From My Service in Korea, I learned… Rocky Burkhardt
When I received orders to go to South Korea in 1967, I thought it would be like going to jail for 13 months, I was very wrong. As it turned out, it was the best 13 months of my life! When I arrived in South Korea, I was stationed at the 2nd Infantry Division Headquarters in Bongilchon, South Korea. Bongilchon was a small village with many of the people working in the fields or rice paddies. There were no paved roads, no full time electricity and the paths through the village were just mud. The people in the village were hard working, very friendly and very resourceful. There was nothing that went to waste, any and all scraps were saved or sold. Empty pop cans were welded together and used for pipes. Even empty pens and what we would call junk were sold to junk collectors who would go through the village clanging big scissors, nothing went to waste. The people had learned how to live and sustain themselves through very difficult circumstances. From the villagers, I learned to be creative, resourceful and not to let anything go to waste. I knew that the people of that village and the people of all of South Korea would have a great future because of their creativity, ingenuity, resourefullness and drive.
Also, within the village, I came to know several of the children who lived in the village with their parents. I was impressed with how creative and instinctively smart they were. The children loved to do artwork and their drawings and paintings were very creative. I made friends with one 10 year old boy, whose drawings showed great knowledge of space exploration, way beyond what any 10 year old would normally know. Meeting those young creative South Korean children, I knew that South Korea would have a great future with great leaders.
The people of the village had a strong connection to their cultural heritage and would participate in their cultural activities. They would board busses headed to cultural shrines and events. They appreciated their culture, heritage and their arts and crafts. This led me to appreciate their culture and my own culture as well. I loved to see their art, as it was totally different than the art in America. This opened mymind to a greater understanding and appreciation that different cultures of the world have much to offer.
From my visit to South Korea, I learned many values that helped me to become a better person and soldier. From my service in Korea, I received the Army Commendation Medal.
What did you learn from serving in Korea? Let us know –
Sharing your experiences from serving in Korea can be a powerful way to connect with others who have had similar experiences. By sharing your story, you may be able to help others who are currently serving in Korea or who are preparing to do so. You can share insights about the culture, the people, and the challenges you faced while serving. Your story can also help to shed light on the sacrifices that service members and their families make in order to protect our freedoms. So, if you have a story to share, we encourage you to take the time to put it down in writing and send it to KDVA.MyServiceInKorea@gmail.com along with any photos that help to tell your story.
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