By Here is an update on the tour options available for servicemembers thinking about getting stationed in South Korea:
Troops in much of South Korea will be able to serve two-year accompanied tours, offering them another option under a new policy that will let more servicemembers bring their families to South Korea, U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Walter Sharp announced last week.
When Sharp announced the tour normalization policy in December, he said troops in northern South Korea, also known as Area 1, would be able to get three-year, command-sponsored tours but did not extend the two-year option to them.
However, under a revised Joint Federal Travel Regulation approved by the Department of Defense on March 2, troops in Pyeongtaek, Osan, Daegu, Chinhae and Seoul can now apply for two- or three-year command-sponsored tours.
Under the tour normalization policy, about half of the 28,500 servicemembers in South Korea eventually will be allowed to bring their families with them.
The policy change in December followed several years of lobbying by Sharp and previous USFK commander Gen. B.B. Bell, who said that one-year unaccompanied tours were outdated and that South Korea was safe for families.
USFK did not explain why more troops are now being offered the two-year option.
Nor did the command respond to questions about the future of the Assignment Incentive Pay program on the peninsula after Sharp posted a message on
USFK’s Web site last week. [Stars & Stripes]
For those of you wondering how this will effect the AIP program, that has been addressed as well:
In that message, Sharp said soldiers and airmen in three-year accompanied billets outside Area I and troops inside Area I with two-year accompanied billets would be eligible for $300 per month through AIP.
His message did not address whether other troops on the peninsula would be eligible for the incentive, including unaccompanied troops as well those with two-year accompanied billets outside Area I.
This is not a bad deal at all for people looking to get stationed in South Korea.
1:03 am on April 12th, 2009 1
They mention the last two commanders (GENs Sharp and Bell), but didn't mention GEN Schwartz. I think he was the one who truly got the ball rolling with regard to making life in Korea better for dependents and much of what we are seeing today are the culmination of initiatives that he started.
3:19 am on April 12th, 2009 2
I would be curious to know if those soldiers on accompanied tours have less of a crime problem?
4:57 am on April 12th, 2009 3
I'm just wondering if they're forgetting about the unaccompanied troops. Do most unaccompanied troops have the option to stay 2 or 3 years? I've heard there's a Korea AIP which gives Unaccompanied troops an extra 300 bucks a month but I don't know if this applies to everyone.