Staff Sgt. Davinia Seay, Armed Forces Network broadcaster, gives Staff Sgt. John Goolsby, 8th Operations Support Squadron, and shadow students (left to right) Mr. Yi, Woo Taek, Mr. Yi, Ju Heon, Howon University and Mr. Kim, Jong Bong, Kunsan University, the opportunity to be disc jockeys for a day at the AFN studio at Kunsan AB today. ()
For what is believed to be the first time, South Korean university students are getting an up-close look at what their U.S. military counterparts do daily.
All this week, eight students from area universities shadowed airmen at Kunsan Air Base, focusing on one of four fields: operations, maintenance, medical or mission support.
“I know that they are making a push to have us throw out doubts about the military being here,” said Kim Jung-pung, a 25-year-old environmental engineering student from Kunsan National University. “I have been especially impressed with the environmental control and the way they treat their facilities. I am also impressed with their system of managing documents.”
Kim, who also served a stint in the South Korean military, said he’s learning methods that will help in his field. “It is helpful for me in my studies, and for all the students, it is a help to exercise our English and expose ourselves to new experiences,” he said.
Another student, Lee Joo-hyun, from Howon University in Kunsan, has shadowed members of the operations group; a highlight of his week was a Humvee ride to an explosive ordnance disposal site.
“It is my first time on the base,” said Lee, 22. “We … saw missiles and many machines from the planes. When I speak to other people in English, it lets me know more about them and where they are from.”
Lee, like the other students, was chosen by his university’s administration. Part of his charge is to return and share his experience with other students.
“Of course I will tell all about it, and maybe others will get excited by the story,” he said.
The American guides indicated the week has been equally interesting for them.
“This is the first time the program is being done, so there are still some things we’re trying to feel out,” said Lt. Nate Mcleod-Hughes of the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “But it’s a great chance to have better community relations and a great chance for the Koreans to see how we live and what we do.
“I’ve been able to practice some of my Korean, too. It’s been pretty constant feedback on the pronunciations of words that I thought I knew,” said the 26-year-old from Warner-Robbins, Ga.
Kunsan officials hope the program can be replicated throughout South Korea.
“It’s really the first of its kind because the other programs are focused on elementary or high school students and not really at the university level,” said Capt. Krista Carlos, an 8th Fighter Wing spokeswoman.
“We hope this will be the benchmark for future programs throughout the peninsula.”
And so far, the program has been a success.
“We can be good messengers to our community and to our friends, to give a true impression of the air base,” said Kim, the Kunsan National University student.
