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Republic of Korea Sailors Train to Become Recruit Division Commanders

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100831-08
8/31/2010

By Sue Krawczyk, Recruit Training Command Public Affairs

NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- Each year, approximately 250 Sailors from around the fleet complete 13 weeks of rigorous training to become a Recruit Division Commander (RDC) at Recruit Training Command (RTC), home to the Navy's only bootcamp.

And each year, one of them will have traveled more than 6,500 miles for the privilege of earning the prestigious red rope exclusively worn by the RDCs.

This year, Chief Boatswain's Mate Kyung Gyu Kim, from the Republic of Korea (ROK), was selected to train with the U.S. Navy and become an RDC, Aug. 17.

For the past four years, RTC has invited members of the ROK Navy to attend RDC School, a physically challenging, intensive hands-on course that prepares U.S. Navy RDCs with the skills, perspective and physical readiness to lead and train recruits to become basic military-trained Sailors.

Assisting Kim with his training is Gas Turbine System Techinician – Electrical 1st Class (SW) Seung Song, an experienced RDC who has pushed (trained) five divisions since 2009. This is Song's second year in assisting with the ROK RDC program.

"I believe this program is beneficial to both sides — not just for RTC," said Song, who graduated boot camp in 2001. "By doing this program with the ROK Navy, RTC promotes a positive relationship with the South Korean Navy, which leads to a positive relationship with our Navy, and ultimately with our nation. For the Korean Navy, they learn and adapt new techniques here at RTC, and that will improve their boot camp facilities, recruit, PT [physical training] and medical programs."

Originally from Busan, Republic of Korea, Song has served in the Navy for nine years spending his first-four-and-half-years in Yokosuka, Japan, and two-and-a-half years with Assault Craft Unit 5 at Camp Pendleton, Calif., before coming to RTC in 2009.

The ROK Navy conducts their own screening process and then sends the candidates to an English language course. If their English language skills and screening package are acceptable in that course, they are then chosen to attend RTC's RDC school.

"We have been very successful with the screening requirements the Koreans impose so that we do not have to screen them more at our level," said Lt. Andy Schwenkhoff, RTC's 7th Fleet officer.

Song explained after they are selected for the RDC course, they earn extra points on their advancement, which will help them advance three years earlier at their boot camp in the Republic of Korea than other RDCs that haven't been to RTC here.

"Back home, Kim will advance faster in his career over others because of this training here," Song said. "I believe that since he came to RTC and with the points he has earned, he is guaranteed to make E-9 by his 18-year mark."

Although RDC school is 13 weeks, the ROK RDCs complete only the first five weeks the course.

"While he is in the school phase, he participates in every event, such as physical training, personnel inspection, quizzes and tests just like any other normal blue rope student (an RDC in training) would go through," said Song. "The rest of class will continue with their school, but I and the Korean RDC will pick up a division for eight weeks, and he will shadow under me to see how we train our recruits."

The most difficult part of RDC School for Kim was trying to communicate with his classmates since his English is limited. Another struggle for him has been the highly-intensive physical training sessions that all RDC school students must endure a few times each week.

Kim knows the training he has received at RTC will be beneficial in many ways.

"I know I will be able to help and influence the South Korean Navy's boot camp recruits with better training, which leads to better fleet-ready Sailors," said Kim.

"What has impressed me the most here at RTC is how much work is required to mold these civilians into future fleet-ready Sailors," said Song. "It can be very impressive when you think of the many hours RDCs put in, the huge effort, the hands-on training and always focusing on every little detail. Not to mention how much RDCs take pride in what we do here at RTC."

On Oct. 1, Kim will be promoted to senior chief, thanks in part to the work accomplished by him at RTC.

"The most valuable thing they gain from this program, in my opinion, is what training and techniques they will adopt from our boot camp and how they will apply them at their boot camp, so they can produce better-trained recruits for their Navy," said Song.

RTC is under the guidance of the Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., which also oversees 98 percent of all initial accessions training for the Navy, except the officers produced by the U.S. Naval Academy. NSTC also oversees the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program with 60 units representing 73 colleges and universities across the country, Officer Training Command in Newport, R.I., and the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program at more than 630 high schools across the nation and in Japan and Guam.