Ulchi Freedom Guardian: The drive behind exercise operations

by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez
7th Air Force Public Affairs

8/26/2014 - OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea  -- An understood aspect of military life is that it comes with the possibility of deploying to locations around the world, whether on a permanent change of station or a temporary duty assignment.

Senior Airman Jack Cortez, a 374th Logistical Readiness Squadron vehicle operator at Yokota Air Base, Japan, is one of those military members. He is currently TDY to Osan Air Base, South Korea, to support Ulchi Freedom Guardian Aug. 18 through 29.

While a majority of the 3,000 U.S. military sent from the States and the Pacific region to support UFG are actively playing in the exercise scenarios, Cortez has a unique role in this exercise, and that is by supporting the augmentees.

"We are providing transportation for the temporarily deployed members that are here taking part in UFG," Cortez said.

During his daily four-hour shift, Cortez transports more than 200 military members to dining facilities and other locations around base.

UFG is a command post exercise that simulates the protection of South Korea from hostile attacks, and although Cortez doesn't play a first-hand role in this exercise, his job is vital for any mission.

"Compared to an hour-long walk, the bus gets [augmentees] to their duty location in [approximately] 10 minutes," Cortez said.

The bus provides military members a quicker transportation alternative to get to the dining facility within the time frame it is open, typically a two-hour span.

A majority of the military members work 12-hour shifts during the exercise, allowing a small window for personal time, to include communicating with families back home or winding down at the end of the day. The bus allows them more of this important time.

Cortez is from Houston and has been stationed in Japan for a year. Since joining the military five years ago, he has had the luxury of travel. While stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., he traveled to California, Illinois and Nevada. Since being in Japan, he traveled to Misawa Air Base, Japan, and now Korea.

"I love Korea; I love Osan; and I love going off-base," Cortez said. "I've done a lot of sightseeing even though I have only been here two weeks. I went to Yongsan, an Army base nearby, the National War Museum and the Seoul Tower."

He said Korea was another unique experience to add to his memory.

"Everyone is friendly," Cortez added. "For some reason, I thought people would be more reserved here, but they were actually very approachable and even came up to talk to me or sell things. Even if they didn't understand me, they would try to work with me and try to understand what I am saying and if I needed help they would go out of their way to help me."

Cortez was one of six vehicle operators from air bases in Japan, all with similar stories. The six-person team provided transportation services 24 hours a day during the exercise.