On August 30, 2023, 194th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Division Sustainment Brigade, 2nd Infantry ROK-U.S. Combined Division, and ROK Army 3rd Battalion, 28th Infantry Brigade, 9th Division, 1st Corps conducted a combined training exercise covering unit recovery team operations, search and rescue training and mortuary affairs collection point (MACP) training in Munsan, Paju-si, Republic of Korea.

The purpose of this training was to get an idea on what both sides can do and what capabilities they can build off to build a system that works throughout the ROK and U.S. armies to be able to work together in a wartime scenario.

“We’re training the ROK Army so that they have a better understanding of what to do in the case of, large scale operations if something were to happen,” said Pfc. Isabella Chahin, a mortuary affairs specialist, assigned to A Company, 194th DSSB, 2nd Sust. Bde., 2ID. “We would most likely be processing thousands of remains and would need extra hands on the peninsula.”

The 194th DSSB and ROK Army 3rd Battalion, 28th Infantry Brigade team members rehearsed standard procedures for before, during and after the training event to ensure their combined team was tracking all procedures regarding search, recovery and MACP operations. The purpose of the combined training was to create a shared understanding of wartime casualty management throughout all stages for recovery, receipt and transportation of wartime casualties with the 194th DSSB’s ROK Army counterparts.

“We trained them on search and recovery operations, what to do in case of there is an explosive attached to human remains, how to clear a body and pull security.” said Chahin.

The combined training between the two units not only enhanced their ability to work together, but also enhanced the mental toughness and stamina during the human remains process and evacuation efforts with their ROK Army mortuary affairs counterparts.

“We were able to get more of an insight on what the ROK mortuary team does, and how it differs from U.S. mortuary affairs,” said Staff Sgt. Claudia Murillo, a mortuary affairs specialist and the NCOIC of the joint training assigned to the 2nd Stryker Bde Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division on rotation from Fort Carson, Co. “This training gave us better insight to be able to conduct combined mortuary affairs operations on the Korean peninsula in case any mass casualties do happen, or any large-scale combat operations do occur.”

The successful completion of this combined training reaffirmed the 2nd Infantry ROK-U.S. Combined Division’s commitment to the security of the Korean Peninsula and willingness to train together with our ROK counterparts.

Mortuary affairs specialists, 92M, work in combat and noncombat situations to search for and identify, deceased service members. Their job is to supervise the recovery and collection of remains while also arranging the proper military honors for a service members final resting place.