Soldiers from the United Nations Command Honor Guard pick up coils of concertina wire to string around U.S. Forces Korea headquarters Wednesday at Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, as part of a quarterly force protection exercise. (T.D. Flack / S&S)
Soldiers from the United Nations Command Honor Guard pick up coils of concertina wire to string around U.S. Forces Korea headquarters Wednesday at Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, as part of a quarterly force protection exercise. (T.D. Flack / S&S)
Pfc. Abdi Osman mans a weapon Wednesday at Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, during a force-protection exercise. The 23-year-old Columbus, Ohio, native was conducting the exercise with his fellow United Nations Command Honor Guard soldiers. (T.D. Flack / S&S)
Pvt. Jeremy Teed, right, and Pvt. Juancarlos Ozuna stack sandbags against a defensive position during a force protection exercise at Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, on Wednesday. Teed, from Meredith, N.H., and Ozuna, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, were involved in the exercise with fellow United Nations Command Honor Guard soldiers. (T.D. Flack / S&S)
YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — Yongsan Garrison soldiers began an exercise Wednesday to simulate conditions should the base face stricter security measures because of local protests or terrorist threats throughout the peninsula.
The exercise, led by soldiers from Troop Command and the United Nations Command Honor Guard Company, started at 4:50 a.m. The troops rolled out a barbed-wire perimeter enclosing roads and sidewalks around USFK Headquarters and nearby communication centers.
“We’re impeding some of the access to the buildings,” said 1st Sgt. Curtis Curry with the honor guard. “It’s a little inconvenient, but most people understand the importance of the exercise.”
The exercise is one of four performed each year, said Honor Guard commander Capt. Brady Bernard.
The Honor Guard probably is most recognized for its role during ceremonial events such as remains repatriation ceremonies, Bernard said. But the soldiers also train regularly for security threats that affect command buildings, he said.
By 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, temporary control points were set up near the headquarters buildings, complete with sandbag-enforced blinds and a Humvee-mounted .50-caliber machine gun.
Bernard could not say how long the exercise would last but said the perimeter typically is up for 24 hours to 48 hours.
