Team Osan Prepares for Courageous Channel Exercise

  • Published
  • By United States Forces Korea Public Affairs
SEOUL, Republic of Korea --  U.S. Forces Korea will conduct Courageous Channel 09-01, a semi-annual noncombatant evacuation operations exercise May 14-16. Courageous Channel is a regularly scheduled exercise and is unrelated to any current events.

This exercise will test the command's NEO plans and procedures for a short-notice evacuation of non-combatants from the Republic of Korea. It also provides potential evacuees with the opportunity to update their NEO packets and become more familiar with the entire NEO process.

The NEO registration process this year will include updating each family's NEO packet with their organization's NEO warden and personally registering at a local evacuation control center. NEO wardens are also required to contact all their families and complete a 100 percent inspection of NEO kits.

Participation in Courageous Channel 09-01 is mandatory for all family members of both Service Members and Department of Defense civilians as well as all non-essential DoD civilians.

U.S. embassy personnel, DoD retirees, contractors and their families and any other U.S. civilians with base access are encouraged to participate in the exercise. All potential evacuees are encouraged to maintain a current NEO packet.

"It is important for everyone to be prepared to execute a NEO should that ever be required," said Lt. Gen Joseph Fil, United States Forces Korea, Chief of staff. "Courageous Channel 09-01 is an opportunity for family members and non-essential DoD civilians to familiarize themselves with the NEO process and ensure they and their family are prepared in case of an emergency."

More information concerning NEO and NEO packet contents can be found at
http://8tharmy.korea.army.mil/courageouschannel/Neo.asp. The site is also linked from the front page of the USFK website at www.usfk.mil under the hot topics section. 

Noncombatant evacuees can process at the Osan Air Base High School Friday from 5 p.m-10p.m., and on Saturday from 8 a.m.-10p.m. For more information on NEO, please contact your unit NEO wardens or the Osan Airman and Family Readiness Center at 784-5440.