Army chaplains of South Korea and the United States staged their first-ever joint drills in Seoul on Tuesday as part of the allies’ efforts to cultivate the officers’ roles during wartime, military officials said.

Some 100 Catholic priests, pastors and Buddhist monks in the two countries’ militaries, as well as medics and interpreter officers, are taking part in the three-day field training exercise at the Special Warfare Command, according to the South Korean Army.

The chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support for service personnel including conducting religious services on bases or in the field.

The program was designed to boost their skills to console wounded soldiers while transporting them, hold religious ceremonies for the deceased and operate emergency surgery at field tents, among others.

To that aim, the allies mobilized CH-47 and UH-60 choppers, two multipurpose wheeled vehicles, blanks and other equipment to boost reality. Special Forces would act as enemies, while experienced U.S. military ministers have joined to refine the scenario-based exercise.

“Through the drills, the participants will learn various religious support activities to heal and calm with the power of faith the soldiers who suffer from physical injuries and posttraumatic stress disorder at war,” the Army said in a statement.

The two countries’ militaries have been striving to expand exchanges between their chaplains since they clinched an agreement last year to step up cooperation in religious affairs.

In June, the U.S. Army’s medical department center is expected to provide its specialized combat/emergency medical ministry course to South Korean personnel.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)