Category: USFK

Here is the latest from USFK on their coronavirus prevention response:

There remains zero confirmed cases of USFK personnel with COVID-19 despite the rise in confirmed South Korean cases to more than 100 patients.

Out of continued abundance of caution and the utilizing the USFK Commander’s authorities to protect the force, the risk for USFK peninsula-wide personnel and installations remains moderate.

To ensure USFK remains vigilant in preventing the spread of COVID-19 within USAG-Daegu and Area IV, the following prudent health protection measures are in effect:

All service member mission-essential only travel to/from/around Daegu, and all service member non-mission essential travel to/from Daegu requires GO/FO authorization; this is highly encouraged for all family members, civilians and contractors.

USFK Website

You can read much more at the link.

It sounds like Daegu is beginning to turn into Wuhan:

 South Korea reported its first coronavirus-linked death Thursday, while Daegu urged residents to stay home as the southeastern city struggled to contain an outbreak of the pneumonia-like disease.

The Army garrison in Daegu also restricted access and announced that schools and non-essential business would be closed for a second day.

In an exception to policy, U.S. service members were authorized to wear face masks in uniform regardless of air quality conditions, according to the garrison’s Facebook page.

Fast-moving developments this week were a blow to South Korea’s hope that the crisis was easing.

Instead, health authorities reported dozens of new confirmed cases in recent days, pushing the total number of infections past 100.

U.S. Forces Korea said no personnel have been infected with COVID-19, which first appeared in December in Wuhan, China, and spread to nearly 30 countries. More than 2,000 people have died — most in mainland China.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, as well as this link back to the original USAG Daegu Facebook posting announcing the reduction of military operations in Daegu. All the best to everyone in Daegu.

The next rotational brigade to support the 2nd Infantry Division has begun arriving in Korea:

Tanks and other armored vehicles rolled off a ship onto the Korean Peninsula this week in preparation for the arrival of the new rotational brigade.

The Fort Riley, Kansas-based 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, known as the Dagger Brigade, will be the eighth rotational brigade to serve in South Korea since the system began in 2015.

It is replacing the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, which will return to Fort Hood, Texas, after its nine-month rotation.

The transition comes as the U.S. and South Korean militaries are expected to begin joint exercises next month. The allies have reduced the scale of the drills in a bid to avoid antagonizing North Korea amid stalled diplomatic efforts to persuade it to give up nuclear weapons.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

This is all pretty much common sense advice from the USFK commander that everyone should be following whether there is a coronavirus or not:

USFK commander Gen. Robert Abrams said good hygiene practices and minimum contact with anybody who has returned from mainland China in the past two weeks or is exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms are the best prevention measures.

Anybody who detects symptoms themselves should go to the doctor and stay home, he said in a statement on the website.

“More importantly, do not go to work or school. Stay at your home or in the barracks while you are recovery,” he said. “We must do our best to prevent the spread or it will have a significant impact on our ‘Fight Tonight’ readiness!”

He also promised the situation was being monitored “very closely, around the clock.”

“We currently assess a low threat or risk to our USFK formations and installations,” he said. “We will keep you informed as the situation develops and if our assessment changes.”

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

I think everyone saw this one coming and this is not the first time this has happened:

The U.S. military has warned of likely service delays at Camp Humphreys and possible furloughs for thousands of South Korean employees as Washington and Seoul remain deadlocked over cost-sharing.

Nearly a month after the expiration of the previous Special Measures Agreement, under which South Korea shares the costs of stationing some 28,500 U.S. forces in the country, the garrison told residents to brace for delays to services.

“Due to the Special Measures Agreement lapse and implementation of USFK austerity measures, including cessation of overtime pay for Korean National employees, USAG Humphreys will experience some delays to certain installation services,” such as the post office and after-hours maintenance work, according to a message posted on its Facebook page.

Some bus routes operating after 1 a.m. also have been cut back due to the lack of overtime pay.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

Osan Airbase’s A-10 aircraft have just had an upgrade that will allow them to continue to support USFK into the 2030’s:

All but one of nearly two dozen Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in South Korea have completed wing upgrades that should extend the service life of the close combat support jet well into the 2030s.

The new wings are designed to last up to 10,000 flight hours without a major inspection. The upgrade includes a new wiring harness created for easier wing removal and to reduce the chance of damaging the wing during the process.

“Most of our airplanes [at Osan] have between 9,000 to 12,000 airframe hours. They are old, but this upgrade is helping us to keep going. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the airplanes go 16,000 hours,” Senior Master Sgt. Dustin Schwartz, lead production superintendent for the 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 51st Fighter Wing, told Stars and Stripes on Wednesday.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

For some reason I bet there is far more than one person involved in black-marketing, it appears this guy just made it super obvious:

A U.S. military retiree has been banned from bases in South Korea over allegations of buying excessive duty-free goods and black marketing, officials said Friday.

The move came nearly four months after U.S. Forces Korea, the main command on the peninsula, lifted monthly commissary purchase limits and eased other shopping restrictions intended to prevent such infractions.

The retiree, who lives in South Korea but was not otherwise identified, was banned Dec. 10 “from all U.S. military installations and facilities in (South Korea) for 10 years, for excessive purchasing of duty free goods and black marketing,” according to a post on the Camp Humphreys Facebook page.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.