By Kim Jae-heun
American soldiers in South Korea will be allowed to wear masks while in uniform to protect themselves from fine dust, according to the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Tuesday.
The USFK has changed U.S Army regulations that banned soldiers from wearing protective gear when in uniform.
Two years ago, the U.S. military changed its policy to train soldiers indoors or delay exercises when air pollution reached serious levels, but it did not allow masks while in uniform. Only the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base permitted servicemen to wear masks when pollution hits a certain level.
However, the worsening fine dust issue here has forced the USFK to make an exception for soldiers when the air-quality index (AQI) exceeds 101.
The military force follows the air-quality standard measured by the Environment Protection Agency in the U.S., which classifies pollution levels by the AQI. The index shows six levels of air quality with different colors. Orange indicates air pollution between 101 and 150. At this level, it is recommend that people sensitive to fine dust, senior citizens suffering asthma and children stay indoors.
American soldiers will be able to wear masks that cover their nose and mouth like the N-95 and KF-94 models.
The rule change came after a petition posted on Change.org related to the concerns gained the support of more than 3,400 people.
Some family members of USFK servicemen have also expressed concern over the issue.
Alexandra Jackson, whose husband is a soldier at the Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, told the military newspapers Stars and Stripes last month that her husband should be able to wear a mask during service hours when fine dust hits the country.
“But when they're in uniform it's against code,” she said. “I feel like the soldiers should be able to have the protection.”