By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
U.S. military officials in South Korea have launched a new program aimed at preventing alcohol and drug abuse among soldiers, a U.S. military paper reported Friday.
Under the so-called "REAL Warriors Speakers" initiative, the 2nd Infantry Division of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has been inviting outside speakers to address soldiers on personal responsibility and on the life-changing hazards of alcohol and drug abuse, according to the Stars and Stripes.
The acronym REAL stands for "responsible, educated, alcohol-limiting," the newspaper for U.S. forces said.
Heavy drinking has been blamed in part for rape, attempted-rape and other crimes committed by U.S. soldiers stationed here.
About 1,200 soldiers of the division's 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, about 70 kilometers north of Seoul, attended the session Thursday. Another round is to take place at Camp Casey in Dongducheon with more planned for the summer, the U.S. daily said.
The 18,000-strong 2nd Infantry Division is the flagship division of the 28,500-member USFK.
The program is not aimed at making soldiers halt drinking altogether, but encouraging them to "drink responsibly," Maj. Vance Fleming, the division's spokesman, was quoted as saying.