On Service, Retirement Services, and Recruitment

By Caitlin Ward

John F. Behrend is a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant, which is the 9th and highest enlisted grade in the United States Marine Corps. Behrend served in the U.S. Marines for 26 years and during that time, served in the Republic of Korea. Following his service, Behrend returned to Korea where he worked as an MWR NAF Employee Supply Technician for the U.S. Army for nineteen years. 

Here Behrend speaks with United on the RoK about why he chose to serve his country, his experience, why he retired in Korea, what is commonly misunderstood about

retirees, and how retirees could be better served in Korea. He also speaks about how recruitment can be improved.

Why did you join the military?

I joined the military because it was my duty to serve my country, as my father, uncles and many others had done before, to protect the values of our country.

Growing up, I always had the idea of joining the military on my mind. After high school, I got a job with Sky Chef in a flight kitchen at the Portland International Airport. One day, I received a notice in the mail from the draft board stating that I had been drafted. So, I made my way to a recruiting office and visited all the branches of service there. All the branches told me I would have to wait six months, except the Marines. So, I joined the Marines on September 12, 1967 and served until February 28, 1994. Twenty-six years of faithful service.

I have always felt very fortunate to have grown up with the freedoms we have in the United States. I always felt pride to be walking in the footsteps of those who came before me, giants like my father, uncles, Chesty Puller, Ted Williams, Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra, General MacArthur, and Presidents like Eisenhower, Nixon, and Kennedy. These people and their indomitable leadership, spirit, camaraderie, and will to tackle any problems, mission or assignment inspired me to stay in the service.

Why did you stay in Korea?

When I first came to Korea in 1978, I fell in love with the country, its culture, food and way of

life. I love the security we have here. You can go out at night and not worry about too much. After my 26 years in the United States Marines and living in Hawaii, I decided to come back and

I worked for the U.S. Army for 19 years. I wanted to continue serving and make Korea my Home.

You can live very comfortably here depending on where you decide to call home whether it be

Seoul, Busan or Daegu or any other place in the Land of the Morning Calm.

What did you do when you served in the Marines?

When I first joined the Marines in 1967 it was during the Vietnam War and most were assigned

to the Infantry 0311 (Rifle Company) 3rd Bn 7th Marines Kilo co. 1st Marine Division. When I

came back from Vietnam, I wanted to reenlist but was told I had to change my military

occupation to another field. So, I picked the Food Service Field. I went to food service school at

Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for eight weeks, where I became a food service specialist and served the rest of my career in that field.

I managed a mess hall (that is what they called them back then) in Okinawa, one out of 36, and I won the Best Mess Hall award for two consecutive quarters in a row, Tri Command award,

nominated for the Navy Captain Edward Francis Ney Memorial Award (equivalent to the

Connelly Award in the Army), and was selected as Large General Mess Category runner up in

1985–no small feat by any means.

I also ran the second largest dining facility in the Marine Corps at the School of Infantry at Camp

Pendleton, California and won two back-to-back quarterly awards for best dining facility on

Camp Pendleton out of twelve Facilities. I was assigned as the food technician in Okinawa for III

Marine Expeditionary Force command element, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and the

3rd Force Service Support Group, which has been renamed the 3rd Marine Logistics Group. I was assigned as Food Tech for Major Exercises such as Team Spirit, Bear Hunt, Valiant Blitz

and many others.

What did you do in the Army?

You ask what did I do in the Army, well to be honest, I was never in the Army, but I worked for

8th Army and USFK as an MWR NAF Employee Supply Technician for nineteen years, which

started at Camp Casey and was only part-time. I applied for a position at Pusan Storage Facility

with the MWR Support Center, which was located in Pusan. Pusan Storage Facility then later

moved to Camp Hialeah, which is now closed. I was assigned as the Project Manager for the

closures of that installation as well as Cheju Recreation Center 2005-2006 and had 100%

accountability of all assets of both NAF/APF and installation property as well as sensitive

controlled items for both.

What did you like about each branch?

I enjoyed the leadership that I received by both branches of service. Many of the leaders that

were over me were some of the best that I have encountered in my total 45 years of

government service. They mentored me and saw that I was teachable and had faith in me to

give me many tasks throughout my career that were accomplished without failure and with

many favorable comments from Commanders and Facility managers. I have so many to thank,

but the list is way too long (An Army of One) and (Semper Fi).

What was an impactful experience during your service?

I guess it was leading others in a leadership role and the leadership that I received as a young

Marine from the leaders that I had. My Drill Instructors during boot camp instilled a response to

order and to not question them.

What is most often misunderstood about service members?

There are a few common misconceptions about being in the military that civilians may have.

Some people may think that military life is all about combat and fighting, but in reality, most of a military service member’s time is spent on training, maintenance and support roles. 

Additionally, some civilians may think that military members are all the same, with no individuality or personal lives, but this is not the case. Everyone in the military has their own unique experiences and perspectives. Additionally, some civilians may think that military members are all men, but women make up a significant portion of the military.

How could the retiree community in Korea be better served?

I believe it is fairly good, but the Retirement Services Offices in Korea could be more user-friendly towards Retirees, Widows and spouses who need help and are not provided with support in the same way they were previously provided. The only help we get is from Retiree and Vets Support in Korea or other Veterans who have the knowledge and points of contact helping those in need. It would also be very helpful if there was a VA office in Korea that veterans could contact and get help. The closest for those of us living overseas is in the Philippines. There are many vets who try to help others and we are thankful to those who can give help or guidance.

What is most often misunderstood about retirees?

I think some people think that all we do is sit around and do nothing after retirement but that is

not true. We do a lot and it is not always recognized by the communities that we live in. We do not get the recognition we deserve after we retire. Many are still active and serving their

communities in various ways, whether it is helping with fundraisers orhelping a widow or spouse

Who no one knows about. We are helping every day. We all are a band of brothers, and we are

still serving.

How do you think confidence in the U.S. military and recruitment can be improved?

There are many reasons individuals join the different branches

of service such as to serve the country, to continue a family tradition, to earn respect, to acquire a skill or trade and experience, to get out of a neighborhood or situation, to travel and work with people from other cultures, to be healthy and fit, to finance higher education, for medical and housing benefits, to have job stability and retire easily.

Promotions should advertise that all of these are real and legitimate benefits. In particular, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, and the Top-Up Program are wonderful education benefits that help service members finance higher education.

While there are issues related to mold and clean water that need to be addressed, there are real housing benefits now such as the housing stipends and VA Home Loans. 

Serving in the military provides incomparable job security. Regardless of your position, service is a job. When you sign into the minimum 4-year service commitment, you have job stability for at least 4 years. you get a regular, stable income, and there are opportunities for promotion. even better, you get thirty paid vacation days.

On top of that, you can retire early. Military members can retire after 20 years of service. If you enlisted right after finishing high school, you are eligible for retirement at around 40 years old. This is a lot earlier than the typical retirement age.

TO IMPROVE RECRUITING AND RETENTION, 

• Recognize that a call from service members of family members for improvements is a product of our American values.
• Find ways to appeal to and reach those who are already service-minded. Educate people on the opportunities to build oneself and one’s career.
• Monitor service members’ decisions to stay in or get out from day one and coach them
• Increase engagement with mentorship, career counseling and life planning
• Make paths to service more visible
• Invest in improving military life – respond to complaints and build a narrative

What would you say to a soldier struggling with an assignment?

We have all been there at one time or another in our personal life or career. Often other individuals help us through these difficult times. Reach out, ask for help, talk about it, and be proud of the service you are doing and sacrifices you have assumed, in order to protect the freedoms and values of our fellow countrymen.