Quote:
Originally Posted by Louied
4) 2 ID in ROK had 2 each Ard., Mech, & Air Assault. I know KATUSA troops were integrated into all these units in 2 ID. However there is a mention of KATUSA "Bn.'s" reinforcing. Was this some kind of planned RO to the 2nd ?
Louie
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I can't talk to you about a lot of the "2nd Korean War" warplan from the late 1980s and early 1990s I know, but I can tell a very interesting fact about 2nd ID's 3rd brigade at the time. It's infantry component had the strangest structure I'd seen at the time -- one light infantry battalion, one air assault battalion, and one air assault battalion that was also airborne qualified if that capability was necessary. Don't how long they kept up that structure, but I don't think 3rd Brigade is organized that way anymore.
Although the KATUSAs trained alongside their counterparts in whatever unit they were assigned to and had essentially the same training, they went to ROK Basic Training and we usually had to retrain the new KATUSAs in some basic skills. However, a KATUSA's primary role in an American units is not to be simply another joe -- it's to be a translator, liaison between us and ROK units, smooth over rough spots between us and the Korean locals, and (very important) give us insight into the Korean mind and culture.
Unfortunately, KATUSA jobs are also a political football, typically given to the sons of the spoiled rich upperclass families, since even they cannot escape the national draft. The ROKs are HARD on their troops. It's probably part of why ROK troops and Marines are incredibly tough. Being made a KATUSA puts you into an American unit, which is a veritable paradise compared to a ROK unit. The most of the upperclass have political connections that can get their sons into a KATUSA job. That doesn't automatically make all KATUSAs bad, but they do tend to have an attitude problem from day one. You will hear of virtually NO KATUSA who goes on to a second term in the ROK military, because you can only serve your first term as a KATUSA and if he stays in, he goes back to a regular ROK unit and is immediately tagged as "soft." It is in fact, more common to see KATUSAs who want to be career military for some reason to join the US Army -- KATUSAs can choose a special super-fast-track option towards US citizenship and also do not have to go to American Basic, or AIT unless they want to change MOS. They basically do a small mountain of paperwork starting about a month before they ETS from the ROK Army, then they get the same sort of reenlistment options that any US soldier would have.