CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Soldiers conducted a 48-hour field training operation as part of Freedom Shield 25 on March 14, 2025. The primary objective of this exercise was to train soldiers on the Company Mission Essential Task List, ensuring every soldier's proficiency in their mission as they support the garrison's overall objectives.
“Our primary objective is to train our soldiers on the Company Mission Essential Task List,” stated U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Jesus Duran, the first sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Company at USAG Humphreys. Duran emphasized the critical role of the soldiers in maintaining the security of the garrison's key locations during various operational duties.
Among the many responsibilities undertaken during the training, soldiers were tasked with guarding entry points, serving as liaisons for communication needs, and managing operation centers for base defense. This multifaceted training primarily unfolded at Desiderio Army Airfield, recognized as the U.S. Army's most active airfield in the Pacific. “This location was chosen because its security is our mission,” Duran explained. “Not only do we have soldiers who work there every day, but our wartime mission is to ensure the airfield is secure in order to maintain operations in the entire Korean Theater of Operations.”
The emphasis this year was markedly different from previous exercises. The focus for Freedom Shield 25 was to engrain a solid understanding of the unit's mission during emergencies. U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Sullivan, a non-commissioned officer in the Visual Information Branch, remarked, “The training this year was very mission-oriented, which helped us be more aware of our roles.” In contrast to last year, the exercise was designed not just for personal soldier duty learning but rather to situate them within the unit's broader operational framework.
During this extensive training period, soldiers also honed essential soldiering skills relevant to emergency scenarios that could realistically occur on the Korean Peninsula. Training activities included reacting to chemical attacks, performing casualty treatment and evacuation, managing casualty collection point operations, executing 9-line Medical Evacuation requests, self-decontamination procedures, and responding to indirect fire attacks. Such comprehensive training is pivotal in enabling soldiers to respond effectively to authentic threats.
Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) Sgt. Hwang Su-yeon, a senior KATUSA with USAG Humphreys HHC, reflected on the importance of the training. “The training sessions we had throughout the week were a great refresher on various soldier tasks we learned in basic training,” Hwang noted. “We don’t often get to practice these skills, so it’s easy to forget.” Practicing these fundamental soldier tasks is vital for maintaining readiness and ensuring greater effectiveness in future operations.
Duran reiterated the necessity of building confidence among soldiers and fostering a unified front with allies. “It’s also important to have confidence in your unit and your allies,” he stated. “We are very lucky to have a combined team of U.S. and ROK soldiers and training events like these help us strengthen our bonds between all soldiers.”
Freedom Shield 25 stands out as a combined, joint, all-domain training exercise, integrating ground, air, naval, space, and cyber components. Designed to enhance overall readiness, it simulates realistic threats and incorporates lessons learned from recent conflicts while addressing evolving security challenges in the region. U.S. Army Capt. Stanley Ching, the commander of USAG Humphreys HHC, emphasized, “All service members need to know that what we do here in South Korea is very important. We are here to maintain the stability in the region, and our adversaries and allies know that.”
The exercise reflects a steadfast commitment to military readiness and cooperation between U.S. and South Korean forces, aiming to foster resilience against potential threats in an increasingly complex security landscape.
