Here is an update from the Stars & Stripes on the ongoing Yongsan Garrison relocation:
Yongsan Garrison
The Army garrison has started to shrink, although it’s still hard to tell from outside. The relocation is not expected to be completed for at least two more years.
Yongsan’s population, including the nearby K-16 air base, has plunged from 22,000 in May to 13,500 following the historic move in July of the Eighth Army from its aging red brick headquarters to Camp Humphreys.
It’s expected to drop as low as 8,000 by Aug. 18 according to the current trajectory, garrison commander Col. Scott Peterson said as he laid out a timeline during a town-hall meeting earlier this month.
The food court and post exchange have reduced hours. Gone is the Popeyes near the schools, which had been a popular student hangout. The commissary reduced the number of registers from 17 to 10 after much-needed equipment was transferred to Humphreys. The library also is being cut in size and no longer operates a drop box.
U.S. Forces Korea made the first adjustment to the perimeter in December when it closed a main access point along with some living quarters and offices, sealing off a section of a northern corner known as Camp Coiner. This area will be the U.S. Embassy’s new home.
Camp Kim, which has a USO building that closed Feb. 21, the Special Operations Command Korea and an office for vehicle registration, is on track to close in July, Peterson said, stressing that was contingent on SOCKOR’S plans.
“What’s left of the garrison will stay like it is for the next six to 12 months with no major adjustments to the perimeter. Inside the base, however, there will be some additional reductions of stuff, the losses of a few conveniences,” Peterson told residents gathered in a base chapel.
The next major milestone will be in December 2019 when the on-post hospital is due to close, triggering the departure of the last major unit. [Stars & Stripes]
You can read much more at the link, but I can remember 20 years ago talk of relocating Yongsan Garrison so it is good to see after all these years it is finally happening.
Where is Platoon Cycles now? They were at Camp Coiner, next to the small PX there. Did they relocate to Humphries? I know they had a small shop at the PX up at Casey.
guitard
6 years ago
I don’t know if it’s called Platoon Cycles, but there is a bike shop in the building located behind the fire station on South Post that used to be a video rental shop.
“The next major milestone will be in December 2019 when the on-post hospital is due to close, triggering the departure of the last major unit.”
From what I heard, the brand new hospital built on the Hump had major design flaws, to include a crumbling foundation and it’ll be a while before it’s either rebuilt or a new one is put up. So no hospital for all the army folks and their dependents? Or do they plan to send everyone to good morning hospital in downtown Pyeongtaek?
MTB Rider
6 years ago
Thanks, Guitard. It’s probably the same company. The PX sells bikes, but it’s hit or miss on the quality, and no repair mechanics. Platoon Cycles carried high quality bikes, and their mechanics were pretty good at the jobs.
Rascal1212
6 years ago
TBONE is probably right about hospital. Won’t be surprised if the dummies sucome to pressure and risk safety of personnel by opening it with flaws, like other buildings. Also until CFC is desolved there will be a significant US presence on Yongson. Last I was aware there was a problem with USFK Hq building. There is also the issue of the Fires BDE.
J6Junkie
6 years ago
I heard CFC is moving onto the ROK Ministry of Defence site.
“YONGSAN GARRISON SET TO COMPLETE RELOCATION BY DECEMBER 2019”
Bwahahahahahaha!
Yeah. I remember when rents went up in Sontan because Yongsan was set to be moved down by 2004.
Bonus thought: Why are people not in jail for the incomptence and corruption involved in all the construction?
Liz
6 years ago
“Bonus thought: Why are people not in jail for the incomptence and corruption involved in all the construction?”
I’m not overseas so I have no idea about foreign contractors but if it’s anything like US construction projects the answer might be a combination of bureaucracy-fueled acceptance (“this is the way it has always been”) coupled with the fact too few people know how to really read a contract. By contrast, the contractors are longtime experts writing them up. And often the people who sign into the contracts have left by the time the project gets started. That’s why it might take longer to build a cover over a guard shack at the front gate than it takes to build a SuperTarget a block away. “We hit water!” “The concrete needs to set! That set us back eight months!”
Heck, it might take longer to put in a sink than to build a Supertarget. We recently renovated the club. It took three months to completely renovate the entire thing, new floors and everything using a small local contractor. We had a large government contractor (Sabre) do a couple of things…like put in a sink. It has been over a year and still no sink.
This can also be applied to advanced weapons programs (well similar). From the military end, there is incentive to hide the mistakes rather than learn from them and pass the lessons on. New people on the next big project then start fresh, knowing very little. By contrast, on the contractor side, there is incentive to milk the system for all it is worth and they have it down to a science.
setnaffa
6 years ago
When one pays by the hour, there is no incentive to finish. When one pays “cost-plus” there is no reason to control costs. And when, as they always do, government bureaucrats issue dozens of design changes every day, reworking the design bakes additional costs into everything. The reasons for $600 hammers are many and include the load of unnecessary inspections, Xrays, and other certifications required.
Common sense is an uncommon commodity in contracts where one or both sides are trying to cheat each other. And no contract is worth the ink used to sign it if the two sides have not reached a meeting of the minds.
J6Junkie
6 years ago
It would probably take a Congressional investigation to find what the heck is going on with the Hump construction companies.
Jackson
5 years ago
Usag yongsan will be open until 2025 minimum. Even if it’s reduced it will always remain open to house embassy personnel. Yongsan or bust.
J6Junkie
5 years ago
Commie Moon will make it happen sooner than 2025. It is Pyongyang’s wish to see Seoul empty of the American imperialist troops.
Bike Nerd Question!
Where is Platoon Cycles now? They were at Camp Coiner, next to the small PX there. Did they relocate to Humphries? I know they had a small shop at the PX up at Casey.
I don’t know if it’s called Platoon Cycles, but there is a bike shop in the building located behind the fire station on South Post that used to be a video rental shop.
“The next major milestone will be in December 2019 when the on-post hospital is due to close, triggering the departure of the last major unit.”
From what I heard, the brand new hospital built on the Hump had major design flaws, to include a crumbling foundation and it’ll be a while before it’s either rebuilt or a new one is put up. So no hospital for all the army folks and their dependents? Or do they plan to send everyone to good morning hospital in downtown Pyeongtaek?
Thanks, Guitard. It’s probably the same company. The PX sells bikes, but it’s hit or miss on the quality, and no repair mechanics. Platoon Cycles carried high quality bikes, and their mechanics were pretty good at the jobs.
TBONE is probably right about hospital. Won’t be surprised if the dummies sucome to pressure and risk safety of personnel by opening it with flaws, like other buildings. Also until CFC is desolved there will be a significant US presence on Yongson. Last I was aware there was a problem with USFK Hq building. There is also the issue of the Fires BDE.
I heard CFC is moving onto the ROK Ministry of Defence site.
“YONGSAN GARRISON SET TO COMPLETE RELOCATION BY DECEMBER 2019”
Bwahahahahahaha!
Yeah. I remember when rents went up in Sontan because Yongsan was set to be moved down by 2004.
Bonus thought: Why are people not in jail for the incomptence and corruption involved in all the construction?
“Bonus thought: Why are people not in jail for the incomptence and corruption involved in all the construction?”
I’m not overseas so I have no idea about foreign contractors but if it’s anything like US construction projects the answer might be a combination of bureaucracy-fueled acceptance (“this is the way it has always been”) coupled with the fact too few people know how to really read a contract. By contrast, the contractors are longtime experts writing them up. And often the people who sign into the contracts have left by the time the project gets started. That’s why it might take longer to build a cover over a guard shack at the front gate than it takes to build a SuperTarget a block away. “We hit water!” “The concrete needs to set! That set us back eight months!”
Heck, it might take longer to put in a sink than to build a Supertarget. We recently renovated the club. It took three months to completely renovate the entire thing, new floors and everything using a small local contractor. We had a large government contractor (Sabre) do a couple of things…like put in a sink. It has been over a year and still no sink.
This can also be applied to advanced weapons programs (well similar). From the military end, there is incentive to hide the mistakes rather than learn from them and pass the lessons on. New people on the next big project then start fresh, knowing very little. By contrast, on the contractor side, there is incentive to milk the system for all it is worth and they have it down to a science.
When one pays by the hour, there is no incentive to finish. When one pays “cost-plus” there is no reason to control costs. And when, as they always do, government bureaucrats issue dozens of design changes every day, reworking the design bakes additional costs into everything. The reasons for $600 hammers are many and include the load of unnecessary inspections, Xrays, and other certifications required.
Common sense is an uncommon commodity in contracts where one or both sides are trying to cheat each other. And no contract is worth the ink used to sign it if the two sides have not reached a meeting of the minds.
It would probably take a Congressional investigation to find what the heck is going on with the Hump construction companies.
Usag yongsan will be open until 2025 minimum. Even if it’s reduced it will always remain open to house embassy personnel. Yongsan or bust.
Commie Moon will make it happen sooner than 2025. It is Pyongyang’s wish to see Seoul empty of the American imperialist troops.