Surviving at GRS

In my first post, I introduced GRS, the isolated mountain post where I served. This post is about what we actually did there (excluding any classified information) and the memories I still appreciate.

What We Did

We performed a wide variety of work at GRS. At its core, most of it was work required for survival.

• Shift Schedule: We ran on a strict, continuous shift rotation regardless of weekends or holidays. The schedule followed a recurring five-day cycle unless someone was on official leave:

• Maintaining communications: Our mission was to manage a core part of the military communication network, handle administrative tasks, and configure communication lines for operations. Thunderstorms struck our mountain peak frequently and caused network failures. We took preventive measures before storms arrived and performed emergency recovery when failures occurred. We had to remain ready 24 hours a day.
• Guarding the facility: We actively monitored the area around the post 24 hours a day (even after sunset). GRS is a military protected zone and a nationally important facility, so civilian access is strictly prohibited. We constantly focused on the CCTV monitors to watch for intruders and lost hikers. Hikers tried to enter surprisingly often. Because the post sits on the summit, they usually explained that they wanted to see the view.
• Maintaining the facility: This was essentially the core of our job. In winter, the snow regularly reached 30 cm (about 1 foot). The tactical road had to stay clear, so only ten of us shoveled snow all day across the mountain. In summer, the grass grew at an incredible speed, so we mowed constantly. Facility repairs were also our job. During my service, the buildings and barracks were under construction. Because of budget limits, we helped with the construction on top of our regular duties, which was genuinely exhausting.
• Surviving: This included carrying food, securing drinking water, and managing human waste. GRS has no water or sewage lines. We collected water from a valley below and pumped it up the mountain. When leaves or insects clogged the intake pipe, the water supply stopped, so we had to hike down, clear the pipe, and climb back up. Furthermore, because there was no sewage system, waste accumulated in a collection tank. Every six months, we had to carry this tank down to a pit latrine located halfway down the mountain and manually empty it.

The Comrades Who Made It Worth It

Our crew consisted of two officers and ten enlisted soldiers. I genuinely liked every one of them. In a small post, a small group goes through hardship together, so the bonds become very tight.

Because we had slightly more flexibility than typical units, cooking late-night meals together was a daily routine. Ramen was the baseline, but we also made fried rice, pasta, pizza, and cheesecake. Whoever felt confident cooked with the leftover ingredients, and we assigned the dishes by rock-paper-scissors.

Unlike other units, we had no day trips or overnight passes. Instead, a few of us matched our leave dates and met outside the mountain to hang out because we enjoyed each other’s company.

People who had done completely different things in civilian life ended up together in a place like that. Our crew included an MMA fighter, a semiconductor factory worker, an ordinary college student, someone from a small rural village, an international student from Australia, and a drone pilot. We started as strangers from completely different worlds, but through that shared hardship, we became true comrades.