparts to form the Combined Marine Component Command. Their high-intensity training focused on improving combined command and control, air assault operations, amphibious readiness, and joint mission execution. This training reaffirmed the compatability, strength, and enduring relationship between the ROK and the U.S. Marine Corps. 

Special operations forces from the U.S. and ROK trained together in both command post and operational environments, conducting military freefall and static line jumps, special reconnaissance, counter-weapons of mass destruction training and direct-action missions. The capstone event featured a multi-day scenario in which reconnaissance teams secured complex targets at a ROK training site east of Seoul before executing a simulated time-sensitive mission on Paengnyong-do, integrating closely with Seventh Air Force, Eighth Army, the 353rd Special Operations Wing, ROK special operations forces, rotary-wing aviation elements and other partners. 

Several United Nations Command member states participated in the exercise, underscoring the multinational commitment to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The United Nations Command Security Battalion also participated in the exercise, conducting a series of field training exercises to validate its readiness to secure senior leaders, protect noncombatants and control key infrastructure during contingency operations. The Security Battalion plays a unique and critical role in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and its mission was validated through rigorous, resourced and realistic training in support of Freedom Shield 26.

The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, composed of representatives from Sweden and Switzerland, observed the exercise to assess adherence to the Armistice Agreement and confirm its defensive nature.

Freedom Shield 26 reflects the enduring strength of the ROK-U.S. Alliance and its continued commitment to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across Northeast Asia. 

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