Thunder Brigade Teams Up with Dongducheon Volunteer Center for River Clean Up

By Staff Sgt. Felix MenaApril 11, 2023

Community Effort
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Andrew Champion, Deputy Commanding Officer of 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, South Korea, picks up trash from the bank of the Sincheon River in Dongducheon on March 31, 2023. Champion, along with the rest of the soldiers that volunteered, helped make the event a success. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Sally Armstrong) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Cleaning The Land
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, at Camp Casey, South Korea, and local volunteers pick up trash and debris along the Sincheon River in Dongducheon on March 31, 2023. The brigade teamed up with the Dongducheon Volunteer Center in a joint clean-up operation. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Felix Mena) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Cleaning Group
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Soldiers from 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, at Camp Casey, South Korea, and local volunteers prepare to clean the Sincheon River in Dongducheon on March 31, 2023. Approximately 65 soldiers from the brigade and over 100 local volunteers participated in the clean-up event. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Felix Mena) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

DONGDUCHEON, South Korea - Soldiers from the 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, stationed at Camp Casey, South Korea, teamed up with volunteers from the Dongducheon Volunteer Center and other local citizens in a joint clean-up operation of the Sincheon River located in Dongducheon, Republic of Korea, March 31, 2023.

The event's primary objective was to create environmental awareness and encourage community members to act in keeping the river clean. At the crack of dawn, the volunteers assembled at a designated meeting point, where they received a brief on the clean-up process and were equipped with gloves, garbage bags, and other essential equipment.

“We are good neighbors with the U.S. Army here in Dongducheon and we appreciate their efforts today.” said Mr. Hyong Nam Sun, Dongducheon volunteer center president. “When there is a community like this, we invite Soldiers from the 210th Field Artillery Brigade, and work together so we can have good partnership. Environmental clean-up is important all over the world. It’s great to see the 2ID/RUCD and Dongducheon volunteer center working together.”

Approximately 65 Soldiers and over 100 local volunteers participated in the clean-up. The local government and community members expressed their gratitude to the Soldiers and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to preserving the environment by serving them a traditional Korean Gimbap lunch.

The Sincheon River clean-up operation demonstrated the Soldiers' commitment to the local community and their dedication to environmental protection. It showcased how community members can work together towards a common goal and highlighted the importance of taking action to protect our environment.

“2ID/RUCD and 210 FA BDE is part of the community of Dongducheon and we remain committed to our partnerships.” said Maj. Andrew Champion, 210 Field Artillery Brigade Deputy Commanding Officer “Annually, Soldiers across the world clean their military bases and it’s a unique experience in South Korea to join our community partners to make our home a better place for future generations.”

The Sincheon River clean-up operation was a resounding success with more than 500 pounds of trash and refuse collected from the riverbanks, and it demonstrated the Thunder Brigade’s commitment to our community partners and showed that even small actions can make a significant impact in environmental protection.