Why Korea is an Assignment of Choice – By Mr. Jeffrey Layne

It was late fall of 1985. Basic training and Airborne school were over, and I was a newly minted Infantry Paratrooper waiting for my first duty assignment.  Fingers crossed I would be heading to Ft. Bragg with the 82^nd Airborne Division, or some other Airborne such as in Italy. Nope. Not for me. I was told my duty station was with the 1/23^rd Infantry, 2^nd Infantry Division – Korea.  Wait…what?  Korea?  Why Korea?  That is not an airborne assignment and initially, I was very disappointed simply because I had hoped to be assigned to an airborne unit along with my friends.

Before leaving for Korea, I remember a senior sergeant tell me that Korea was, “the Army’s best kept secret” in terms of duty stations and life experience. The “Aha!” moment hit me as soon as my unit started its DMZ mission. The Cold War was still very active, and this was a real-world mission in an active hostile zone. The reality struck me this was a chance to be a part of something important…the defense of the Korean people.

There were many experiences that left lasting memories and impressions on me. Some I can still vividly relive in my mind. One time was during training. Being infantry, we would often go out on extended field training exercises. Many times, while in the field, we were bored. Having something like books, and especially Walkman cassette players or radios, really helped pass the hours of boredom. One time, I remember I spent pretty much an entire day parked in my gun jeep outside of someone’s house. I was told to stay there and wait for further instructions. While waiting, a young boy came out of the house. I figured he must have been about 4 or 5 maybe. Well, the little boy was curious about me. After showing him various pieces of equipment, weapons, radios, etc., he climbed up into the front passenger seat of my jeep. He had really taken a liking to my Walkman player. There he sat most of the day listening to music, which consisted mostly of 80’s pop and old country music. Thank goodness I had extra batteries and tapes. The little boy really was having the time of his life sitting with me, listening to music, and just watching whatever I was doing. After several hours of just hanging out with me, I broke into some MREs (field rations) because I was getting hungry. He shared in this wonderful “Army dining experience” and didn’t seem to mind the quality of the food much. He was more thrilled with its novelty.

What I remember most from that day was that after a while, his mother came out of the house. She had obviously been aware he was hanging out with me in their front yard. As she came to greet me, she came with hot food! Being it was a chilly day, and I had not had any hot food in days, it was such a joy for me. It was not only very thoughtful of her, but it was so comforting to me. Personally, I was always the type of person that loved trying different foods and had really grown to love Korean meals. I think perhaps I enjoyed eating new Korean foods as much (if not more) than that little boy enjoyed trying Army field rations. After a good, hot meal, she went back inside and took her son with her. As he left, I handed him my Walkman with a few extra batteries and tapes. I tried to tell his mother it was my gift to him. He was all smiles.

Later that evening as I was getting ready to sleep in the back of my jeep, this little boy came out of the house to not only return my Walkman, but he gave me a hug. I was pleased at how thankful he was, and I am sure his mother told him to return my Walkman before his bedtime. But I simply thanked him again for the hug and sent him back inside…with the Walkman. I remember trying to tell him it was a gift. He had a huge smile and ran back into his house again. Sometime well after dark, we received orders to move. I jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off to my next position. I’m sure that little boy came looking to see if I was still outside the next morning. But I was gone and would never see him again. I sometimes wonder if he remembers that day and the boredom we shared together. I always remembered.

Serving in Korea taught me so many things. It taught me personal sacrifice, loyalty, duty, honor…and it taught be I could love another country and its people as much as my own. It taught me that despite cultural differences, people are very similar. Good food, sharing a drink together, and learning to communicate with one another despite language difference can still bridge nations, and build lifelong friendships. I remember so many times sharing meals with the KATUSA soldiers who had become close friends. I even remember the smiles on the face of the young girl that braved the DMZ to bring us newspapers. She would arrive with newspapers in hand, wearing the helmet we provided, and waved in greeting to us as she walked through the base. It opened my eyes to a whole new world, and that t be respected, you must first respect others despite differences. I learned to love the differences because of my time in Korea.

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Why Korea is an Assignment of Choice – By Mr. Rick Hansen

When I first learned I was going to Korea in March 1967, I was at Fort Ord awaiting orders for Vietnam. The announcement came at 2:00 A.M., jolting us awake with word that orders had changed and we needed to be up and in formation within minutes. My first feeling was simple exhaustion. My second was fear, because I knew very little about Korea. My third feeling was resignation—knowing there was nothing I could do to change the orders, and realizing that, in the long run, Korea might be better than Vietnam.

Between March 1967 and April 1968, I served on the DMZ in A Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry at Camp Kaiser. I began my tour as an E-3 infantryman assigned to an APC unit. Within six months, I was selected to serve as the company clerk, a position I held until I left the unit in April 1968 as a Sergeant (E-5). Following my duty in Korea, I was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington, as a rifle range instructor.

My memories of Korea run the gamut from loneliness to enjoyment as I made new friends from all parts of the United States. I remember the intense heat of summer, the “wet bulb” alerts when it was too hot to train outside, and the bitterly cold winters when my clothing seemed to weigh more than I did. When I was out in the field executing maneuvers, the C-rations—complete with their small pack of five cigarettes—actually tasted good, at least as I recall.

My true “aha” moment in Korea came during field training on the DMZ. Seeing North Korea so close gave me the realization that I was part of a very different kind of war. There were no hot bullets flying, but the danger was real—sometimes only a hundred yards away. In that moment, it became very clear to me that I was there for a reason and had a mission to fulfill.

I took many photos while stationed near the DMZ, which sat untouched in “storage” for many years. Recently, I opened my Korea box and found myself reliving those memories. I selected six pictures to share with the KDVA group. The first photo was taken during a May 1967 field exercise. Local children were always curious about what we were doing. Despite the language barrier, we managed to communicate through smiles, hand gestures, and the occasional leftover C-ration.

We went on many field exercises along the DMZ during my time there. One particularly welcome sight was the Donut Dolly, who arrived with fresh donuts that did wonders for morale. I’m not sure where they were made—possibly Camp Casey—but they were always a treat.

Before leaving Korea, I took a three-day pass and traveled by bus to Seoul. One photo shows me standing in front of an ancient landmark, proudly wearing a handmade suit I had made there. I can’t recall the name of the landmark anymore, and I certainly no longer fit into that beautifully tailored suit.

I also selected two photos featuring members of my squad. One shows us bundled up for a DMZ division exercise in January 1968—we all walked like penguins. The other was taken on Christmas Eve 1967, with our squad dressed for church. After the service, we celebrated with cookies from home and American beer.

The final photo is of me standing by our Camp Kaiser unit sign. Shortly after that picture was taken, there was a change in commanding officers. Most of my time in Korea was under the leadership of Lieutenant Moss. As the company clerk, I got to know him better than most, since my desk was located in a small building shared with the company leadership.

When I left Korea in April 1968, my lasting impression was one of sorrow—for the country and its people. Because I spent little time in Seoul, I assumed much of the country was as bleak as the DMZ. At that time, I had no desire to ever return.

In the decades since the Korean Conflict, with the help of many nations, South Korea has become a world leader in technology, contributing to a safer and more comfortable world. The resourcefulness of its people has carried the country proudly into the 21st century.

Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to revisit Korea and to share those long-ago experiences with my wife—this time as a tourist, and not as an E-5.

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Why Korea is an Assignment of Choice – By Mr. Rick Bogusky

I am writing this nearly 50 years after getting my initial assignment to Korea, and I could not have imagined the lifelong journey it would become.  Prior to graduating from West Point, I selected Field Artillery as my branch and desired an overseas base for my first assignment.  Although the 4^th Missile Command in Korea was available, I wanted to be in a tube artillery unit (versus missiles) and ultimately chose Fort Sill, OK.  The Field Artillery Officer Basic Course (FAOBC) was also at Fort Sill, and upon graduation, I would remain at one of the battalions there.  Halfway through FAOBC, there was a call for volunteers for overseas assignments to Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Korea.  Along with many others, I submitted my name and within days was notified that I was going to Korea but would first spend a year at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) learning Korean.  Korea, and the Orient in general, was fascinating to me simply because I knew next to nothing about it—it was totally foreign in every sense of the word, and I was excited to go there.  The year at DLI introduced me to the Korean culture, people, and food.  My native Korean instructors were amazing and taught me more than just the language.  Their sincere friendship and mentoring made me realize that volunteering (they say ‘Never volunteer for anything in the Army’) and subsequently being selected for the Korea assignment was a Godsend.  Little did I know then how true that would be.  

In Korea, I was assigned to the Weapons Support Detachment-Korea (WSD-K) in Camp Page, home of the 4^th Missile Command.  As fate would have it – although 4^th Missile Command had deactivated prior to my arrival – I ended up at the very place I initially dismissed.  Camp Page was a small installation in the beautiful city of Chuncheon, the capital of Kangweon Province, the northeastern province of South Korea.  When I left the replacement center in Seoul and took the long bus ride on a narrow, winding road to Camp Page, I marveled at the natural beauty of the countryside.  While assigned to WSD-K, I saw much more of the country and would travel the dirt and gravel roads from coast to coast in the northern area near the DMZ.  Because our unit worked exclusively with Republic of Korea (ROK) artillery units, our training missions had us drive or fly to designated ROK sites to jointly conduct fire missions.  An Army UH1 battalion was located at Camp Page and getting a flying mission was always preferable to going by land, but I enjoyed traveling the beautiful countryside either way.  The opportunity to work with the ROK Army as a young officer instilled in me how professional and hard working these brothers in arms are.  That impression continued to build over the decades of working side by side with my ROK colleagues, and some of those friendships continue to this day.

Not long after arriving at Camp Page, an officer who was about to depart asked if I would be interested to taking over his English class at a small institute in town. It was a great opportunity to get out into the community and interact with college students preparing for post-graduation jobs.  Since all ROK males were drafted and normally did their military time in the middle of their college years, most of the men in the class were my age.  In Korean organizations, even informal ones, there is always someone in charge, and I became good friends with the class leader, Kim Myong-Soo, better known as Michael.  Initially I taught two evenings a week at the institute, and Michael soon asked if I would also teach his classmates at the Business Administration Department at Kangweon National University.  I agreed and added another weekday evening and Saturday afternoon.  This was mostly done gratis and when it did not interfere with my military duties.  Halfway through my tour, the head of the Korean Department at DLI visited Korea and met his old classmate who was President of Kangweon National Bank in Chuncheon.  He invited me to dinner with him and upon his suggestion, I began teaching English to the bankers.  During my first tour, I had more opportunities and interactions with the ROK military and civilian community than I could ever have imagined.  

One day Michael mentioned that I probably knew his sisters.  I asked how that could be, and he said they both attended the chapel services on Camp Page.  One sister was a music major and was contracted to play the piano at all the services. The other sister and a few more classmates served as the choir.  The next Sunday, I introduced myself and asked them to join our English class at the university.  It is a long story for another time, but I eventually got engaged to the sister who sang in the choir (Joanna) and a year after my first Korean tour ended, I returned to Korea on leave for her college graduation and our wedding.  Now, after nearly 46 years we enjoy life with our two boys and their families with five grandchildren.

After Korea I went to Fort Carson and from there, I went to the Officer Advanced Course (OAC).  I commanded a battery at Fort Carson and was therefore able to request—and was approved for—early entry into the Foreign Area Officer (FAO) career field.  Following OAC I went to Fort Bragg for the FAO course and graduate school.  From there my first FAO assignment was the Deputy G5 in the 2^nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Korea.  At that time, the G5 was responsible for civil affairs, and thus I was involved with working with the local governments in the 2ID area and resolving issues such as maneuver damage with the Korean citizens. The most trying experience during that year came one evening when I went to Uijongbu to meet with a family of a young woman who had been murdered that day on a US installation.  My Korean cultural experiences were expanded in the blink of an eye.  

As a field artillery officer and a FAO, Korea was the ideal “assignment of choice.”  Following my time in the G5 at Camp Casey, I extended my tour for another battery command with the 6/37^th FA Battalion at Camp Essayons in Uijongbu.  (The same camp where the young woman was murdered.)  I had two more military assignments in Korea—in ’91-’92 as Executive Officer (XO) with the 1/15^th FA Battalion at Camp Casey and ’96-’98, for one year as XO for the ROK Deputy Commander, Combined Forces Command (CFC), and one year as an Army War College Fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul.

My stateside FAO assignments offered many opportunities to return to Korea on TDY, and in my last active duty assignment, I escorted two different Army Chiefs of Staff on official visits to Korea.  As fate would have it, GEN Kim Dong-Shin was the ROK Army Chief of Staff at the time, who was previously my boss when he was the Deputy Commander, CFC.  I had stayed in contact with him so preparation for the U.S.-ROK counterpart meetings was easy.  GEN Kim and I remain close to this day.  I consider him more than anyone as my professional mentor and someone I deeply respect and care for.

After military retirement and another civilian career, I returned to Korea as a civilian contractor supporting CFC from 2013 to 2017.  During that time, both of my sons who are Air Force officers also served in CFC.  For a six-month period, all three of us overlapped in serving the Command.  

Korea has been the center of my career, my life, and my family.  Little did I know that when I volunteered back in 1976 for an overseas tour that I was in for the most life-altering and wonderful years ahead.  Yes, Korea has been an assignment of choice for me in so many ways, and I know many others have similar experiences.  I still have family and friends in Korea and this past April, Joanna and I returned with our two oldest granddaughters in time to participate in the spring cleanup of the family’s mountain gravesite with Michael and other brothers and their families.  It is a duty I cherish in honoring Joanna’s parents and other deceased family members.  I am bound to that hallowed ground, because etched on a granite pillar at the gravesite is a family history going back generations including the names in Hangul: “Rick and Joanna Bogusky and their sons Andy and Richie.”  In many ways, that inscription captures what service in Korea has meant to me beyond professional fulfillment—it represents the living bond between two nations that gave me purpose, perspective, and the people I hold most dear. What began as a simple assignment became a lifelong journey, one that shaped not just my career, but my life. For me, Korea is more than an assignment of choice; in so many ways it chose me.

Photo caption:  Granddaughters pointing to the Bogusky name on gravesite marker.

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