The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Hybe's new boy group Boynextdoor aims to be 'one and only' presence in K-pop

  • 3

    Brave Girls to restart activities under new name

  • 5

    Rapper Mino attends sister's wedding in U.S. amid military service

  • 7

    Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s

  • 9

    Actors' off-screen chemistry enthralls fans

  • 11

    Anti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakers

  • 13

    Naver suffers shrinking online search market share

  • 15

    Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service

  • 17

    NATIONALKorea likely to face pressure over imports of Fukushima seafood

  • 19

    Directors thrive on streaming platforms amid sluggish film industry

  • 2

    Seoul city erroneously sends emergency alert after NK launch

  • 4

    NK's attempt to launch 1st spy satellite fails after 'abnormal' flight: S. Korean military

  • 6

    Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists

  • 8

    Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age

  • 10

    Sluggish exports behind weak Korean won

  • 12

    Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies'

  • 14

    Seoul city takes flak for emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch

  • 16

    Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues

  • 18

    'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema

  • 20

    Rude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penalties

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, June 1, 2023 | 01:28
Defense
US Soldiers in Korea Negative About Rotation to Middle East
Posted : 2009-11-04 18:40
Updated : 2009-11-04 18:40
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Most U.S. servicemembers in South Korea are negative about a potential troop rotation to Afghanistan or the Middle East, while they are supportive of longer, family-accompanied tours here.

The response comes after reports that the Pentagon is considering deploying its forces in South Korea to the Middle East on a temporary basis after the three-year, accompanied tour program is put in place in the coming years.

Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, also mentioned the option during his town hall-style meeting with his troops here Oct. 22.

Pundits interpreted the idea as a U.S. move to expand the "strategic flexibility" of its troops abroad, allowing them to be deployed in a flexible manner to respond to conflicts in other parts of the world.

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) leaders have said the longer tours will help improve the quality of life for American servicemembers here and set the stage for a potential troop rotation program.

But many soldiers think differently.

"I think the general consensus is that longer tours in Korea are great, but soldiers should not be deployed from Korea because it places too much burden on families who have already suffered from multiple deployments," a U.S. servicemember in Daegu told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity. "Korea should be a place for previously-deployed soldiers to rest and enjoy the Korean culture."

A 21-year-old sergeant said, "Soldiers can come to Korea to rest, relax and bring their family, without having to worry about deployment. If you take that away from us, then you take away a big factor for most soldiers who request assignment to Korea."

He continued that far fewer soldiers will want to be assigned to Korea if they know they'll have to deploy from here.

It may cause "added headaches" for Korea in its diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern nations, he said, adding that South Korea might become a target because U.S. soldiers are deploying from here.

A 33-year-old Army captain criticized his leadership for being more concerned about "the need to rotate" than they are about what is good for soldiers and their families.

He said that allowing soldiers and their families to stay in Korea longer, up to six years, is actually more economical for the U.S. Army.

"If we allow soldiers to be stationed in America for six years, why not Korea, Germany, Italy, etc?" he said. "If it has a Department of Defense school there, there should be longer tours available. The Army would save so much money."

A 33-year-old staff sergeant said he thinks Iraq and Afghanistan will be one-year unaccompanied ones, with Korea an accompanied "normal" tour of two or three years without troop rotations.

Meanwhile, most respondents suggested that the USFK and the Korean government come up with measures to establish enough infrastructure, such as quality on- and off-post schools, for the forthcoming accompanied tour.

"The last time I took my children back to the States after a tour in Korea, the school told me that my children were behind in school and that they would need special tutoring to catch up. I wish there had been a quality school off-post for my children to attend," the staff sergeant said.

A 41-year-old wife of an American major lamented a lack of facilities for USFK and their family members here.

"There are already not enough USFK facilities to sufficiently take care of families. This includes a lack of quality housing, the lack of military medical facilities for families and a desperate deficiency of recreational activities."

High-ranking personnel of the USFK have a lot of work to do to make the U.S. military posts in South Korea "comfortable" for the soldiers and their families already here, said the military spouse.

The USFK has 28,500 personnel in Korea and plans to lengthen the tours of U.S. servicemembers here and have them live with their family members as part of "tour normalization" efforts.

USFK Commander Gen. Walter Sharp said earlier that his command would have half of its 28,500 members serve three-year accompanied tours, similar to those served by soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in Japan and Europe for decades.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Seoul city takes flak for emergency text alert on NK's rocket launchSeoul city takes flak for emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch
2Rude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penaltiesRude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penalties
3[INTERVIEW] Asia expected to be key driver of ESG growth: Deloitte ESG Partner INTERVIEWAsia expected to be key driver of ESG growth: Deloitte ESG Partner
4Retailers adopt generative AI to offer personalized products, services Retailers adopt generative AI to offer personalized products, services
5North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea
6Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online
7LS chairman appears in YouTube commercial LS chairman appears in YouTube commercial
8Chinese account for 54% of foreign-owned homes in Korea Chinese account for 54% of foreign-owned homes in Korea
9AMCHAM stresses S. Korea-US ties after NK fires 'space launch vehicle' AMCHAM stresses S. Korea-US ties after NK fires 'space launch vehicle'
10Samsung Sharing Kiosk raises $174,000 to help children in need Samsung Sharing Kiosk raises $174,000 to help children in need
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Lee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out' INTERVIEWLee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out'
2'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema 'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema
3SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal' SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'
4ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood' ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'
5'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group