Posted on Mar 2, 2018
What advice would you give to someone going to Korea (first duty station) who has never been out of the country before?
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PCS
Korea
Suwon AB
Responses: 207
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SFC Joseph Behmke
To amend the original reply, Don't come back with a wife you met behind or working at the bar.
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SGT Charles Bartell
PFC Jeffrey Herrington - Lesion learned a long time back, NEVER date the daughter of any one in your chain of commands KID no matter how old they are.
It is like Pissing in your cool aide. It will always come back to bite you.
As a whole it is best not to date any of them while you are still in the military or there parent still is.
It is like Pissing in your cool aide. It will always come back to bite you.
As a whole it is best not to date any of them while you are still in the military or there parent still is.
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SGT Charles Bartell
PFC Jeffrey Herrington - True, If you say anything about the past with family members It will come back at you, One way or anther.
People like to turn things around and add shit to it.
Then if it get's to the wrong person you are straight out fucked.
I made two of these huge Bone head moves.
when I was first in the Army.
Went to the enlisted club my first weekend off. I still in the replacement center.
Hooked up with this skinny very good looking women.
Went back to her place. The next morning I notice some uniforms hanging on the back of the bedroom doors.
(Dumb ass me thinking she was the one in the Army) I asked her what unit she was in?
She told me they where not hers, They were her husbands.
I did not know she was married let alone to a service member.
Any ways two weeks later. I am in my First unit and guess who comes walking in to our building. The Hook up wife. To make it real good on top of that she was my P.L.'s wife.
He see's me looking at them. Then she says high to me by my first name.
I do not know if he ever new for sure, But he was always on my ass until I left that unit.
The next one was the CSM's daughter. (She looked about 20yrs old), And she told me her dad was not in the Military any more.
Guess what happens next out on a date Dinner/ Drinks. My Team Leader see's us. He comes over to us, Tells me that I had to back to company to finish up some paper work.
I say I will be there in about an hour or so. He says it has to be now.
I paid the bill and got her a cab.
He then tells me who she is and how old she is.
CSM's Daughter and she is only 16 with a fake I.D.
The CSM did find out. Even though she showed me a fake I.D. and lie about every thing.
The CSM tried to have me busted and thrown out. That did not happen.
So when the Army was doing a draw down in troop's I got the hell out.
I was going to get busted and tossed out Because of being kind of dumb with the women I went out whit back then.
People like to turn things around and add shit to it.
Then if it get's to the wrong person you are straight out fucked.
I made two of these huge Bone head moves.
when I was first in the Army.
Went to the enlisted club my first weekend off. I still in the replacement center.
Hooked up with this skinny very good looking women.
Went back to her place. The next morning I notice some uniforms hanging on the back of the bedroom doors.
(Dumb ass me thinking she was the one in the Army) I asked her what unit she was in?
She told me they where not hers, They were her husbands.
I did not know she was married let alone to a service member.
Any ways two weeks later. I am in my First unit and guess who comes walking in to our building. The Hook up wife. To make it real good on top of that she was my P.L.'s wife.
He see's me looking at them. Then she says high to me by my first name.
I do not know if he ever new for sure, But he was always on my ass until I left that unit.
The next one was the CSM's daughter. (She looked about 20yrs old), And she told me her dad was not in the Military any more.
Guess what happens next out on a date Dinner/ Drinks. My Team Leader see's us. He comes over to us, Tells me that I had to back to company to finish up some paper work.
I say I will be there in about an hour or so. He says it has to be now.
I paid the bill and got her a cab.
He then tells me who she is and how old she is.
CSM's Daughter and she is only 16 with a fake I.D.
The CSM did find out. Even though she showed me a fake I.D. and lie about every thing.
The CSM tried to have me busted and thrown out. That did not happen.
So when the Army was doing a draw down in troop's I got the hell out.
I was going to get busted and tossed out Because of being kind of dumb with the women I went out whit back then.
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SGT Charles Bartell
If you had ever met that P.L. you would not have told him any thing.
This guy was so by the book, and by the numbers that the whole platoon called him ( Mr by the numbers) I fore got to mention that their were some other guys in the Platoon that had the same thing with her.
We used to talk shit about him being so by the numbers that his wife had to step out on him to get some one that was a so animated about every thing.
The guy was so stiff about every thing, I never did see him smile when people told jokes of did something stupid just for the hell of it. He acted as if he hated every one.
This guy was so by the book, and by the numbers that the whole platoon called him ( Mr by the numbers) I fore got to mention that their were some other guys in the Platoon that had the same thing with her.
We used to talk shit about him being so by the numbers that his wife had to step out on him to get some one that was a so animated about every thing.
The guy was so stiff about every thing, I never did see him smile when people told jokes of did something stupid just for the hell of it. He acted as if he hated every one.
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Do not assume that conduct that is OK in the US is OK overseas. You should get a briefing immediately before shipping out, or before you first go on liberty. Pay attention and remember.
If your liberty buddies tell you something is OK to do, but it seems odd to you, watch them do it a few time before you try it. There's no fun like making the FNG look stupid.
Locals do not like drunk, loud jackasses. If you drink heavy, save that for on post and don't leave post until you sober up. Korean police don't care that you are a US citizen or a US Soldier. They also don't have the same rules about use of force that our police have. They can and will kick your ass if you provoke them. The Koreans liked Americans who are well-behaved and looked out for us on liberty. They know we help keep the North Korean wolf away from the door.
Pick up a language course for the local language and learn it. It goes a long way with the locals, and it just makes you smarter. Over there your the "stupid foreigner" that can't speak the language and mispronounces simple words.
Take a sincere, respectful, and friendly attitude toward the foreign nationals that work on post. They may have an accent, but they're not stupid. Many G.I.'s don't have a good attitude, or worse they have a bad attitude toward the locals on post. The Koreans on post may laugh at some jokes at their expense, but inside they're thinking "jackass." The locals can keep you out of trouble, and help you make the most out of your time in a foreign country. If you ever get invited to a local's home, feel honored (but make sure you let the S-2 know before you go.)
Never make fun of or over estimate your place with a Korean senior citizen, they may forgive you, but the young ones will notice how respectful you are of your elders.
There is a lot more to a foreign country and culture than the bar district outside the main gate. See as much of it as you can.
If your liberty buddies tell you something is OK to do, but it seems odd to you, watch them do it a few time before you try it. There's no fun like making the FNG look stupid.
Locals do not like drunk, loud jackasses. If you drink heavy, save that for on post and don't leave post until you sober up. Korean police don't care that you are a US citizen or a US Soldier. They also don't have the same rules about use of force that our police have. They can and will kick your ass if you provoke them. The Koreans liked Americans who are well-behaved and looked out for us on liberty. They know we help keep the North Korean wolf away from the door.
Pick up a language course for the local language and learn it. It goes a long way with the locals, and it just makes you smarter. Over there your the "stupid foreigner" that can't speak the language and mispronounces simple words.
Take a sincere, respectful, and friendly attitude toward the foreign nationals that work on post. They may have an accent, but they're not stupid. Many G.I.'s don't have a good attitude, or worse they have a bad attitude toward the locals on post. The Koreans on post may laugh at some jokes at their expense, but inside they're thinking "jackass." The locals can keep you out of trouble, and help you make the most out of your time in a foreign country. If you ever get invited to a local's home, feel honored (but make sure you let the S-2 know before you go.)
Never make fun of or over estimate your place with a Korean senior citizen, they may forgive you, but the young ones will notice how respectful you are of your elders.
There is a lot more to a foreign country and culture than the bar district outside the main gate. See as much of it as you can.
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Maj John Bell
SGT Charles Bartell - Are you allowed to go on liberty while you are in holding, prior to the briefing?
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SGT Charles Bartell
You being a Maj, You would probably get the do do anything wrong speech then given some leeway.
Officers went to a different holding back then, But Things have changed a lot since I was there.
sorry I could not give you a better answer.
Officers went to a different holding back then, But Things have changed a lot since I was there.
sorry I could not give you a better answer.
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Maj John Bell
SGT Charles Bartell - For the most part, Marines rotate as units, or at least they did. Also, I was a 2ndLt when I went to Korea. There were three briefs. Rifle companies in the camp theater at 0800. Weapons company and HQ Company in the camp theater 0930. Stragglers at 1100. No one, not even the Battalion Commander was allowed to leave the Camp without attending the brief. If you missed the briefs, no worry... you could go with the next battalion when they arrived in two months. Until then, you were on Camp liberty. The Marines tend not to grant officer/SNCO exceptions or hold "special" officer/SNCO only requirements.
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SGT Charles Bartell
I can not speak about how Marines In Korea And how they rotate.
When I was there. In the Army. It was each individual, Not part of a unit.
You would be sent to the next opening for your M.O.S. and your rank as to fill in open or soon to open spots.
The average tour Is one year depending on if you are allowed to bring any dependents.
I think that has a two year lock on the service member.
All the branch's seem to do the Korea rotations different.
When I was there. In the Army. It was each individual, Not part of a unit.
You would be sent to the next opening for your M.O.S. and your rank as to fill in open or soon to open spots.
The average tour Is one year depending on if you are allowed to bring any dependents.
I think that has a two year lock on the service member.
All the branch's seem to do the Korea rotations different.
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Don't, what ever you do, marry a juicy girl. Don't what ever you do, pay a juicy girl. Stay away from all "too go to be true" girls. If you think she is too pretty, she is foreign, and she is too interested in you, run away. CHECK ID!
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TSgt (Join to see)
1stSgt Mike Earwood - no one is degrading them, they're simply trying to give good advice to young soldiers. And it is good advice not to marry a juicy girl.
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SP5 Jeannie Carle
1LT (Join to see) - I don't know what SJW means, but 1stSgt Mike Earwood is absolutely correct in his statement. You obviously don't know how these girls ended up where they are - or you obviously don't give a sh**. You couldn't BEGIN to cope with what they have to.
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1LT (Join to see)
SP5 Jeannie Carle social Justice warrior. And no. It's why I'm glad I'm an American. But by all means please empathize with prostitutes whose job is to seduce and take advantage of lonely, ignorant men. You go girl.
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