Accompanied tours to double in S. Korea - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Accompanied tours to double in S. Korea

The number of soldiers and airmen serving accompanied assignments in U.S. Forces Korea is expected to nearly double in the next year, as the Defense Department moves to convert its largest Far East command to a normal tour area.

USFK is offering soldiers an assignment incentive pay option of $300 per month and accompanied-tour options of 24 months or 36 months to members who normally would serve 12-month unaccompanied hardship tours in Korea. The incentives became available in the spring under policies implemented in March.

Army Gen. Walter “Skip” Sharp, USFK commander, told Army Times the goal of an ongoing building boom and force realignment is to have one-half of the command’s 28,500 members serve three-year accompanied tours, similar to those served by soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Japan and Europe for decades.

“The timing of that will depend on how fast we can build the schools and housing to accommodate the increased population,” Sharp said in a June 17 interview.

Phase I of the expansion, now under way, is designed to increase the number of accompanied tours from 2,400 to 4,300 by early 2011.

Sharp noted that there are 1,700 service members, primarily soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Division north of Seoul, who do not qualify for command sponsorship but who have brought families to Korea at their own expense.

“We are encouraging families in this category to extend for one year beyond their current 12-month assignment and apply for command sponsorship,” Sharp said.

In addition to government-funded travel, families approved for command sponsorship are eligible for the shipment of household goods and one privately owned vehicle — two for dual military couples.

Also, they are eligible for government housing, the dependent school system, the use of commissaries and post exchanges, an overseas housing allowance, a dislocation allowance, medical and dental care, and the use of morale, welfare and recreation facilities.

The second phase of the USFK realignment is scheduled for 2011-16, and will involve moving forces into Camp Humphreys from Yongsan Garrison in Seoul and the 2nd Infantry Division posts in Area 1 north of Seoul.

Simultaneously, there will be an increase in facilities at Osan Air Base, near Humphreys, to accommodate Air Force families affected by the realignment.

“We anticipate that during this period, about 6,800 families will be serving accompanied tours,” Sharp said.

The $13 billion expansion and refurbishment of Camp Humphreys 30 miles south of Seoul will be completed in the 2015-17 timeframe, according to Sharp.

Coast are being shared by the U.S. and South Korean governments, with the Koreans paying for the relocation of USFK and Eighth Army headquarters from Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, and the move of 2nd Infantry Division forces out of Area 1.

The Yongsan move is scheduled for 2014-15, followed soon after by the 2nd Infantry Division.

“When this is completed, Humphreys will be the best military installation in the world,” Sharp said. “And it should be, because we’re taking empty land and designing and building the facilities from the ground up.”

Currently, there are 28,500 U.S. service members in Korea, “and the Defense Department is committed to keeping that level for the foreseeable future,” Sharp said.

That population includes about 19,000 soldiers, 7,000 airmen and the remainder evenly split between sailors and Marines.

Sharp said the decision to increase the number of accompanied tours “demonstrates to other nations in the region, and certainly to the North Koreans, that we are there for the long term.”

Sharp said that because of the recent surge of provocations by the North Korean regime, service members want to know if this is a good time to bring their families to Korea.

“I think it is,” said Sharp, an armor officer and former assistant division commander of 2nd Infantry Division.

“Even with all these recent provocations, the North Koreans have to look at the commitment, and see that it would really be stupid for them to attack the south.

“We watch this very closely, and if there are any indicators that they are preparing for an attack, we have plans in place for the evacuation of families,” Sharp said.