No College For ROK Soldiers

The author of this editorial in the Joong Ang Ilbo believes that the ROK Army should not allow it’s soldiers to attend college courses online while conducting their mandatory service:

The Army is not a university. It is a special organization whose first priority is to build superior combat capability. If soldiers spend their time earning university credits, why send them to the military at all? Instead of a policy designed for public appeal, a better idea would be to make more fundamental reforms, such as shortening the period of service.

The ROK Army wants soldiers to be able to attend college online while doing their service because they think this will boost morale and improve life in the barracks. The ROK Army is even going to install new computers for all their company size elements. This is very similar to the US Army. In every company sized element in 2ID we got what is known as AKO computer labs(Army Knowledge Online) for the soldiers to use attend E-Army U. classes to earn college degrees while serving. Many soldiers take advantage of this free service the US Army provides and I’m sure it would be a hit for the ROK Army too.

The author of the editorial obviously is not to familiar with the US Army because we are able to keep a high level of combat readiness and allow our ranks to educate themselves at the same time.

I think the heart of the matter is that author is more concerned with ending mandatory service than the combat readiness of ROK Army soldiers because if he was so worried about the combat readiness of the ROK Army he wouldn’t be advocating for shorter service. Any service less than two years isn’t worth it. It takes over a year before someone becomes competent in their job. If you shorten the mandatory service requirement the ROK Army would be filled with incompetent personnel. You would be better off with an all volunteer force then.