Our base defense capabilities included two MK19 40-millimeter grenade machineguns and eight SAW's. The MK19's offered too much firepower to be used in protecting the inside of our installation. There was no fire support available from ROK or U.S. forces. Base Defense Training Training was a challenge. Using sergeant's time to train for 4 hours once a month was not enough.
Units send soldiers home on leave during exercises, and tours are too short for any continuity.
During Ulchi-Focus Lens, a ROK and U.S. combined exercise, an entirely new QRF spent 4 days training on Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks and basic military occupational specialty 11B individual and collective tasks. The QRF collective task list was developed from the area support group headquarters and light infantry platoon mission training plans. The primary focus of the QRF task list was to react to contact with the enemy and to ambush battle drills. Additionally, the QRF would assault while mounted, but, instead of using an M2 Bradley fighting vehicle, it would use the armored car. The QRF underwent two overnight situational training exercise lanes and conducted after-action reviews on them.