'Essential' civilian workers train with
servicemembers at Ulchi Focus Lens
By Franklin Fisher, Taegu
bureau chief
TAEGU, South Korea — During the annual training exercise Ulchi Focus Lens, there
are some folks who look out of place in camouflage and black caps who train alongside
their active-duty counterparts.
They’re U.S. and Korean civilians who hold jobs the military classifies essential
to keep things running during war or a major emergency.
"If the balloon goes up, they stay, because without them we can’t fight the
fight and win the battle," said 2nd Lt. Analisa M. Foulk, executive officer of HHC,
19th Theater Support Command, at Camp Walker, Taegu. She also manages the company’s
35 "essential" civilians.
"They all live and work here, and most of them have families here, too,"
Foulk said.
Many such civilians work for the 19th TSC, based at Camp Henry in Taegu.
About 200 are Americans and another 1,500 are Korean, according to Dennis K. Bohannon,
a 19th TSC spokesman.
In Foulk’s unit, the civilians occupy jobs that reflect the combat-support nature
of the 19th TSC’s mission: logistics management specialist, general supply
specialist, finance manager, mechanical engineer, personnel staffing specialist, and so
on.
Because they’d stay at their jobs in a contingency, they’re issued military
gear and given annual training in various key areas, including: first aid, Nuclear,
Biological, Chemical, Rules of Engagement, the Geneva Convention, and the Code of Conduct.
The Americans and Koreans get the same training, Foulk said.
"You could reasonably assume that the civilians have the same potential of getting
killed or captured in combat that the soldiers have," Bohannon said.
So far, none of the 35 in Foulk’s unit has been trained to use weapons. Even in
wartime, civilians would not be forced to carry a weapon, Foulk said. But even if they
were willing, they wouldn’t be issued weapons unless they had completed the required
training, and their commanding officer authorized them to be armed, Foulk said.
But such issues were among the least of the worries facing some civilians working long
shifts during Ulchi Focus Lens. For starters, there was adjusting to the uniform and
equipment.
"Wearing the uniform, putting my gas mask on three times in one day, wearing my
hat, I’m not used to doing that," said Elise Koke, who works in the logistics
field with the 55th Theater Support Command [MMC] at Camp Henry. She’s worked for the
Army for 35 years, but this was only her second Ulchi Focus Lens.
"Things like knowing that your pants are supposed to be in your boot. I
didn’t know that until yesterday. Somebody told me. As a civilian, you don’t
know. Most of the guys, they’ve been in the military," she said, of other
civilian employees. She also carried a purse around the first week of the exercise, until
her commanding officer reminded her that was a no-no.
Nelson Williams also works in logistics at the 55th TSC.
"We have to wear uniforms and that’s a big change and we’re issued full
battle dress," Williams said. "No shirt and tie, which is what I usually wear.
At least you know what you’re wearing every morning."
For Williams and Koke, long hours have been another daily aspect of the exercise, as
they’ve been for active-duty military personnel, too.
"Because we’re working 12-hour shifts, the bottom line is, you get up early
and get home late, so it’s definitely impacted my schedule," Williams said.
The exercise has reminded Williams why he and the others are there.
"It just reiterates to you that there’s a very important reason that
we’re here: to support the troops," he said. "The pressure we go through
now may double in an actual contingency. It’s important we get the concept now, of
what we’re doing."
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