Courageous Channel tests service members, non-combatants

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Members of Osan recently participated in a non-combatant evacuation operation, or NEO, exercise here May 20 and 21.

Courageous Channel is a semi-annual exercise designed to increase readiness, rehearse procedures for alerting and accounting for Department of Defense non-combatant evacuees, and trains NEO wardens, units and staff on NEO procedures in order to improve the ability of the command to command and control a NEO in Korea.

"Courageous Channel is a [U.S. Forces Korea] exercise conducted annually in order to increase the readiness of [service members] and U.S. government-affiliated noncombatants in noncombatant evacuation operations," said Andrew Kim, Eighth Army's NEO planner.

Mr. Kim said Courageous Channel allows participants to practice every part of the evacuation process short of departing the peninsula.

"The goal of this exercise is to train our [service members] in the execution of NEO and also to familiarize 100 percent of our military dependents and other U.S. government-affiliated noncombatants on registration and evacuation processes," Mr. Kim said.

As demonstrated by the recent voluntary evacuation following the devastating triple disaster in Japan where an earthquake-driven tsunami crippled a nuclear power plant, Mr. Kim said that evacuations can be conducted for a variety of reasons.

"This increased readiness will ensure the rapid and safe evacuation of our family members and other U.S. government-affiliated noncombatants in the case of a contingency, crisis or hostilities," Mr. Kim said.

The base accomplished this through alerting, assembling, relocating and facilitating the evacuation. It affords every member the opportunity for non-combatants to experience the process, as opposed to the role players that are used for simulation during base exercises.

USFK leadership deemed participation in the NEO is mandatory due to the importance of having the training.

In addition, evacuating the non-combatants and families gives Airmen one less thing to think about during an already stressful time.

"My experience here today was positive; I really felt like all the facilitators were organized and they guided us through the whole process, and it was very easy," said Lydia Chebino. "I think the process overall was well put together. There was a little bit of congestion at the front end but I think that's natural in any kind of line you do."

She said that some of the machines were a little show but it's probably technical bugs everyone goes through. The important part was practicing this type of exercise so family members know how to evacuate quickly and efficiently.

Ms. Chebino's best piece of advice was, "make sure you have your NEO binders ready to go."

"Work on it early so you are not rushed at the end," she said. "And definitely process through the line, because you don't fully understand it until you actually walk the line."