Operations Officer at the 70th Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (1974-1975)
The infantry regiment combat team is an operational unit of the field army that carries out war missions while also handling administrative functions. It is typically composed of three infantry battalions led by lieutenant colonels under the command of a colonel. During wartime, the division’s 105mm Howitzer Battalion was attached to provide direct support. Serving as an operations officer in an infantry regiment is a highly significant experience for an infantry officer, and most officers aspired to this position. Typically, this role was assigned to graduates of the Army Staff College. However, due to personnel management needs, I was appointed to the position of operations officer of the 70th Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in July 1974, prior to attending the Staff College.
At that time, the other regimental operations officers in the division were all Staff College graduates, which initially made the regimental commander uneasy as he was unfamiliar with my abilities. The annual regiment combat team training was conducted based on the division’s operational plans, with the operations officer making operational judgments based on intelligence assessments provided by the intelligence officer. Personnel and logistics decisions followed. I prepared diligently during the lead-up to the training and achieved good results, gradually earning the trust of the regimental commander. During my tenure, cooperation among the regimental staff was crucial. Most of the staff were senior to me and came from the Korea Military Academy, which made them less friendly toward me. For instance, when I visited subordinate battalions to supervise and oversee training, the logistics officer would sometimes reduce the fuel allocation for my Jeep, which caused inconvenience.
Training Officer, Army Cadet Corps, 3rd Military Academy (1975-1977)
After serving as operations officer for a year, in August 1975, I was transferred to the 3rd Military Academy, where I was appointed as a training officer for the cadet corps. The 3rd Military Academy is a two-year institution responsible for training officers for long-term service in the army. The army recognized the importance of this institution and appointed General Hwang Young-shi as the superintendent, assigning many officers from the Korea Military Academy to training officer positions. Upon my appointment as a training officer, I was determined to train cadets with the same rigor as the Korea Military Academy, instilling them with a strong military spirit. I devoted all my available time to the cadets, and I was overjoyed to hear later that they were successfully performing their duties after commissioning. I was especially happy to visit regiments commanded by my former cadets in 2002.
Continued Service and Reflection
Several years ago, the leadership of the 13th class of the 3rd Military Academy asked me to deliver a congratulatory speech at their 40th anniversary gathering. Unable to attend in person, I sent a video message from the United States instead. The video was played at the end of the gathering, and I received many messages expressing gratitude and nostalgia. To cherish these memories, I uploaded the video to YouTube: 3rd Military Academy Class of 13th Commissioning 40th Anniversary Message.
I was also asked to send a congratulatory message to the 19th training squad of the 13th class for their 70th birthday celebration. The video can also be seen on youtube.com: 3rd Military Academy Class of 13th, 19th Training Squad 70th Birthday Celebration.
Student, Regular Course 22, Army Staff College (1977-1978)
After completing my role as a training officer, I entered the Army Staff College in March 1977. The Army Staff College trains officers ranked major and above, focusing on developing the qualities necessary for commanders and staff officers. The regular course at the college lasts one year and is designed to foster military expertise, with an emphasis on developing the capabilities required to serve in corps-level and higher formations. The curriculum mainly consists of military strategy, field army operations, tactics, staff work, and military history. During this period, I learned a great deal. However, I also observed that some officers seemed to be becoming more politically inclined during their time at the college.
Personnel Management Officer at the Army Headquarters Personnel Staff (1978-1979)
After graduating from the Army Staff College, I was transferred to the Personnel Bureau at Army Headquarters and assigned as the Personnel Management Officer in the Officer System Section. My role was to research and analyze personnel policies regarding the education, assignment, and promotion of officers, and to propose personnel policies. Once a proposal was approved by the Chief of Staff following staff research, it would be implemented by the Personnel Management Office.
At first, I felt that the officers in charge of the Officer System Section had insufficient knowledge of personnel management and lacked the ability to identify personnel issues affecting officers, non-commissioned officers, and civilian employees or to develop effective policy solutions. Additionally, competition for promotion to the rank of colonel was fierce, and some lieutenant colonels from specific regions would often visit the Personnel Management Section to complain about promotion decisions. To assess the situation, I unofficially compiled statistics on the distribution of officers by rank and region of origin and discovered that higher-ranking officers were disproportionately from certain regions. While high-level government appointments had long been influenced by political power, I believed that for the sake of national unity, it was important to maintain balance in government appointments over the long term.
<- Previous -
Army Captain Period (’69-’74)