Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

“Break 99 percent of the prejudice and be reborn as 1 percent of elite forces”

Fire direction by Second Lieutenant Hong Ji-hye, 6th division, in perfect order 
with eight artillery and air defense officers forward stationed in June

“All artillery units, ready, present, fire!”

Eighteen 105mm towed artilleries blazed off as Second Lieutenant Hong Ji-hye, the first female gunner who has been serving as a Fire Direction Officer for the 76th artillery battalion, 6th Division, gave an order in a firm voice.

During the battalion's class firing training with 105mm towed artillery conducted by the 76th artillery battalion, she directed a series of procedures from issuing exercise DEFCON Ⅱ, assuming enemy‘s provocation, to material classification, unit movement, getting ready to fire and order, etc. She also controlled 380 troops who operate 18 towed artilleries of three artillery units to make their movements in perfect order.

Second Lieutenant Hong, 70th army cadet, chose the artillery branch with a pioneering spirit at the core of fire operation as the Army expanded and opened artillery, armor and air defense branches to female soldiers.

The Army deployed six female artillery officers, including Second Lieutenant Hong, and two air defense officers in field for the first time in June, after it opened all the branches to female soldiers. Including three transferred officers from other branches, making nine in total, and they are taking an active part in the artillery branch serving as fire direction officer(FDO), operations officer and intelligence officer. Among these female gunners, there are only two FDOs who directly control the gunfire, including Second Lieutenant Hong.

FDO is the brains of the artillery battalion. It creates firing data such as firing azimuth for observed targets during war and orders fire to artillery units, and in peacetime, it adjusts the overall unit operations helping the battalion commander and operations commander, serving as an operations aide.

“Generally, experienced first lieutenants are assigned as FDO, but I had a belief that Second Lieutenant Hong can do her mission successfully, and she has been excellent so far,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kim Sung-hun, commander of the 76th artillery battalion. As a matter of fact, she has got A grades in all fields, strength, study and character, and received commendation after taking the first place among 50 trainees.

He also said, “She is smart and actively takes part in all matters. I think that encourages the atmosphere of the unit, making male officers bring about positive competitiveness. It has been a good effect by opening the artillery branch to female officers.”

“The higher expectations from me as the first female artillery officer, the more responsibility I feel. I will be an artillery expert doing various duties,” said Second Lieutenant Hong.

Meanwhile, there are approximately 6,000 female soldiers - 3,100 officers and 2,900 noncoms. MND is in the process of expanding the rate of female officers by 7 percent and noncoms by 5 percent by 2017, so it is expected that the number of female soldiers will increase steadily.

Expanding the number of female soldiers, the Army guarantees working conditions through a variety of policies and systems regarding their physical conditions such as creating obstetric medical circumstances for pregnant female soldiers; maternity protection time for one night and two days; adjusting commuting time with flexible working for those nurturing children under 12 years old; maternity leave; and a promotion system during the maternity leave.

“We will make further effort to create realistic, helpful working conditions for female soldiers so that they can fulfill their duties and missions as well as take care of their families, moving with the trend of increasing their manpower,“ said a relevent Army official.

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >
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