TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Cpl. Jin W. Kang is a Reserve Marine and motor transportation operator with Headquarters Company, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, located in San Bruno, California.
Kang, who was born in South Korea, moved to California when he was just one year old.
“Every male in Korea has to serve in the military, but since I’m a U.S. citizen, that was never a requirement for me,” said Kang.
But from a young age, he had aspirations to join the military.
In 2012, Kang began school at the University of California-Berkeley to study Mechanical Engineering. At Berkeley, Kang was a member of the university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program before deciding that he wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserve. In 2015, Kang left for boot camp.
“During my junior year, I decided I wanted to take a break and do something I always wanted to do, so I decided to join the Marine Corps,” said Kang.
After returning from his initial Marine Corps training, Kang was recruited by Apple Inc. to work on the iPad product design team. After working with Apple Inc. for a year, Kang decided to return to Berkeley, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in December, 2017.
Since then, Kang has been accepted to Biola Univeristy in La Mirada, California, to begin pursuing his master’s degree.
Currently, Kang is focused on his military training, participating with his unit in Integrated Training Exercise 4-18 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, June 2-July 4, 2018. ITX is a service level training event which aims to prepare units for combat under the most realistic conditions possible.
Kang was meritoriously promoted to the rank of corporal just before coming out to ITX 4-18. This is Kang’s second ITX, and this year he is leading convoys and conducting route reconnaissance to the desert training areas.
“In the Marine Corps, it is understood that everything is earned” said Kang. “This life skill is one of many I have picked up because of the Marine Corps.”