Accompanied Korea tour changes detailed
By Jim Tice - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 5, 2009 16:42:10 EST
The Army will phase in a new assignment policy for many of the 19,000 soldiers assigned to South Korea.
Under a plan announced Dec. 11 by Gen. Walter “Skip” Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, the Army and other services will offer three-year accompanied tours in Korea as new facilities in Pyeontaek, Osan, Daegu, Chinhae and Seoul become available over the next 36 months.
Accompanied tours for 2nd Infantry Division forces at Uijonbu and Dongducheon will be 24 months, which extends accompanied tour opportunities to all locations in Area 1 north of Seoul.
Unaccompanied tours to Area 1 installations will remain at 12 months, except those for command and key billets, which will remain at 24 months.
The initial phase of the policy change will be implemented this summer for key USFK personnel needed to support the establishment of theater command and control changes in 2012.
Under that change, Combined Forces Korea will split into two commands: Republic of Korea Joint Forces Command and U.S. Korea Command.
Sharp said he expects that the number of command-sponsored tours for service members in this category will increase from 2,135 to 4,350.
The second and third phase of the transition will increase the availability of three-year accompanied tours to more than 14,000 soldiers as new facilities, such as housing, schools and medical facilities, are built at Camp Humphreys.
Work at Camp Humphreys is projected to cost $8 billion, but Korean and U.S. authorities are negotiating final costs and construction timetables.
Byrne said the transition of Korea to a normal tour area, similar to Europe, represents a mixed bag for Human Resources Command assignment managers.
“It means that if a soldier is on a three-year tour in Korea, he is not available for assignment elsewhere,” he said.
However, he said it gives soldiers accompanied assignment opportunities in a country that will have new working and living facilities.
Byrne said it will be important for the command in Korea to have a strong strategic communications program to make sure soldiers know about these opportunities.
During a visit to Korea in June, Defense Secretary Robert Gates endorsed the recommendation of senior commanders to boost the number of accompanied tours in Korea, and to make those 36-month tours, rather than 24 months.
The post population at Camp Humphreys is expected to increase from 9,000 to between 45,000 and 50,000 soldiers, Army civilians and family members, according to data provided to Congress.
Reorganization plans for Korea include consolidating 8th Army units at Camp Humphreys and Daegu.
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All I can say is man things have changed since I was in the 2nd Inf Div in 1975, they were all 13 month tours and NO dependents
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Accompanied Korea tour changes detailed
