Call For Action

Submit your articles for KDVA’s 2023 2nd Quarter ROK-U.S. Alliance Journal by May 1. 

The digital journal features stories and articles by KDVA members and supporters of the ROK-U.S. Alliance. It allows our members and supporters a way to voice their expertise and opinions that add to discussions about the Alliance.

The journal will go to our members, our partner organizations, potential sponsors, Alliance experts in the ROK and U.S. governments, and U.S. and ROK think tanks.

Submission Guidelines: 

• Articles can be submitted in English and Korean.
• Topic areas are: 
  • Korean War and Korea Defense Veterans
  • Security and Strategy
  • Korean and American Culture
  • Serving in Korea
  • ROK – U.S. Alliance
• Articles should be less than 1,500 words, 1,000 words if submitting photos for your article.
• If your article is longer, please indicate what parts you would like us to publish and provide a link or contact info where our readers can get the full article or story.
• If providing photos, please provide photo captions and photo credits. Photos should be sent in separate attachments and be in jpg. or png. format. 

Please send any questions or articles to kdva.journal@gmail.com by May 1st. If your articles are selected for publication, we will contact you for further steps.

Check out KDVA’s latest ROK – U.S. Alliance Journals – Click here.

The Revisit Korea Program for Korea Defense Veterans refers to a weeklong program provided by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) for Korea Defense Veterans and their families.

KDVA is very thankful to the ROK Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) for sponsoring this important and exciting program. For the 3^rd year, KDVA will manage the application and selection of Korea Defense Veterans who served in Korea since the signing of the Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953.

The number of participants and dates are still being determined for the 2023 trip.

Participants will be selected from among KDVA members. For U.S. Defense Veterans who are not yet KDVA members and would like to be eligible for participation in the Revisit Program, please join KDVA as a Regular Member by May 31, 2023 – it is free. If you plan to bring a spouse or companion, they must be a KDVA member. Associate memberships are available if they don’t meet Regular membership criteria. JOIN KDVA >

MPVA is providing additional slots for the other Sending States, and a travel companion. The Sending States that supported/are supporting the United Nations Command in Korea are:  Australia, Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, the Republic of South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Over 3.3 million U.S. Service Members and thousands from the other Sending States have served in Korea since the signing of the Armistice Agreement.

Revisit Korea Program Criteria –

1.  Eligibility

Among those in the following categories, priority will be given to those who have never participated in the Revisit Korea Program.

1. Veteran
   1. Defense Veterans (DV) who were stationed in Korea following the armistice agreement as a member of UN Forces, the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, or U.S. Forces Korea.

2.  Benefits

1. Itinerary
   1. Visit U.S. Camps/Air Bases, Panmunjom, Seoul National Cemetery, War Memorial of Korea, and Insadong; attend several key ROK-U.S. Alliance banquets and dinners. (This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change) – 2022 Itinerary
2. Airfare
   1. A veteran will receive an economy class ticket, and one companion will receive half the price of an economy class ticket.
3. Accommodation
   1. During the official itinerary, a standard double room (two people per room) in a five-star hotel will be provided.
4. Ground Transportation
   1. Ground transportation to and from the airport while in Korea will be covered.
   2. Coach buses will be provided as a means of transportation for the official itinerary, and for long-distance travel, KTX will be available for participants’ convenience.
5. Meals
   1. Meals during the official itinerary and designated group meals will be covered.

Before applying, please understand MPVA will cover the majority of expenses for the trip; however, there are miscellaneous expenses participants will be expected to pay. Some of these expenses are:

1. Companion Airfare – Half the price of an economy-class ticket
2. U.S. Passport Application Fee (Only if you don’t already have one.)
3. Travel Medical Insurance
4. K-ETA Entry Fee
5. Any expenses incurred prior to entry into the Republic of Korea, including local transportation fees, meals in the airport, and layover accommodation costs
6. Personal transportation outside of the official itinerary
7. Costs for meals in restaurants or cafes outside of designated group meals

Additionally, the following forms and proof of receipts will be required after participants have been accepted into the program.

1. Registration, Liability, and Medical Waiver Forms
2. Covid-19 Vaccination Card
3. Copy of Passport
4. Travel Insurance Receipt
5. K-ETA Entry Receipt

Please carefully read the rules and guidelines before applying. –  Korea Revisit Program Participation Rules 2023

APPLY TODAY!
You must be a KDVA Regular Member to access the application. By clicking on the link below, you will be redirected to the member portal. Simply log in and then reclick on the “Apply Here” button to access the application. If you can’t log in, please try resetting your password. Your username is your email address.

If you have previously applied, we have your application on file and there is no reason to reapply. 

If you are not a KDVA regular member, please apply here. – Membership is free!

KDVA INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (KIP), 2022-2023 – ​APPLY TODAY!

KDVA’s Mission:

The Korea Defense Veterans Association’s mission is to enhance the ROK-U.S. Alliance by advocating for the Alliance and supporting the people who built and serve the Alliance.

Why Become a KDVA Intern?

The KDVA Internship Program provides volunteer opportunities to learn about the ROK-U.S. Alliance and its diverse topics, gain invaluable professional experience, develop skills, make professional contacts, and make contributions to the ROK-U.S. Alliance.

Research Assistant Internship:

• Researching topics about the ROK-U.S. Alliance.
• Writing articles for the KDVA Quarterly Journal, KDVA Monthly Newsletter, and KDVA social media platforms.
• Helping with social media.
• Very flexible hours – telework when you have the time.

Event Management and Support Internship:

• On-site support for very senior-level events.

• Event planning, support, and participation.
• Note taking and drafting executive summaries.
• Short duration efforts with a lasting impact.
• Locations: Events will take place in Washington, D.C. or Seoul.

Eligibility:

• KDVA Members.
• KDVA Associate Members.
• Family Members of KDVA Members and Associate Members.
• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Experiences and Skills:

• Enthusiasm for the ROK-U.S. Alliance and the KDVA mission.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Good grasp of or enthusiasm for learning social media technology, strategy, and innovation.
• For Research Assistant Internship:  Strong writing and researching skills.
• For Event Internship:  Poise and interpersonal skills necessary to interact with staff, honorees, volunteers, vendors, and members.

Internship Length:

• One Year, October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023.

Academic Credit?

Academic credit will depend on your school’s requirements.
—–

Questions? Email: kdva.internships@gmail.com.

Please submit your application and resume by September 20, 2022. We plan to announce the 2022-2023 KDVA Internship Team by September 28, 2022.

APPLICATION 

KDVA called for KDVA Local Chapters in the United States in August, and we are very thankful to have several volunteers.  Now, KDVA announces virtual Common Interest Groups.

Common Interest Groups (CIG) are virtual and bonded by a common interest.  For example, KDVA members could form CIGs for a KDVA-DMZ Group, KDVA-1970s Decade Group, KDVA-current and former 7AF Group, KDVA-CFC C3 Group, etc.

Members can join only one Local Chapter at a time and more than one Common Interest Group.

If interested, 1) please join KDVA and 2) respond to the questions on our Virtual Common Interest Group Form.

주한미군전우회는 8월 미국 내 지부 설립을 위한 자원을 요청했고, 여러 자원자를 받았습니다. 주한미군전우회는 이제 온라인 동호회(CIG) 개설을 계획하고 있습니다.

CIG(동호회, Common Interest Groups)는 온라인으로 진행되며, 공동의 관심사를 토대로 구성원을 모집합니다. 예를 들어, 주한미군전우회 회원들은 주한미군전우회-DMZ 모임, 주한미군전우회-1970년대 모임, 주한미군전우회-미7공군 전현직 모임, 주한미군전우회-연합사 작참부(C3) 모임 등의 동호회를 개설할 수 있을 겁니다.

주한미군전우회 회원들은 1개 지부에만 가입할 수 있으나, 동호회(CIG)에는 원하시는 만큼 가입하실 수 있습니다.

관심있으신 분들꼐선 먼저 첫번째, 주한미군전우회 회원가입을 부탁드리고, 두번째,  CIG(동호회, Common Interest Groups)

형태 에서 질문에 응답 바랍니다.

For the 70th commemoration of the start of the Korean War, KDVA would like to honor those who served in the war and those who supported them from home.  We would like to hear and share the life stories of Korean War veterans, their families, and the lives they have touched.

Through written stories, photos, and short videos, we hope that people will find new appreciation for our Korean War veterans and the importance of the ROK-U.S. Alliance.  We also hope that veterans and their families will draw closer together as they discover new meaning and appreciation for the veterans’ experiences.

These stories will be living reminders of the immeasurable contributions of our Korean War veterans to the security and prosperity of the enduring ROK-U.S. Alliance.

Starting now, we ask anyone who is a Korean War veteran or knows a Korean War veteran to write short stories and share pictures or videos.

We will select some of these stories to highlight them below, at KDVA events, in the monthly KDVA “Unsung Heroes” Newsletter, and quarterly KDVA “ROK-U.S. Alliance Journal.”

Share Your Stories & Photos –

We ask anyone who is a Korean War veteran or knows a Korean War veteran to write short stories and share them along with pictures or videos with us. Please email your stories and photos to  70KWstories.kdva@gmail.com.