Vote! Vote! Vote! - Korean War Veterans Association

with which we Army chaplains were often
times tasked. The responsibility of counseling
Soldiers, many of whom were in crisis at
the times I met with them, was hard work.
There were days that I saw between 3-4
Soldiers who were truly in need of help,
some of whom were potentially a threat to
themselves or others.
I cannot begin to explain the fundamental
importance of the professionalism that is
required in taking care of Soldiers who have
problems. Indeed, one false move, or the failure
to pay attention to a warning sign, could
have resulted in a disaster. I can personally
attest to having worked closely with the
chain of command in facilitating numerous
crisis intervention cases on a regular basis.
This was highly stressful for me, as I had the
additional task of providing the spiritual coverage
that the Catholics, in specific, needed
(the Sacraments); that is, on top of the almost
overwhelming load of pastoral counseling at
the battalion level.
Many of the Soldiers I saw came from
families back home that clinicians refer to as
“dysfunctional.” We did have mental health
workers who were outstanding in their professions,
but we simply did not have enough
of them. Thus, over and over again, I had
Soldiers in my office who were encountering
everything from anxiety to attempted suicide.
I saw Soldiers in the field, in my office,
in the main stockade (it is now located at
Camp Humphreys), at the chapel, at the PX,
in the chow hall, at the motor pool, in the air
on a Chinook, and also up at the DMZ.
We talked about anything and everything.
I saw young women and men from all walks
of life, and I saw them from the lowest enlisted
ranks all the way up to the general officer
level. Although it was not always within the
context of an emergency situation, some of
the most important and mission essential
ministry took place during such occasions. (I
refer to these occasions as “formal pastoral
crisis interventions.”)
I would calculate that in my entire tour of
duty in Korea, I saw at least 150 Soldiers
who were truly in need of professional help.
Some of these particular Soldiers were suffering
from clinical depression, some had
encountered domestic violence, and others
came from homes where either one or both
of their parents were addicts.
Frequently I found myself in situations,
without in any way compromising confidentiality,
working with the chain of command,
the other chaplains, and the medics to help
these Soldiers recover and successfully execute
the mission.
Generally speaking, I found that the
NCOs, other officers, including the chaplains,
and our Korean allies were of high caliber.
During my time in Korea, I had the privilege
of working with an outstanding chaplain
assistant, an outstanding executive officer
(XO), an outstanding commander, and a
fantastic chaplain supervisor. We did our
best, all of us, to be both collaborative and
proactive in taking care of the troops with
whom we served.
Additionally, I will never forget the pastoral
visit I had with General Leon LaPorte,
who I understand was the longest serving
commanding general of forces in Korea
since the actual war began. General LaPorte
impressed me as a “soldier’s soldier,” and it
was obvious to me that he cared and did his
best for our Soldiers, their families, and the
people of Korea. To General LaPorte I would
say the following: “Well done, General.”
Some interesting changes took place in
Korea during my tour. When we traveled to
Korea from Seattle, the Army still used a
charter jet. Towards the end of my tour, however,
the Army ended travel by that mode and
switched to flying Soldiers to their assignment
in Korea, from the United States, by
standard commercial jet (Korean Air Lines,
Northwest, and others). Additionally, a
tremendous amount of construction was
going on when I left; that is, new and more
adequate barracks and offices were being
constructed for our personnel.
One of my most enduring
memories was our trip
to the DMZ. The DMZ is
still the DMZ; that is, it is a
dangerous, sobering, and
tense
place.
At the conclusion of my
tour I was given an authentic
piece of barbed wire
from the DMZ, one that is
handed out to those who
successfully complete their
mission as a peacekeeper in
Korea.
Patrick Rohen at the Camp
Humphreys motor pool in 2005
with 194th Maintenance
Battalion soldiers
A rather humorous memory that I have of
Korea is a time when we conducted a field
service on a cold, windy day. For some reason
I had taken some extra cigarettes with me
to field. When the troops found out that their
chaplain had cigarettes, the chapel tent was
filled to capacity. I remember my chaplain
supervisor saying, “Chaplain Rohen, I don’t
know whether or not we saved any souls
today, but we sure did ruin a few lungs.” In
retrospect, however, this may have opened a
few doors to minister to some Soldiers who
might otherwise have never attended a worship
service.
Although Korea is not mentioned as
much as the other areas of the world where
we have troops stationed, it is, nonetheless, a
vital and ongoing part of the Global War on
Terrorism. One needs only to consider that
Seoul is less than an hour away from Kim
Jong-il (the “Dear Leader”) and his North
Korean threat. Hardly a day went by when I
did not think about the consequences of a
potential war with him, as well as the associated
horror and slaughter that were sure to
follow.
Serving in Korea was both an honor and
a privilege. I have the utmost respect for
those who served there during the Korean
War, the Cold War, and those who continue
to serve there during the ongoing Global War
on Terrorism.
Let us pray that “The Land of the
Morning Calm” may someday attain a true
and lasting peace, and that the sacrifices of so
many may never be forgotten.
75
The Graybeards March-April 2008