How was your experience in Korea?

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 21:39:07 -0400

I am currently in the Air Force for almost 4 years and have been contemplating whether or not I want to put in to go to Korea. I have met some that have gone and it seems that it is split as far as if they liked it or not. I want to get stationed overseas and feel this will help. What were your experiences? Would you do it again? Also how are the exercises that I hear about that go on daily?

Thank You

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 18 at 2015 9:43 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 21:43:43 -0400

I did it twice. It was a great time. If you like Korean war history there are plenty of sites to visit along with Pan Mun Jom. We used to love going to Osan to live the good life provided by you Air Force guys!

There is plenty of culture to absorb in Korea. I thought it was really worth it.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jun 18 at 2015 10:10 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 22:10:54 -0400

At first I hated it because it was a totally different atmosphere. I grew to enjoy my time there. When I was able to I visited some Korean Historical sites. I had a very good tour. I even got married there and recently had my 25th anniversary.

When my son went over about a year and a half ago I told him to keep an open mind and he would enjoy the place and that he should see the sites and learn some of his heritage. But of course I am dad and kids don't listen to their parents.

Bottom line. Keep an open mind. Not everyone likes EVERY base they get stationed at. If you keep an open mind going in you should be G2G.

Response by SPC Carl K. made Jun 18 at 2015 10:29 PM

SPC Carl K. — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 22:29:38 -0400

I loved Korea enough that I did two tours back-to-back. I was at K-16 in Seongnam. With you being in the USAF, I would bet you end up at Osan which is also awesome.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jun 18 at 2015 10:32 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 22:32:54 -0400

SrA Private RallyPoint Member , it really depends on a number of factors, that are almost entirely up to you.
- Are you married? Is your spouse going too? Are you dual military? Are you Single? Is your tour accompanied?
- How comfortable are you in a totally different culture?
- are you a hermit, or are you used to tight knit units?

I commanded a Company in Korea in 1998-99. At first I was ticked. I had come from Fort Irwin Ca and 40+ NTC rotations, my first 11 months of marriage, and was PCSed from the school house to Korea, according to my Branch Manager, because I "had been sitting on my ass in CONUS" for 4 years.

Hands down, best thing to happen to me after I got past the seething hate. I commanded a Company, half my soldiers were KATUSAs (Korean Soldiers Augmenting the U.S. Army), I travelled, learned some Korean (ok I can order beer and start a fight), was in a tight knit community, led a tight knit unit, led the Installation QRF , formed some life long friendships, visited the TF Smith battlefield (among others), went to the JSA and stood in North Korea for 15 seconds etc , MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca has THE pic so you can get a visual. My advice is if you can be open to the experience, it can be incredible. If you are going to hang in the barracks with your play station, it is on you.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jun 18 at 2015 11:30 PM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 23:30:48 -0400

I LOVED Korea. I stayed 27 months on a 12 month tour.
The Air Force is in a better part of the country but let me give you a couple words of advice to survive Korea.
1) There MOST CERTAINLY IS something more to do than drink.
2) Set a Moral Standard for yourself and KEEP TO IT
3) See the country and meet some Korean People. Take advantage of of the programs to visit the local communities and people. ENJOY the chance to see something new!
4) REMEMBER...YOU ARE A VISITOR, act like one, and not an OCCUPIER.
5) Try to leave the place better than you found it...volunteer at a local orphanage. Those kids have so little and ask for even less, I do not speak Hangul, but a hug from a four year old is a hug in any language.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 18 at 2015 11:40 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 23:40:16 -0400

Korea can be a love/hate relationship depending more on you vs. anything else. If you joined the service in part to see and do interesting things you couldn't do otherwise, then get off your butt and get on with living.

Korea is on my long list of places I'm glad I spent some time in. That list is much longer than the Sierra Hotels I've had to deal with. You'll develop a new set of likes and dislikes and will be grateful for expanding your like list. We're good about stealing everyone else's food so you'll develop a taste for authentic which you'll be picky about when you're back home.

And when someone tells you you're going to see the Sheriff of Pusan, gird your loins.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jun 18 at 2015 11:42 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 23:42:56 -0400

Korea was great! I went to school for a year and even on Saturdays. In one year, I earned 24 hours of college credit. You must know that Asian people are very different from non Asian people. They will not show emotion in front of you. If you make them mad, they will show a smile to be polite. You must show respect to elders. Take off your shoes in a home owned or rented by Asian people. They will be impressed as you are a westerner if you display manners. Learn how to greet elders as well. Respecting Korean customs is very important for a smooth stay in Korea.

Response by SSgt Everett Jones made Jun 19 at 2015 12:05 AM

SSgt Everett Jones — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 00:05:15 -0400

Any overseas tour is what you make of it, there is a lot to see in Korea, and seeing another country and how the people there live and their culture always helps. Not just in your military career, but in life. You will be able to say that you've been there, talked to the people, know how they believe, how they act, and what they think about what is going on. Always look to expand your horizons. Sometimes you might find something to help you make better decisions, or just just add a new experience to life.

Response by SSG Stacy Carter made Jun 19 at 2015 5:21 AM

SSG Stacy Carter — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 05:21:43 -0400

I was stationed in Korea three times. Twice in Uijeongbu at Camp Stanley and once in Pyeongtaek at Osan AFB for a total of 4.5 years. I enjoyed my time in Korea very much. I enjoyed it much more down in Pyeongtaek than in Uijeongbu, but tours are what you make them.

My first tour we spent 10 months in the field and there was not a lot of free time so that was by far my least enjoyable tour there. My second tour was drastically different. Only 5 months of field time. I was able to go out and see a lot of the historical places around the country. My third tour had almost no field time except during major training exercises. I had a car and lived off base. I learned scuba diving and started traveling to other countries in Asia. As Air Force you are limited to a few places: Yeongsan, K-16, Kunsan and Osan. Yeongsan is in Seoul just about 1KM from the Han river. K-16 is south of Seoul and depending on traffic could be 15 minutes or 6 hours from Seoul. Osan is about one hour south of Seoul in Pyeontaek. Kunsan is about 4-6 hours south of Osan. Traveling in Korea is very easy. The train systems are excellent. There are buses and taxis as well. Buses are a little harder to get the hang of, but once you do they are just as good as the train. Taxis are a crap shoot. A lot of taxis will try to cheat you by giving a flat rate to go someplace. it is usually 3 or 4 times the metered rate. If you have to use a taxi call an AAFES taxi. They have to use the meter and can take you both on and off base.

I hope you decide to go to Korea. As long as you are not a barracks rat you will have a good time. Also if you want to know a little more just send me a private message.

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Jun 19 at 2015 7:47 AM

SGT Thomas Lucken — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 07:47:07 -0400

I enjoyed Korea and miss it at times! And I was always north of Seoul, 2ID land!

83-84, 87-90, 91 to 00........ 13 years worth!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2015 10:02 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 10:02:33 -0400

If you are going TDY, I think the best piece of advice I ever heard on TDY to a place that may not be viewed as favorable is that as soon as you step off the plane (if you are on a 120 day TDY, for example) you say to yourself "119 days". The mental countdown can be a good motivator to keep high speed, low drag when you may not be at your best.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2015 10:08 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 10:08:33 -0400

Plenty of comments. Nothing really to add, here. Korea's great. Go for it. From the Army perspective: there's a lot of work, and a little bit of nail biting, that you won't get CONUS or in Germany. It made me better.

Response by MSgt Michael Durkee made Jun 19 at 2015 10:10 AM

MSgt Michael Durkee — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 10:10:45 -0400

I enjoyed Korea, although each time I had gone TDY vs. doing a remote. I did 30 days at Osan while I was stationed at Hickam, and some years earlier I had done two weeks at Kwangju while I was stationed at Kadena.

The only thing I didn't like was the curfews at Osan.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 19 at 2015 10:15 AM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 10:15:23 -0400

I loved being stationed in Korea. But I was also stationed in Seoul, so my experience was a bit different than folks who were in smaller posts or in Area 1.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Jun 19 at 2015 10:50 AM

MAJ Byron Oyler — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 10:50:51 -0400

I about went nuts in Seoul. I am a country boy and the 'concrete city' was almost more than I could handle. Neat cultural experience, family enjoyed both Korea and the Philippines but I needed to get back to Texas and wide open spaces. I have German heritage and preferred Germany much more. Germany is also much more wide open. I suggest people look at who they are and the environment they prefer. My wife is Asian and I find Asian women to be quite lovely, so it was not the culture or the people. I simply do better in wide open spaces.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jun 20 at 2015 12:55 AM

SSG Trevor S. — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 00:55:20 -0400

Korea was a great first tour for me 20+ years ago. It exposed a country kid to a vastly different culture and allowed me to see a much broader view of the world. I encourage any young person to spend a tour there to gain experience that will broaden their world view.

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2015 3:44 AM

A1C Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 03:44:00 -0400

I am currently stationed at osan and its a love hate relationship as i assume most offices are. I sadly do not get out a lot but when i do i love it very much so my suggestion to you is go to korea learn a few korean phrases and enjoy your time dont let people bring down your moral because its a beautiful country.