Friday, March 23, 2001

By Jeremy Kirk
Seoul bureau chief

Jeromy Cross / Stars and Stripes U.S. Army Maj. Maria Eoff talks with South Korean Cadet Yoo Kyang-hee Wednesday at 8th Army Headquarters in Yongsan, South Korea.

YONGSAN GARRISON — Next year, the South Korean military will make a historic leap by graduating its first class of female cadets at the Korea Military Academy, the country’s equivalent of the prestigious U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

And some of the cadets will earn a distinction U.S. female cadets can’t: They will become infantry officers. South Korean Army regulations allow women in the infantry, while U.S. regulations still prohibit women from serving in infantry or armor units.

On Wednesday, eight U.S. female officers — ranging from colonel to second lieutenant — shared their experiences of breaking down stereotypes and proving their might in the U.S. Army with about 46 South Korean female cadets.

Some of the U.S. officers had attended West Point, which began accepting women in 1976. Lt. Col. Lori Sussman graduated from West Point in 1983, and her view of the military’s composition drew nods from the other U.S. officers.

"It attracts the most traditional men and the most untraditional women," said Sussman, commander of the 122nd Signal Battalion with the 2nd Infantry Division. "There will always be that tension. [Men] need [women] to have a strong military."

Dressed in crisp gray uniforms, the South Korean female military cadets asked sharp questions, covering everything from whether female officers wear makeup to the secret of the U.S. Army’s power.

The challenges for women range from proving their physical might to leadership to knowledge of their jobs. While women may not be able to do more push-ups than most men, some of the officers said women can find their niche.

For 2nd Lt. Tiffany Bryant, who graduated from West Point last May, that niche was running. She doesn’t like push-ups, but said she can outrun the guys.

The most important part of keeping up is not physical, she said. It’s an attitude that shows you’ll push yourself that males will respect regardless of your strength.

"It’s not giving up — you keep driving on even when you’re tired," Bryant said. "Male soldiers are expected to do the same thing."

The transition from a cadet to an Army officer can be difficult, said Capt. Maria Burger.

"I thought that after four years I would be prepared for anything they would throw at me," said Burger, who graduated from West Point in 1995. "When I first got to my platoon, it was a whole different story."

During a field exercise, some soldiers’ wives called her questioning why she was in charge of their husbands, Burger said.

Seeking mentors and asking questions in those early career days can help young officers develop a knowledge base to make competent decisions, Sussman said. Strong job performance is essential, she added.

"We are women officers, and as long as you are confident and competent you will override prejudices," Sussman said. "The thing that [men] prize the most is you do your job well."

In the South Korean military, there are about 2,300 women among a force of 690,000 soldiers, according to the Defense Ministry. For men, 26 months of military service is mandatory because of the threat from North Korea.

Women have served in the South Korean military since the Korean War ended in 1953. Currently, there are 92 women enrolled at the Korea Military Academy.

Second Lt. Clara Abraham, whose mother is of Korean heritage, told the cadets they should be admired for "giving up part of their culture" to be a part of the academy. Typically, Korean women in their 20s are expected to get married and have children, usually abandoning career plans for family obligations.

Cadet Choi Hye-sun will be in the first class of graduates next year and will join the infantry. Her father liked it when she enrolled at KMA, but her mother wasn’t too keen on the idea.

"I decided to go to KMA to be an infantry officer because I wanted to sacrifice myself for my country," said Choi, 21.

Male cadets have asked her why she came to the school. Choi tells them the desire to serve your country is the same whether you are male or female.

Cadet Yoo Kyung-hee, a junior at the school, wants to go into the military police. She said she enjoyed the chance to question U.S. female officers about leadership styles and lifestyle choices.

"We’re still cadets so we don’t know about the future," Yoo said. "We have had the chance to think about it."

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