Korean Duty Station For 15W?

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 14:20:11 -0400

Anyone here have experience as a 15W stationer on Korea? I’m married and debating on if I’d like to request it or not. I know there’s a 1 year option to go alone then 2 if I take my wife. What are some things to consider?

Response by SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint made Aug 20 at 2020 2:24 PM

SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 14:24:01 -0400

Every duty station is what you make it. I have seen people really whine and complain about Korea or Germany....and I have seen people enjoy. Camp Hump is a great NEW place for families.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 20 at 2020 5:45 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:45:56 -0400

Just came back from South Korea, Camp Humphreys with my wife and 2 kids. Every unit has its ups and downs but besides that, You and your family are what’s going to make the difference if you enjoy it or not. A lot of family time a lot of traveling done with the family. We loved every minute of what South Korea had to offer and are currently trying to re-enlist for it again.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Aug 20 at 2020 8:23 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 20:23:19 -0400

Camp Humphreys has exploded compared to when I was there in 1998 and 2003. I went kicking and screaming, and here is why I was wrong:.

- Korea in general, is what you make it. If you go determined to be miserable like taking bad medicine, then that will be the outcome. If you can take your family, bonus. I went unaccompanied. You will never experience a place like it anywhere else.
- the focus is go to war. All day, everyday. You will have alerts. You are not waiting for the patch chart to randomly direct your deployment. You are already deployed. Your mission is supporting operations and training that trace directly to 2-3 theater contingency plans. As a consequence, most units are pretty tight.
- my experience with everyday Koreans (not students and agitators), were thankful for our alliance and our presence. The older ones who,lived through the war and the 1968 nK sympathy raids during Vietnam's Tet Offensive are thankful for what we do. I had an older Korean gentleman help me get home once when I was stranded at midnight two towns over.
- you will be on the "clock" and there will be no mystery about getting your next orders. Unaccompanied usually get choice of duty coming back CONUS, or you could request a COT and go to Europe, Hawaii, or Alaska. Don't know if accompanied tours get the same consideration.
- you can walk Korean War battlefields. There are three significant ones right around the Hump. The Airfield is named after a Medal of Honor Recipient (Desiderio Army Airfield). The post is Named after Chief Warrant Officer Humphreys who died in a helicopter crash in 1962. Both actions took place near by. A third, was MoH reciepient COL Lewis Millet, was awarded for an action that occurred where the back gate of Osan AB is today. One man took an entire hill of interconnected trench line with rifle, bayonet, grenades, and hand to hand combat.
- Cp Humphreys has the second or third busiest Army Airfield in the world.
- culture, travel, food. Beef n leaf, Bi Bim Bap, Ramaen, etc Most of it incredible. If you like seafood, then all of it is good. You ain't lived until you had Mr Lee's Yaki mandu and a An Jung-ri egg burger, hopefully those local traditions have endured.
- Take a mid tour leave to Australia or somewhere else in the Pacific Rim for not a lot of money. Would pass on China at the moment. I took a package tour that included air fare, hotel, private driver, and tour guide to Cheju island with my wife for $400 a head, obviously 1998 prices but it's going to be cheaper.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 27 at 2021 7:19 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 May 2021 19:19:44 -0400

It's hard to say. I went to camp Casey on a rotation for 9 months and it was okay. Since we were on a rotation we couldn't go past 75 miles and also, because we were 15 miles south of North Korea, we were constantly simulating an attack. We would be suddenly be woken up at 0300, throw all of our gear on, launch birds as fast as we could and work until they told us to stop.
I believe the 15W unit they are starting in Humphreys is brand new so who really knows what it's going to be like. Humphreys is a huge base though so you won't be suffocated with nothing to do. It's like a normal base in garrison.
Take the 2 year. I'm saying that because you'll be able to take leave with your family and fly to the surrounding countries like Japan and the price of the airline tickets won't be ridiculous.