Gary Routh

Gary Routh enlisted in the military in 1994, right after high school, hoping to have college paid for and seeking adventure. He originally planned to learn Arabic to pursue a career in archaeology in the Middle East, but soon discovered his language assignment had been changed to Korean, leading to his stationing in South Korea. There, he used his Korean language skills to spy on North Korean forces through radio communications. Routh describes the living conditions as akin to those in a ghetto. He also reflects on his relationship with the KATUSA and the cultural misunderstandings between American and Korean forces.