JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS) -- For the first time in the 72-year alliance between the United States and South Korea, the countries’ “Top Cops,” their senior Air Force military police officers, met to strengthen the relationship between their branches, exchange perspectives on shared regional security challenges and commit to exploring future training exchange opportunities.
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Brian A. Filler, the Air Force’s director of Security Forces, deputy chief of staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, and Republic of Korea Air Force Col. Jongsung Woo, the Air Force Military Police Agency commander, met in Washington, D.C.
“Our fruitful discussions highlighted the bond between our forces; this is not merely a tactical alliance, but a vital strategic partnership forged in shared commitment, mutual respect and a common purpose,” Filler said. “By strengthening our relationship through combined training, knowledge sharing and unified strategic planning, we aim to build a robust and resilient deterrent against any potential threat to our collective security.”
A portion of this trip was dedicated to a site visit at Joint Base Andrews, Nov. 14.
“The site visit was an opportunity to demonstrate security forces competencies, not only our everyday battle rhythm, but our warfighting capabilities as well,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Joseph Bincarousky, the 316th Security Forces Group commander.
During their visit, Filler and Woo met with 316th SFG leadership, discussed counter-small unmanned aircraft systems, received a military working dog demonstration and experienced an immersion with the “Ravens,” a specialized force-protection asset.
Throughout the visit, knowledge was exchanged, patches where shared and options for future joint trainings were discussed.
“It was interesting to compare and contrast our forces,” Bincarousky said. “We discussed opportunities for partnership between our air forces’ security forces — ways we could train together and learn from each other’s strengths and challenges.”
Filler said that the discussions they had underscore the relationship between the USAF and ROKAF, and their joint dedication to collaborative defense and the enduring importance of interoperability in maintaining peace and stability.
“I look forward to furthering the ability of our forces to operate in a combined environment and expand training opportunities to establish a cohesive force able to withstand the uncertainties of emergent threats in the Indo-Pacific,” Filler said.