CAMP CASEY, South Korea - Commonly referred to as sergeants time training, the weekly event is a period where Soldiers execute mission-oriented tasks to improve unit readiness. This training also allows noncommissioned officers to assess individual Soldier proficiency and reinforce standards through appropriate training methods. Yet, it is not uncommon for NCOs to add a twist.
The medic section from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US Combined Division, recently showed a new approach while conducting their STT July 30 at Soyo Mountain near Dongducheon, South Korea.
For this particular training event, rather than being NCO-led, two of the section's Korean Augmentees to the U.S. Army were charged with leading the training.
"My initial idea was for the KATUSA Soldiers to have the opportunity to teach a class," said Staff Sgt. Richard Guinan, the section's noncommissioned officer in charge. "But today was a great opportunity to get out of Camp Casey and experience the beautiful sight of Mount Soyosan in Korea."
During the training, the KATUSA Soldiers prepared two presentations on the culture and history of Korea as well as the longstanding partnership between Korea and the U.S., said Guinan, a Brooklyn, New York native.
Even though the event was not conducted in a conventional sense, it possessed one of the most important functions of training - leader development.
"It was a good opportunity for me to stand up and teach my battle buddies," said Pfc. Hee-min Jin, a KATUSA medical specialist with the section. "Even though it was hard for me to prepare this class from scratch, I learned a lot while doing so."
In addition to leader development, the training also helped strengthen and develop the alliance between U.S. and KATUSA Soldiers.
"This type of training, where we get to showcase the people, history and the cultural traditions of Korea, definitely impacts and greatly improves on the strong bond that we already have between the U.S. and the ROK Army," said Guinan.
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