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Published on 07/31/1995 All articles from this issue

Army officer braves jungle life to participate in fictitious combat mission in Thailand

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By Rich Lamance

Special to the Town Crier

There aren't many things Robert Rhodes can relate to in the Southeast Asian jungle near Korat, Thailand, that resembles anything he's used to seeing back home in Los Altos.

King cobras as long as a car, scorpions the size of Havana cigars, insects carrying diseases most Americans have never heard of, and traffic that would paralyze a New York taxi driver are just a few of the rude awakenings he's faced.

Rhodes, 35, son of Robert D. Rhodes who lives on Fallen Leaf Lane, Los Altos, is an Army major who spent the last month in a joint United States and Thai training exercise dubbed "Cobra Gold," designed to test rapid deployment, cross-training and humanitarian efforts in the largest Pacific military training exercise of the year.

More than 17,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen from units in Hawaii, Okinawa, Guam and Washington state worked with 9,000 Royal Thai counterparts for two weeks of small unit and individual training, followed by a five-day field exercise, capped off with an action-packed combined forces live fire exercise.

Rhodes is a joint task force plans officer with the I Corps at Fort Lewis, Wash.

"My duties during the exercise involved serving as a plans officer for communications in the combined joint task force and its subordinate commands," he said. "I planned and coordinated all actions for the task force communications networks involving voice and data transmission communications in Thailand and links into other areas of the theater of operations from other U.S. forces."

The Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division and Air Force units from Guam, Okinawa, Hawaii and Washington state providing F-16 fighters and C-5, C-141 and C-130 cargo aircraft, comprised the majority of the combat training assets.

This year's "Cobra Gold" exercise not only stressed combat scenarios in a fictitious setting, but also focused on real-world solutions to area problems. An engineer unit from Fort Lewis, Wash., built a library in the small town of Ban Tha Takjan, and 24 medical teams dispersed throughout the region providing medical and dental care to needy villagers.

A Special Forces psychological operations team trained for the exercise by distributing health information and pamphlets that gave villagers an idea of what the exercise was about. And, for the first time, the U.S. Space Command entered the training drill, providing satellite imagery of dense jungles and difficult terrain to create state-of-the-art maps.

"Our section was responsible for the planning and engineering of all voice and data networks in support of our operations in Thailand. The section also planned for future operations as they related to communications needs," Rhodes said.

For many airmen and soldiers involved with "Cobra Gold," the most challenging element has been their location. Thailand, for most Americans, is an exotic land with a lush, tropical climate, unfamiliar animals and insects and a language and culture far different from what they consider the norm.

"The Thai military has worked closely and effectively with their American counterparts," Rhodes said. "I found the people of Thailand are among the friendliest people I've ever met. And although it's not the richest nation in Asia right now, it's an emerging nation that will soon make an entrance into the global economy."

When Rhodes wraps up the exercise, he'll return to his unit at Fort Lewis.

"Back at Fort Lewis, my job is essentially the same, planning communications support for exercises and contingencies assigned to I Corps," Rhodes said. "However, I make every effort to spend time with my wife, Julie, and our two children whenever possible. We've lived at Fort Lewis for three years now and it's been a great experience."

Rhodes may not be able to relate to king cobras, gigantic scorpions or the massive traffic tie-ups, but he takes away memories of a different culture, lifestyle, people and scenery that will last him a lifetime.

Rich Lamance works with the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas.