By Over at the Marmot’s Hole he has translated a Yonhap article claiming that the enforcement of the curfew on USFK Soldiers is too lax:
According to Yonhap, enforcement in Itaewon of the USFK curfew has been really lax. Two GIs the reporter met in (I’m assuming) Hooker Hill said even if they’re caught breaking curfew, it’s not like it’s a death sentence, so many soldiers are breaking curfew. Another said it wasn’t right to be treated like a criminal every night because of a few criminals, there were naturally soldiers out past curfew, and if there wasn’t a danger of getting caught, he wanted to go out, too. My favorite quote, though, was from an employee of a transgender club who said that since all the clubs and bars have CCTVs now, the GIs clear out if the MPs appear. [Marmot's Hole]
First of all let me state that all servicemembers should be following the curfew whether they think it is stupid or not because they are par of a professional military force that follows orders, which is what the vast majority of servicemembers do. With that said I’m not sure what Yonhap expects? Do they want all GI’s to wear GPS radio collars to track when and where they are at? Basically a servicemember has to be really stupid to get busted for a curfew violation because the MP’s can’t be everywhere on every night in Seoul or other cities in Korea to look for GI’s breaking curfew. As far as punishment the servicemember may not face a death sentence but he/she will most likely face an Article 15 that could lead to loss of pay, reduction in rank, and extra duty. This is not exactly light punishment.
9:13 pm on December 29th, 2011 1
Getting caught for curfew violation is usually an automatically Article 15. Depending on your local general it may even be an automatically field grade article 15. That can and will destroy the career of any E5/E6 NCO and severely set back the careers of junior soldiers. Due to Time in Grade requirements, an E4 reduced to E2/E3 will be waiting awhile to regain his previous grade, and even longer to eligible for consideration for E5. This in turn will set back his TIG requirements for E6 and E7 considerations later in his career.
So yes, while curfew violations aren’t death sentences, they will severely destroy careers of junior enlisted. The group most effected by the policy.
9:14 pm on December 29th, 2011 2
What do you mean by this “enforcement”? Speak of it no more, blat!
What enforcement?
It’s only an add on if you get busted for something else as far as I can tell. And so the weak leadership can point and say, “look, we’re doing something.”
9:41 pm on December 29th, 2011 3
@2,
Maybe you haven’t been out in the past few years.
They send MP’s to the known popular area’s at various times. Not so much an issue in a city the size of Seoul, but in a place like Daegu there is one centralized downtown with four super-clubs (multi-floor dance clubs). Makes it easy for the MP’s to patrol as they only have a single block area to really look around in.
9:43 pm on December 29th, 2011 4
3. Trust me when I tell you I couldn’t be more “in the know” in Area I.
9:54 pm on December 29th, 2011 5
What I mean is, since they scan ID cards, they know who was out after curfew. Yes, I realize they can stay off base but for SA on who lives in the barracks and stays out all night every weekend, I could see it being useful.
12:29 am on December 30th, 2011 6
If the soldiers live off base, (Atleast in Seoul) all they have to do is stay outside of Itaewon, The MP’s or CP’s don’t patrol anywhere else. just go to Jongro other side of Namsan, it’s that easy.
If they live on base its a little harder but not impossible, all they have to do is stay outsite of Itaewon, and crash at a “Motel” (Love Motel, attually not a bad option) $30-$40 bucks or jimjabong $10 until morning. Problem solved.
Trust me, there are many places that are better to go in Seoul besides Itaewon. It’s even easier if you have a Korean Gf or at least a temporary one
1:18 am on December 30th, 2011 7
Repeat after me, boys and girls and USFK leadership…
As it is unenforceable, curfew has no effect on the people who need curfew the most.
6:25 am on December 30th, 2011 8
We need to tally up the unenforceable USFK orders. It would be amusing to say the least!
7:05 am on December 30th, 2011 9
And according to the Osan website, USFK curfew will be 1-5a.m every night starting Jan 7. This will just cause people to drink faster and get just as drunk but will not stop any of the crimes that happen in areas not being patrolled. Just punishes the law obeying troops
8:51 am on December 30th, 2011 10
Korea had a nationwide curfew for everybody until 1982, and it mated with the USFK pass policy. Used to be hilarious to watch hundreds of GI’s bee-lining it to the main gate from the clubs every night.
The only areas the MP’s really looked for GI’s were the OL areas.
6:31 pm on December 30th, 2011 11
9. But but that leads one to believe they never had any intention of lifting the curfew! I believed them when they said it was temporary in order to evaluate force protection and readiness issues. So, you mean it’s possible that they lied and never intended on lifting the curfew?
I’ll be whimpering in the corner mourning my forlorn sense of trust in USFK if you need me.
6:47 pm on December 30th, 2011 12
I have a new money-making plan.
Get a CID/OSI badge and credentials made up and troll the areas where curfew-breakers will be hanging out.
“Arrest” them. As you “take them in”, explain how they will lose rank and pay and their career is basically over.
Show pity. Make an offer to let them go if they donate all their cash to “charity”… presumably a Korean orphanage or something… but actually your personal meth and hooker fund.
And they say there are no jobs in today’s economy.
7:54 pm on December 30th, 2011 13
So glad that most of my nine years in Korea were at the Hump before curfew arrived.
My more interestint times were after 0100 hours. I was also in the best shape of my life having to jog two miles to barracks in order to put on the PT uniform and jog two more with the unit. I often went to sleep after COB and didn’t go out untill 2300. That was 90 thru 92. My little hooch outside the gate was great for parties also. The only time I had to lay down the law was when my Squad Leader showed up with an underage CSM’s daugther. “no no no Sarge. Get her out a here”
6:50 pm on January 2nd, 2012 14
@5,
Area 1 mind as well be in another country compared to the other locations. I’ve had to take a few trips to CRC / Cassey to support various exercises, and those guy’s are clueless. Their command is so set on being independent from the rest of SK, but that’s a different conversation entirely. I’m referring to the rest of the bases, the MP’s will just check the local “GI” spots where the soldiers / airmen like to congregate. Avoid those locations and you’ll never see an MP. Also means avoiding the easiest of the SK girls, but you don’t want them anyway.
For the whole ID card thing, the idea of using it to track curfew got nixed incredibly fast. The curfew policy does not state that you must be on base, only that you must be in your place of overnight lodging. A CPT down here tried to go after his younger soldiers using a list he made, he got told to stop by both the local JAG and IG. There is no way to prove a soldier, any soldier, who checked through a gate at 0530 was violating curfew. He just needs to state he stayed the night at his GF’s apartment, something that is perfectly fine.
7:40 am on January 19th, 2012 15
It’s more USFK BS to appease the politicos and smooth over hurt feelings. In the end accomplishes actually nothing.
Punish those who deserve to be punished, leave the remainder alone. Gee, are you interested in AIPing for Korea where we treat you all like 15 year olds?
Closr Korea down, send all the boy and girl scouts home. Let Koreans defend Korea against a mythical nork threat.