InterviewAt Camp Casey, US general commands troops on field named after Korean War hero great-uncle

Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo, commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, March 20. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

CAMP CASEY, Gyeonggi Province — Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo did not start the interview sitting behind a desk.

Instead, he stood up and said he wanted to show the space himself. In the newly opened dining and recreation area on the base, Lombardo pointed to a wooden bar built from salvaged materials taken from a former commanding general’s mess at now-closed Camp Red Cloud. The space, he explained, was designed as a place where soldiers could gather, eat and socialize.

“This is where soldiers come to eat and be together,” he told The Korea Times, moving through the room before leading the way down a hallway lined with artifacts and photographs.

The tour continued past displays honoring previous commanders and units as well as images from the 1950-53 Korean War, a reminder of the division’s long history on the peninsula.

Lombardo paused to explain that the 2nd Infantry Division remains the only permanently forward-stationed U.S. Army division and operates as part of a combined structure with South Korean forces.

“It’s the only combined division in the U.S. Army,” he said. “We’ve got Republic of Korea soldiers and U.S. soldiers serving together.”

The setting, more than the interview itself, framed how Lombardo spoke about his role. His focus was not on strategy or policy, but on people, places and the daily life of the soldiers he leads.

That perspective became most clear at one particular location.

Lombardo Field.

Located at Camp Casey, the field bears his family name, but its story reaches back more than seven decades. It is named after his great-uncle, 1st Lt. Thomas Lombardo, a Korean War officer who was killed in action in 1950 while leading his men during combat operations.

According to Lombardo, his great-uncle had the option to remain in a staff position but chose instead to move to the front lines to be with his soldiers.

“He fought to get down there,” Lombardo said. “He wanted to be with his soldiers and lead from the front.”

The legacy has remained a defining part of his own approach to leadership. He recalled hearing stories about his great-uncle’s character, including how he used his position not for personal gain but to take care of his troops.

Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo, commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division, stands beside a plaque on Lombardo Field at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, March 20. The field honors his great-uncle, Korean War hero 1st Lt. Thomas Lombardo. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

“If I can use my rank or my position in any way to improve our soldiers’ quality of life, that’s what a leader should do,” he said.

For Lombardo, serving in Korea carries a personal weight that goes beyond his current command. During a recent rededication ceremony for Lombardo Field, he brought his family to the site where his great-uncle fought and died, as well as to other locations tied to the Korean War.

He described the experience as a moment of closure for his family.

“It was really special,” he said. The visit allowed his family to see the terrain, better understand what his great-uncle had gone through and find a sense of closure.

The field today is not just a memorial. It is where soldiers train together daily, a place where the past and present meet.

Lombardo has spent more than 35 years in uniform. He began his career as an enlisted soldier before being commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Over time, he served in a range of assignments before taking command of the 2nd Infantry Division in 2023.

He describes military service not as a job, but as something greater.

“It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself,” he said. “You are part of a team that takes care of each other.”

This philosophy is reflected in the way Lombardo leads the division. Instead of keeping himself separate from daily activities, Lombardo regularly joins soldiers for training and physical events. He recently took part in a 40-kilometer march known as the Manchu Mile, walking alongside troops from evening into the early hours of the morning.

“It was a long day,” he said. “But it was a good time. We do it together.”

His connection to life on base extends beyond training. Lombardo spoke casually about food, daily routines and living in Korea. He divides his time between his main residence in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and quarters near Camp Casey, often eating with soldiers on the base.

“I eat a lot of pizza here,” he said with a laugh. “The food’s good.”

When asked about his favorite Korean dish, he mentioned dakgalbi, a spicy stir-fried chicken dish, recalling a restaurant near Seoul that overlooks a valley.

“It’s an old place with a great view,” he said. “You can sit outside and just enjoy it.”

Moments like those — small and personal — help shape his understanding of his time in Korea.

He described the country and its people with a sense of familiarity, noting how American soldiers are received and how the alliance is experienced on the ground.

For Lombardo, the U.S.-Korea alliance is not an abstract concept, but something that is experienced daily by soldiers on both sides.

“You see it every day here,” he said. “Soldiers training together, working together. It’s real.”

As the tour came to an end, the setting returned to where it began, among the spaces built for soldiers to gather.

Camp Casey, in that sense, is more than just a military installation. It is a place where history, personal legacy and present-day service continue to overlap.

At its center stands a commander who carries a name and a responsibility shaped long before his time.