ROK/US SFS: A language of security and strength

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Hines
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Almost daily, people are presented with cultural, physical and lingual barriers they subconsciously step-over without much thought.

Need to order two coffees instead of one? No problem, hold up two fingers.

Accidentally bump into someone? A smile and a nod should convey your apologies.

But what happens when those subconscious gestures become vital to your very safety? Not so subconscious anymore, huh? In fact, you might be a little more tentative to how you handle those barriers.

For the security forces Airmen of the U.S and Republic of Korea Air Force on Kunsan Air Base, those barriers are as clear as a gridiron on a football field. But with the pass of each yard line, the joint defensive efforts of the 8th Security Forces Squadron and the 38th Fighter Group are that much stronger.

"We have translators in the unit who very useful, but when they are not available I try to remain patient and describe things to one another using hand gestures, pictures and what little words we do know from each other's languages," said 1st Lt. Glenn Johnson, 8th Security Forces Squadron office in-charge of training.

The joint defenders use each opportunity to improve overall communication means greater safety for the entire region.

Communication, however, isn't entirely about speech according to Maj. Hyun-Geun Park, 38th FG SFS commander.

"Language barriers can be bridged through the presence of competent interpreters, but the problem lies more towards cultural aspects between the two nations," said Park.

To amend this, both groups host several cultural festivals to provide personnel with an abundance of cultural exposure to ease any misunderstandings that occur in combined endeavors, said Park. Some of these festivals include participations in the Lunar New Year Festival and Tae-Kwon-Do tournaments.

When it comes to military service, both units serve with their countries safety and security in mind, however, their call to join is entirely different.

"I learned that all Korean men have to serve in the military," said Johnson, which is contrary to U.S. service members who volunteer to serve.

This requirement to serve, however, acts as a learning opportunity and as a reminder to both units on the realities of outside threats. It also showcases the Republic of Korea's commitment to protecting their homeland.

"Such divine spirit portrayed in a dire environment proves to be the core strength that keeps this peninsula safe from enemies' hands," said Park.

Through teamwork and a dedication to communication excellence, all levels of command, from United States Forces Korea to the 38th FG at Kunsan, have been able to enhance security and deter enemy aggression.

"Security has been greatly improved due to us working together. We discuss who is responsible for what areas and ensure we are all on the same page to work better as a team," said Johnson.

By an infinite understanding of the peninsula, ROK and US forces have strategically and successfully delegated responsibility of security throughout region.

"Among the USFK, the 7AF serves as the central element that keeps the ROK-US combined forces intact to protect the airspace from enemy intrusion," said Park.

Here at Kunsan, the 38th FG and the 8th FW "frequently carry out combined exercises together to enunciate our combined efforts as a single entity ... which serves as a testament of the ROK-US alliance," added Park.

In all, while both units work to overcome cultural and language barriers on a daily basis, these obstacles have served to help better train and equip both sides and have served to strengthen the overall security of the region.

"Strong communication is key in our overall security," added Johnson.