Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

With health and equipment protection, soldiers are “Ready for winter season”

Supplied with heating vests, winter boots, gloves, etc.
Heat insulating agent and covers over main surveillance equipment

November brings a chilly-windy season after the bountiful autumn. “November Rain”, a song by Guns’n Roses, is played every November. The song has lyrics “I'll just end up walkin' in the cold november rain,” which is romantic, but its romantic lyrics may not inspire our soldiers who face the winter season. For those who take care of protecting our country, the winter is not an object of romance but another enemy to defeat. How do they prepare for the coming winter? We can check out the Army’s preparation for winter through the Unity battalion, 17th Division where we visited on November 5th.

▶In the hardest month of the year, how does a coastal guard unit get through the winter?

The Unity battalion protects the northernmost part in the western sea, guarding the coastline. The cold is the most difficult thing to handle for soldiers who protect the broad seaside and neighboring national major facilities.

Even though it is a harsh season, they cannot neglect the vigilance against the front lines. Soldiers of the Unity battalion have been preparing for the winter in various ways for their health and equipment management. The battalion has provided heating vests, winter boots and gloves, functional clothes, face masks, earmuffs, etc., as well as installing wind-blocking paper around the living hall to keep the chill at bay.

Equipment is also made ready. The battalion puts insulation around the gun barrel of a mortar and winds heating tape around the handle that an operating soldier touches. They have also applied thermal imagery cable insulating agent on the Thermal Observation Device (TOD) as well and put covers over the equipment to protect it from snow or ice. There are calcium chloride and sand already arranged for when it is needed.

 ▶ Greater enemy than snow, shut out the wind

They have to pay special attention to the guard post due to the nature of their duty. The unit wound rope around the handrail of each guard post and installed footholds on the stairs to prevent slipping. There is hot tea and a radiator for the soldiers for warmth.

Their body temperature decreases severalfold when the sea breeze blows. That’s why the unit focuses on trying to block out the wind with large windows and windshield nets for each guard post. Corporal Lee Sang-ha said that it’s much less cold with just a window when he has to stand guard duty at dawn.

　▶ Battalion commander hands out roasted sweet potatoes … 36.5℃, heartfelt temperature

The battalion has a unique and interesting winter culture of its own. The battalion commander makes a delivery of roasted sweet potatoes, fish cake soup and instant cup noodles for soldiers who stand guard duty to encourage them. The commander can kill two birds with one stone in that he cheers them up as well as checks out the security situation for himself.

There are some lyrics in the song “November Rain” mentioned earlier - “Cause nothin’ lasts forever, even cold November rain”. And the cold winter eventually passes by. I have confidence that our soldiers can overcome the winter with their perfect preparations and warm care.

Written by Su-Yeol, Maeng/Photo by Heon-Gu, Lee
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