Son is going to Korea--advice please?

Being Assigned to Korea

The Army doesnt do last minute with assignments. Your son is probably not paying attention or not asking questions...

He will be able to have internet and can get either the dual band cell phone with an international plan or once over in Korea he can sign up for a call back service..basically he has a phone from korea, calls this number hangs up and it calls him back, when he picks up he will have a US dial tone and can call home for about 10 cents a minute...I would say just get the internet and get on Yahoo's calling system you can talk for free and its through the computer. I did this while I was in Iraq last.

Bring all Army stuff, and ship himself a foot locker full of clothes...

He can get Hometown recruiting if he applied through his Drill Sergeant, this is not a recruiters deal...

He should get leave about half way thru his tour if he chooses to come home or not depends on him and his bank flow..

He will stay on base, in the barracks if he is single...

Korea is a crappy 1st duty assignment, its hard to have cohesion within a unit when its constantly cycling new and old people through...

The old saying about Korea is...how do you make E1 twice? Go to Korea....

Good luck to him and Welcome to the family

I went to Korea after AIT as well. I did come home after AIT to do hometown recruiting as well. Hometown recruiting is basically free leave, but he will have to spend time with his recruiter for part of it. I had a cell phone in Korea that was not too expensive, but my main form of communication was the VONAGE phone through my internet connection ($30 a month plus the cost paid to internet company which is about $50-$60 in korea, and that is sometimes shared with the roomate). However, there have been talks of blocking in in Korea so you should post another question asking soldiers currently in Korea if Vonage is still able to be used. You order the modem online and it takes a few weeks to get to you, and they do not ship to APO. I would suggest either waiting until he is home after AIT so the bill will come out of his account (then you will have to send it to him) and he can bring a phone with him or buy it at the PX. But some bases only have small shopettes that run out of items often. OR if you do it a few weeks before he gets home he can pack it in his suitcase but then it will come from your account. He will probably go through a week of in processing, but when he gets his room internet will only take a few days to get hooked up.

Consider yourself blessed that he is assigned to Korea, and not Iraq or Afghanistan. The turmoil in Korea has been ongoing for almost sixty years. It is unlikely to escalate into anything more than rhetoric and posturing, so draw comfort in this selection over those already mentioned.

He need not take more than his personal belongings. Encourage him to take his camera and some nice civilian clothes as well. There is a lot to see in Korea, so take advantage of the culture as well, the experience.

He will be entitled to leave before he ships out !

come home before he leaves? all depends on the amount of leave time he has available, when the unit is schedule to leave etc, etc

his unit decides when they are going, the Sgt or recruiters have nothing to do with it

did he just finish basic and assigned to a unit and now that unit is going to Korea?

he more than likely has no leave time available if he has only been in a short time

Doesnlt he have recrutier detail before he goes to his first unit???

He will also have a two week leave after six months of his time over there to come to his home of record, You can always go over there to visit him, but I know it is expensive.