Questions about Kunsan AB S. Korea

[Kathy_guest]

Hi everyone...I am new at this. I have a daughter who just finished basic training in San Antonio this August. She is in the Air Force just finishing Tech school in Lackland and I just found out that she is going to Kunsan AB in Korea in Oct. for a year. At first I was very excited for her (sad myself to have her so far away, we live in Wisconsin USA.) However, an instructor had told her about some dangers of her being at this base. EX: Men to women ration--1 to 20. Use your imagination. Lots of problems....but I don't know how serious these problems are and why the instructor would tell her these stories if it weren't true. I am so confused and very concerned about the safety of my daughter. Does anyone have any experience over there that can either put my mind at ease or help me so I can prepare her for reality. You know kids...how nice it would be to be invinsible again!! Please help if you can. Thanks, Kathy

[dtmatheis]

Hello Kathy
I understand your concerns…I have son’s and daughters in the military across the world. While I don’t have first hand experience with this base I do have military/overseas experience. I don’t think the individual telling your daughter this is trying to scare her. I just think they want young female/male soldiers to understand the significance of their surroundings and try not to walk into any situation with eyes wide shut.

From my observation male and female soldiers alike depending on age lets say 17-27 seem to get into unflattering situations by fault or not. This could be for many reasons 1. The sudden freedom (17yr old who always lived with parents, curfew, rules ECT) now make decisions based on self without fear of disappointment or punishment from parents (what happens in Vegas stay’s in Vegas ).

In my opinion it’s not so much of male to female ratio but, her understanding that she is in a different country with different values, culture, and rules. She not only represents the military but the United States and this alone makes her a target. If I can offer you any advice it would be tell your daughter not to have a false since of security because of her citizenship and uniform. Don’t allow her gender to prevent her from exploring, and embracing her new surroundings (with caution) and be wise about the individuals she allow in her circle of “friends” .

I hope I have helped in some way.

Good Luck
DT

[jdstxrose_guest]

Hi Kathy!

I was stationed at Kunsan from April 02-03, went to Japan for two years then went back to Korea and did another year, this time at Osan from May 05-06.

Kunsan was my 3rd duty assignment. I really enjoyed my time there, but I am going to have to side with the instructor as far as warning your daughter about life there.

I am guessing if your daughter went to tech school at Lackland, she is either a cop (Security Forces) or a cook (Services). There are some other trades that graduate from there, but those are the bigger of the two. (I myself am a Services troop.)

I'm not exactly sure what all the instructor told your daughter, however I can say these things about Kunsan (I was 19 turning 20 when I was there). They're not all nice, but it's the honest truth, so here goes....

-The legal drinking age has been moved up to 21 (it used to be 20, before that 18). However, underage drinking in Korea is very prominent. I'm sure you have already (and she will hear it more in briefings & the like) but re-warn your daughter about the dangers of drinking. Let her know that binge drinking is not cool and that bad things can happen to her if she drinks in excess.

-There are many, many reported cases of rape in Korea. It is one of the Pacific's worse areas for rape in the Air Force. Even more cases of unreported rape happen. I pray that nothing even close to this happens to your daughter. However, if something does, please let her know that she needs to report it as soon as it happens. There are 2 ways of reporting a rape, restriced and unrestricted. She will learn more about these once she arrives on station, if she hasn't been told already. Either way, it's important that she reports it if something happens to her or one of her friends.

-In Korea they have a lot of exercises...the kind where you dress up in your chemical, biological, warfare gear and play "war games" for a week or more at a time. Kunsan is especially known for their exercises. They tend to play them a little harder/more serious than they do up at Osan. During the exercises, everyone is working long hours with minimal sleep. What sleep you do get is usually inturrupted by alarm signals going off and "bombs" dropping. (Not real ones, just the sound of them along with some smoke bombs to simulate an attack.) Exercises are great practice to help prepare the Airmen for the possibility of an attack from North Korea. If she is a not a cop, chances are she will be pulled for what is called Augmentee Duty, during which time she could be pulled to help augment the cops during the exercises. Basically this means that she becomes a cop during this time and will be issued a gun (w/ blanks) and be instructed on how to help "defend the base." I was pulled for augmentee duty a lot. I found it very interesting and learned a lot from them.

-When off of work, encourage her to get involved in the Airman's Council and other volunteer organizations, such as helping out at the orphanages or perhaps get involved with her squadron in squadron sports such as softball or basketball. Not only will this be good for her promotion/career, but it will help to keep her out of trouble. Same goes with continuing education. It is best to get started on her CCAF degree ASAP!

-The Services squadron and ITT offer a lot of cultural tours and sight seeing. Tell her to take those opportunities while she can. I know a lot of people who regret being there a whole year and never getting to see the country.

-There are regular busses that run from Kunsan to Osan. Osan is where she'll want to go to get all the shopping done. She can get a lot of good gifts up there to send back home at a good price too. Lots of custom made stuff.

-There is a curfew in Korea. You must be on a military installation or in your hotel room by 12am during the week and 1am on weekends & holidays.

[jdstxrose_guest]

Originally Posted by dtmatheis

In my opinion it’s not so much of male to female ratio but, her understanding that she is in a different country with different values, culture, and rules. She not only represents the military but the United States and this alone makes her a target. If I can offer you any advice it would be tell your daughter not to have a false since of security because of her citizenship and uniform. Don’t allow her gender to prevent her from exploring, and embracing her new surroundings (with caution) and be wise about the individuals she allow in her circle of “friends”

I very, very much agree with this. Of my 7 years in, 5 of them have been spent in overseas locations. You must never forget that you are in someone else's country and that the long arm of the US only goes so far. We are not liked by everyone (one of the first things I learned) and there are a lot of people out there who don't want us around. Women also have MUCH more freedom (of life, of expression, of everything!) in the US than women do in a lot of other countries. She'd be smart if she studied up a bit on the Korean culture and learned how to blend in once there.
She's lucky in a sense that Korea isn't Iraq or the like. They are more open to the Western culture there, but you still don't want to stick out like a sore thumb by wearing flashy A&F shirts, baggy jeans or big belt buckles.

[Kathy_guest]

Thank you to everyone who replied! It was hard for me to ask but I would rather know the truth and have a couple of weeks to prepare her than, like you said, have her go in with her eyes wide shut! She is with any luck going to be home by the 25th of this month for a few weeks. I printed these replies so she can read them. Not to scare her, but to let her know that it isn't just me being an over protective mother. Thanks again, and if there are more out there, please write. Thanks Kathy

Thanks Kathy for starting this. My son just informed me that he has orders and will be reporting over there soon so I will forward this stuff to him.

Rest assure I will be covering your daughter in the blood of Jesus along with my son.

Ms. Ramsey

[Shrike]

Originally Posted by Net

Thanks Kathy for starting this. My son just informed me that he has orders and will be reporting over there soon so I will forward this stuff to him.

Rest assure I will be covering your daughter in the blood of Jesus along with my son.

Ms. Ramsey

What the hell?

Originally Posted by Net

Thanks Kathy for starting this. My son just informed me that he has orders and will be reporting over there soon so I will forward this stuff to him.

Rest assure I will be covering your daughter in the blood of Jesus along with my son.

Ms. Ramsey

I would be more worried about someone covering your daughter in blood than anything she could possibly get into in Korea.

[AirmanMom]

Hello

I'm new to this so I'm a bit curious about what my son might expect as worthwhile activities to get involved in during his 2 year committment at Kunsan. He leaves Dec 31st.

Before he goes, will the Air Force help with some travel plans to see his family? This would involve travel to South Florida and New York before returning to Lackland, yes, during the Chirstmas holiday period of extreme expenses.

How much stuff will he be allowed to bring with him? He has a laptop PC. Does he bring civilian clothes?
Does the "MagicJack" really work over there?

Just some questions,

AirmanMom