- Youngbuk High School students toured Camp Humphreys on gaining insight into the U.S. Army NCO Corps through a program by Eighth Army G9.
- The visit strengthened ROK-U.S. military ties, with students interacting with U.S. NCOs and KATUSA soldiers and touring key training facilities.
- The initiative aims to inspire future ROK Army NCOs, showcasing allied cooperation, leadership development, and shared military values.
Older students at Youngbuk High School outside of Pocheon, South Korea, toured Camp Humphreys as part of an educational visit sponsored by the Eighth Army G9. The program familiarized prospective Republic of Korea Army non-commissioned officers with the U.S. Army NCO Corps' structure, values, and pipeline into training, while highlighting the strength that has endured in the ROK-U.S. alliance.
"The tour schedule involved a stop at the Vandal Training Complex and Wightman NCO Academy, lunch at Spartan Dining Facility, and a group photo at Eighth Army headquarters. Students interacted firsthand with U.S. Army NCOs and KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to The Army) Soldiers and gained knowledge of the combined training setting and support between the two armies. This is a chance to look and invest in the future ROK Army NCO Corps, and a chance to emphasize Eighth Army investment in the community that we work and live in", said Maj. Jeffrey Cho, deputy G9, Eighth Army.
We want to show the significance of the ROK-U.S alliance, and the advantage of this transaction is an investment in the individuals who will command ROK Army units in the future. American and Republic of Korea Soldiers have stood together on the peninsula for 75 years as a deterrent to aggression in this area, and this is an investment in one of the most critical components our people who will fight future Soldiers.
"It was interesting to observe the U.S. military camp in Pyeongtaek" said Kim Chan-seul, a Youngbuk High School senior who plans to become a ROK Army NCO after graduation. "I was able to see U.S. soldiers live and work, which acquainted me to U.S. military culture, and I believe it will assist me when I am an NCO and working with the U.S. military".
The visit reinforces Eighth Army's focus on building strong community relationships and nurturing the next generation of military leaders through alliance-driven engagement and professional development activities.
