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Skivvy Nine: Information Operations in Combat Environment

By 2nd Lt. David Gauthier
303rd IS
Osan Air Base, Korea

The men and women of the 303rd Intelligence Squadron, known as Skivvy Nine, have a unique and demanding role as guardians of the peace in the Republic of Korea. Located 40 kilometers south of the demilitarized zone, Skivvy Nine is Air Intelligence Agency’s most forward deployed unit and maintaining readiness posture makes for a high operations tempo. Being located at the tip of the tactical spear brings a host of intelligence challenges, chief of which is how best to support the information requirements of both national decision makers and theater warfighters.

Peninsula exercises allow Skivvy Niners to sharpen their procedures, the intelligence collection and dissemination skills needed to fulfill that dual role.

Skivvy Nine is housed at Osan Air Base, home of the 51st Fighter Wing, which is comprised of the 36th Fighter Squadron (F-16’s) and the 25th Fighter Squadron (A-10’s).

To hone warfighting skills and measure the 51st FW Mustangs’ ability to generate combat sorties, the 51st FW Commander, Brig. Gen. Robert Dierker, holds quarterly Combat Evaluation Readiness Exercises.

Each 3-5 day CERE tests the ability of the 51st to respond to a host of combat contingencies including simulated chemical attacks, air base defense, and medical emergencies. As Osan prepares for combat, sand-bagged security checkpoints materialize, concertina wire cordons defense perimeters, armored personnel carriers patrol the streets, and the roar of aircraft on full after-burner takeoff continues around the clock. Skivvy Nine’s 480 people wake up to a blaring recall siren, don their chemical ensembles and "bag drag" to the Korean Combined Operations Intelligence Center for duty. Behind the chain link fence and 10-foot-thick walls, a flurry of activity is already in progress as control centers stand up to account for 303rd personnel and members of the 303rd’s sister squadron, the 607th Air Intelligence Squadron, with whom they share the KCOIC.

Inside, Skivvy Niners eat MRE’s and continue the real world mission as the 303rd Exercise Evaluation Team works closely with the Air Component Command Headquarters evaluators to ensure squadron members comply with exercise guidelines.

CEREs are one of many tools theater commanders employ, and the 303rd supports, in preparing for combat operations.

Expanding beyond the 51st FW, peninsula-wide exercises are another important tool and 7th Air Force conducts major peninsula-wide exercises in conjunction with their Korean counterparts.

Joint Chiefs of Staff exercise, FOAL EAGLE, is the largest combined field training exercise in the world and sweeps the peninsula each October.

FOAL EAGLE simulates a week of air-base-ground defense and an additional week of peninsula-wide ground warfare. 303rd personnel simulate wartime responses, continuing the reporting mission in MOPP gear, foregoing alcohol consumption, and abiding by restrictive base curfews.

In addition, Joint Chiefs of Staff exercise, ULCHI-FOCUS LENS, is the largest command post exercise in the world.

Skivvy Nine provides about 40 personnel in support of the exercise, becoming scriptors and controllers at various simulation centers. The Korean Air Simulation Center simulates the 303rd’s operations floor and the 303rd’s offensive and defensive operations pull augmentation from other AIA units to support around the clock participation. The 303rd officers comprise a significant portion of the intelligence staff, including the senior intelligence duty officer, the combat intelligence officer, and the intelligence duty officer.

Tech. Sgt. Ray Carswell, Skivvy Nine’s NCOIC for Exercise Operations Support, works throughout the year to support 7th Air Force, U.S. Forces Korea, and the component commands in Ulchi-Focus Lens planning. His efforts integrate the 303rd into theater warfighting plans and break down the warfighter’s "black door" perception of intelligence agencies. He notes, "The key is to educate the warfighter on the benefits of real-time intelligence in shaping and controlling the battlespace."

Lt. Col. Chuck Smith, 303rd commander said, "Skivvy Nine brings a fresh approach to a long standing information problem: how to satisfy the need for intelligence support to national level decision-makers and how to fuse intelligence into the warfighting process.

"The immediacy of the peninsula warfighting effort and the developing role of intelligence professionals as information operators cannot be overlooked - it is the daily face of our business. We can fulfill two distinct sets of information requirements without compromising accuracy, timeliness, and relevance to either consumer."

The 303rd continues to do exactly that: providing near-real-time information to the warrior and decision-maker; standing watch to keep the Morning Calm.