Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

The Marine Winter Camp: “Come on, Jack Frost!”

176 middle school, high school and university students nationwide
Learned passion, fighting and challenge spirit
Earned a “Red badge” when succeeding in the training

“Marine winter camp” reached a climax on January 14, the third day of the training, where people experienced passion and the strong fighting and challenge spirit peculiar to the Marine Corps.

Participants in this camp have been making special memories in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, fighting against severe winter since the 12th day of this month.

176 middle school, high school and university students from all over the country entered the camp lasting until January 16 and conducted by the 1st Marine Division. They experienced basics of parachute landing fall and guerrilla training, Inflatable Boat Small (IBS) training, combat swimming including improvised buoy and takeoff from a ship, first aid and field mess under the theme of challenge, patience and the birth. And they write thank-you letters to their parents and prepare self-improvement plans on the 15th. On January 16, they are to be awarded the “Red badge”, a symbol of the Marine Corps, at a completion ceremony when they finish the training successfully.

Meanwhile, there were many notable participants including a father and son who entered together, a teenage brother who wants to understand his brother in the service and a female high school student who wants to be a noncom of the Marine Corps.

Park Hyo-Jung, 19, said, “I’m dreaming of becoming a noncom of the Marine Corps, so I decided to participate in this camp to experience the Marine spirit, ‘Try Until Done’. I’d like to be a drill instructor, not a camp participant, in the near future and inspire students who want to have a dream like me.”

The 1st Marine Division put 14 professional instructors and eight medical support personnel including an Army surgeon in the training camp and it proceeded without a single injured person.

The Marine Camp has been run in the summer and winter seasons by the 1st Marine Division since 1997. Around 33,000 people have experienced the camp so far.

By Byeong-No, Yun < trylover@dema.mil.kr >
<Copyright ⓒ The Korea Defense Daily, All rights reserved>