The diplomatic and economic efforts [of the United Nations Command (UNC), the Republic of Korea (ROK) and United States Combined Forces Command (CFC), and the United States Forces Korea (USFK)] rest on the foundation of a credible, ready military capability. Efforts to maintain a high state of military readiness are coupled with developing and strengthening relationships within the U.S.-ROK Alliance, regionally with our allies and partners, and globally with UNC Sending States to ensure that we have a structure of relationships tailor-made to adaptively respond to the myriad of potential security challenges in the region. I am confident that our combined and unified team is prepared to address the complex and dynamic challenges we may potentially face. The Alliance – although increasingly tested by North Korea’s military advancements– remains ironclad.
Commander General Vincent K. Brooks provides testimony before the House Armed Services Committee and discusses:
activities across the three commands, especially those contributing to improvements in readiness;
the strategic environment as related to North Korea, the Republic of Korea, China, Russia and Japan;
future approaches to solving challenges through innovation, increased multilateral cooperation, improved readiness, completion of the Youngsan Relocation Plan (YRP) and Land Partnership Plan (LPP), and progress in the conditions-based OPCON Transition Plan (COTP); and
continued development and improvement of critical capabilities related to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I); ballistic missile defense (BMD); countering-weapons of mass destruction (C-WMD); and critical munitions.