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CAMP HOVEY, South Korea –For the last 13 years the United States
military has been involved in conflicts around the world. Army
leadership has gained much field experience from the mountains of
Afghanistan and the streets of Baghdad, to the Horn of Africa and
the Philippine islands.
Every environment has its
opportunities and challenges. South Korea is no different. Soldiers
can arrive straight from advanced individual training to Camp Casey,
South Korea. Less than 20 miles away sits the 38th parallel where
the North Korean army is postured to fight.
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A Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army Soldier (left) and two U.S. Soldiers from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry (Mechanized), 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, conduct a tank recovery class March 10 at Twin Bridges Training Area, South Korea. KATUSAS give U.S. Soldiers a better understanding of how to interact with the locals, said Command Sgt. Maj. Brad Owens, the senior enlisted advisor for 3rd Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The KATUSAS are very integrated into the unit and even live in the same quarters. They are there for day-to-day operations, and even participate in recreational events during off-duty hours. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Northrup, 1ABCT)
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“We are not far away from an enemy who wants to kill us,”
said Command Sgt. Maj. Trevor Walker, the senior enlisted
advisor for 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry
Division. “So we are always trying to maintain readiness.
“Soldiers train hard in the U.S., but we train a lot
harder here due to the threat,” said Walker.
It is important to keep
the Soldiers' minds in the right place and ensure they know
why they are here, said Sgt. Brian Moore, an M1A2 Abrams
Tank gunner with Company C, 3rd Squadron, 8th Cavalry
Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division. Soldiers need to understand they need to keep
their weapons, vehicles, gear and themselves mission ready.
“You have a mission that defines your primary
focus,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Brad Owens, the senior
enlisted advisor for 3-8 Cavalry. “Using that focus, you
build individual as well as collective training. You have to
be constantly hitting those training points and constantly
evaluating your Soldiers.”
NCOs don't get the same
interaction with Soldiers in the U.S. as they do in Korea,
Walker said. An NCO will see their Soldiers at physical
training and during regular duty hours in the U.S., but
after closing formation there is no more interaction for the
most part.
“I lived about two doors down from my
Soldier when I was in Korea,” said Moore, whose unit is now
back in Fort Hood, Texas. “When you have such easy access to
them, you can learn things about them and identify things
you need to talk about.”
This gives NCOs a chance to
see Soldiers progress and identify where they need
additional training, said Owens. Working and living so
closely with the Soldiers allows a platoon sergeant or squad
leader to see some of the habits a Soldier might have that
are counter intuitive to the Army values. The NCOs have a
greater ability to have an impact and correct those habits.
This close proximity can be an issue when a
specialist gets promoted to the rank of sergeant, said
Owens. The newly promoted sergeant must understand he is no
longer a junior enlisted Soldier. He needs to separate
himself from those who were previously his peers.
“To
be a professional NCO, you have to careful when speaking
with Soldiers,” said Walker. “You must maintain your rank
and name and remember who you are speaking with. Yes, you
are going to be living near that person, but at the same
time you have to maintain that professionalism and not
overlook minor incidents.”
Another unique aspect of
serving on the Peninsula is the Korean Augmentation to the
U.S. Army Soldiers, said Walker. The KATUSA Soldiers
(Republic of Korea Army Soldiers who are selected to serve
within the U.S. Army ranks) provide valuable insight to the
local culture and help the U.S. Soldiers perform their
missions in many different ways.
“In a combat
environment, you don't have the ability to get out and fully
understand or see much of the culture,” said Owens. “We can
over here. Soldiers who have KATUSAS develop close
relationships they would not normally develop in a combat
environment.”
KATUSAS give U.S. Soldiers a better
understanding of how to interact with the locals, said
Owens. The KATUSAS are very integrated into the unit and
even live in the same quarters. They are there for
day-to-day operations, and even participate in recreational
events during off-duty hours.
Training KATUSAS is
great for NCO development, Walker said. The Army uses a lot
of acronyms and jargon, much of which the KATUSAS are not
familiar with. With this in mind, NCOs need to ensure they
fully understand the subject matter before teaching the
KATUSAS.
“This is the first time many Soldiers will
interact with an international partner,” Walker said. “Some
people don't interact with an international partner until
they are an E6 or E7. Through the KATUSAS, U.S. Soldiers can
learn the local customs, courtesies, and language.”
Some Soldiers say the best duty station they ever had was in
Korea, said Walker. Others say it was their worst. A lot of
it depends on whether or not the Soldier went out or stayed
on base all day.
“There is more to Korea than what is
in your camp,” said Walker. “You have to go out and immerse
yourself in the country. You will be amazed at the rich
culture and history the Korean people have here.”
By U.S. Army Sgt. Samuel Northrup
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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