| US Army Garrison Humphreys | |
|---|---|
| Near Pyeongtaek, Republic of Korea | |
Shoulder sleeve insignia of units stationed at USAG Humphreys |
|
| Type | Military Garrison |
| Built | 1919 |
| Built by | Imperial Japanese Army |
| In use | 1919–1945 (Imperial Japanese Army) 1950 – present (United States Army) |
| Current owner |
United States with authority from South Korea |
| Controlled by | United States Army |
| Garrison | *Combat Aviation Brigade *194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion *3rd Military Intelligence Battalion *25th Transportation Battalion (PMCT) *22nd Korea Service Corps Company *7th ROK Air Force *304th Signal Battalion *168th Medical Battalion *4th Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment (Airfield Operations) *94th Military Police Battalion *Detachment B, 176th Finance Company 176th Finance Company |
| Commanders | Commander: Colonel Joseph P. Moore Deputy commander: David Frodsham Command sergeant major: Command Sgt. Maj. Spencer Gray |
Camp Humphreys or United States Army Garrison-Humphreys (USAG-H) is a medium-sized United States Army garrison located near Anjeong-ri and south of Pyeongtaek metropolitan area in South Korea.[1] Camp Humphreys is located 55 miles south of Seoul and is one of the U.S. Army's fastest growing installations. Anjung-Ri and Pyeonggtaek are growing to help meet the future demands for what will be the largest military installation on the peninsula. The base operator's telephone number is DSN 723-1110 or commercial 011-82-312-791-311-10. The hearing-impaired number is TTY DSN 753-3082 or commercial 011-82-31-690-3082.
Humphreys is home to Desiderio Army Airfield, one of the busiest overseas airfields with over 60,000 movements annually.
In addition to the airfield, there are U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force direct support, transportation, and tactical units located there. USAG-H is the home to about 9,500 military personnel, and over 1,000 family members, Department of Defense employees, and contractors.
Many Koreans, as well as Korean street signs, still refer to USAG Humphreys by its Korean War airfield name, K-6.
The Ansong River flows from the east to west toward the West Sea and passes three miles northwest of the airfield. About 12 miles west of Camp Humphreys, the river widens and empties into the Asan Bay, near Koon-ni Range.
The immediate area around Camp Humpreys is mostly agricultural and consists mainly of rice fields. There are some rolling hills in the vicinity, but for the most part the elevations are less than 150 feet. There is a small mountain range about seven miles south of Camp Humphreys, with tops at 958 feet. Larger mountains are located to the norheast, east, and southwest, all within 20 miles with tops to 2,293 feet directly south and tops above 1,000 feet mainly southeast.Urban areas are situated mostly to the northeast of the airfield. Pyongtaek is four miles northeast and Seojeong-ja is one mile northeast.
The numerous areas of water around Camp Humphreys has an effect on the weather. The abundant moisture is responsible for most of the fog and stratus which occurs in the area. This is especially true from the spring through fall.
Another fog source are the irrigated rice fields which contain standing water during the growing season of May through September. The West Sea provides moisture for snow showers during the winter, as cold air is advected over the relativel warmer West Sea. Thunderstorms occur mainly during spring through fall.
Contents |
The installation covers an area about one mile wide and two miles long.
The post includes a commissary, Exchange (AAFES), post office, USO, and a movie theater that was recognized as best in the Army in 2011. For dining, there is a a food court with Subway, Popeye's, Anthony's Pizza, Baskin-Robbins, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks and Taco Bell. There is also a stand alone Pizza Hut and a Charlie's Subs. Navy Federal Credit Union and Bank of America branches are located near the Exchange. In the Exchange building are a General Nutrition Center, a Korean bazaar, a barber shop, a beauty parlor, Starbuck's, and a flower shop.
For recreation, there are three large gymnasiums, including the multi-floor Super Gym, the Army's largest gymnasium. The gyms feature weight training equipment, Nautilus fitness equipment, treadmills, stationary spinning bikes, basketball courts, racquetball courts, exercise programs and indoor swimming pools. Other sports facilites include a soccer field, softball fields, batting cages, running tracks, tennis courts, a skate park, a water park, a bowling alley, and a miniature golf course.
There is also a Community Activity Center that hosts shows and awards banquets and a Youth Services Center and Child Development Center.
There are 148 family housing units, with many more planned. Most are in one of three towers located near the school and health clinic, and feature two-, three- and four-bedroom dwellings from 1,600 - 1,700 square feet. Each unit has a living room, dining area, kitchen, storage room, laundry room, family room, bedrooms, two full baths, and storage space.
Each quarter, the Humphreys commander and directorate heads host a Town Hall Meeting. This open forum allows soldiers, civilians and families who live and work on Humphryes to give suggestions and express concerns about the installion.
There are three PX shoppettes, as well as AAFES New Car Sales, and FedEx. There is also a Community Activity Center which includes function rooms, pool rooms, an indoor swimming pool, sound-proofed music rooms, a pottery shop and a ballroom for unit or large functions and more.
A 303-child capacity Child Development Center provides a safe and fun place for children to stay while their parents work and also offers educational services.
There are daily bus runs to and from Humphreys and Osan Air Base and Yongsan Garrison.
Camp Humphreys houses the Eighth United States Army military confinement facility, which detains soldiers sentenced for no more than a year or until they are transferred to a military prison facility in the United States. There is currently no single major headquarters on the base, but garrison command is exercised by the US Army Installation Management Command. The United States Eighth Army is the tactical parent unit for most of the organizations on post.
Current units include the 194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade, the 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion; 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion; 527th Military Intelligence Battalion, the 501st Signal Company, the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade (2nd Infantry Division), the 501st Sustainment Brigade, the 52nd Ordnance Company, the 557th Military Police Company, the 4th Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment (Airfield Operations), and the United States Army Correctional Activity – Korea.
The 194th Maintenance Battalion was activated May 1, 1970 in the Republic of Korea, providing maintenance and supply support throughout the theatre. The 194th Maintenance Battalion was redesignated as the 194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in October 2007.
The 25th Transportation Battalion plans and coordinates transportation support and the movement of personnel and material. On order, it can transition to a war mission, support noncombatant evacuations, and support reception, staging, and onward movement of combat forces.
The 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade conducts theater aviation operations in support of 8th U.S. Army. On order, the brigade provides combat aviation support to the ground component command as an element of the Combined Aviation Force.
The 501st Military Intelligence Brigade supports warfighters by providing indications and early warning of actions by opposing forces who could threaten peace. If hostilities begin, the brigade mission shifts to providing combined, multi-discipline intelligence and force protection support.
The 94th Military Police Battalion establishes and maintains discipline throughout Korea. On order, the battalion conducts operational area security and internment and resettlement activities in order to support 8th Army.
A Company, 304th Integrated Signal Battalion, on order, will deploy, install, maintain, and defend tactical communications systems in support of joint, combined, and Army Operations.
B Detachment, 176th Financial Management Company, provides financial management support to 8th Field Army units. On order, it transitions to war and provides joint expeditionary financial management support.
The United States Army Support Activity Area III is responsible for the peacetime support mission for Camp Humphreys by preparing for tactical operations and safeguarding personnel, facilities and property.
The 19th Military Police Battalion is also housed at Humphreys.
The Camp Humphreys Army Health Clinic provides routine outpatient primary care services to soldiers and families. Dental, optometry, and Tricare Services are located on the second floor of the clinic. Emergency services are available at Good Morning Hospital in Pyeongtaek. There is also a veterinary clinic.
Colonel Joseph P. Moore serves as commander of United States Army Garrison Humphreys.
He is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Virginia Tech and also holds a Master's of Architecture from the school.
Moore is an honor graduate of Presidio of Monterey for foreign language study at the Defense Language Institute and he is fluent in French and German.
He is a previous winner of the Directorate of Public Works of the Year for United States Army Europe.
His awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Parachutist Badge, and the Army Engineer Association’s de Fleuy Medal.
The senior enlisted soldier on Camp Humphreys is Command Sergeant Major Spencer L. Gray. He holds a bachelor's in human resource administration from Saint Leo University and a master's in the same field from Webster University.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the German Marksmanship Badge (Silver), and Driver’s Badge. He is a recipient of the American Preparedness Defense Award and the Distinguished Instructor’s Award.
In 1919 Imperial Japanese Army soldiers constructed Pyongtaek Airfield. During the Korean War, Pyeongtaek Airfield was called K-6 after a new runway was being repaired and enhanced by the U.S. Air Force to accommodate U.S. Marine Air Group 12 and the 614th Tactical Control Group. In 1962 it was renamed Camp Humphreys in honor of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin K. Humphreys, 6th Transportation Company, who died in a helicopter accident nearby. During and after the Korean War, the base was expanded with land from the settlements of Daechuri, Anjeongri, Doojungri, Hamjungri, Naeri, and Dongcahngri.
The Humphreys District Command was activated in 1964 as a separate installation command of the Eighth U.S. Army. In 1974, with the activation of the 19th Support Brigade, the post was designated as U.S. Army Garrison, Camp Humphreys. In 1985, it was restructured to support wartime missions and was designated the 23rd Support Group which provided all direct support, supply and maintenance, training aides, and operated the Eighth Army Milk Plant.
In 1996 a separate U.S. Army Support Activity for Area III was activated to provide base operations and community support. In 2006 with the activation of the U.S. Army's Installation Management Command (IMCOM), US Army Garrison Humphreys was placed under the authority of IMCOM Korea (IMCOM-K), and is now under IMCOM-Pacific.
As part of global repositioning efforts, the Department of Defense plans to move the headquarters of USFK and the Eighth U.S. Army headquarters from Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, and the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Red Cloud, to Camp Humphreys in the next few years.[2]
In December 2004, the Korean government agreed to U.S. plans to expand the post from 3,734 acres to 6,585 acres.
In October 2006, Residents of Daechuri and other small villages near Pyeongtaek agreed to a government settlement to leave their homes and allow for the base expansion. According to a Korea Herald article, "The government has agreed to provide the residents with an additional compensation package under which they will receive a $230 grant every month for 10 years along with 26.4 square meters of land in an area being set aside for their relocation. Residents have also been given lump sum compensation averaging $20,000 each which the government claims is between three to four times the current market value of their properties."
In September 2011, ground was broken on the future site of Humphreys Elementary School and Humphreys High School. When finished in July 2013, the schools will accommodate 1,700 students. The elementary school will hold kindergarten through fifth-grade classes and the high school will hold sixth through 12th grades until a new middle school opens the following year.[3] More projects will follow, as Humphreys becomes the primary U.S. military installation in Korea.
The decision to relocate all of US Forces Korea south of Seoul resulted in a rapidly changing Camp Humphreys. By 2012 Camp Humphreys was to become the new home to United States Forces Korea. The expected 2012 population would grow to 17,000 Soldiers and 13,000 family members. The garrison would also see a substantial increase in the number of Department of the Army Civilians, Korean National employees and contractors.
To handle the influx, is expected to grow by about 3,500 acres. However, the total land area would not support the massive increase. Consequently, the philosophy was to build up instead of out. Family housing units as well as Soldier barracks will be multi-story buildings as would many of the other new facilities on post.
Future plans also called for construction of an 18-hole golf course that included jogging, biking and walking trails in the design, a new Commissary, PX shopping complex and a food, beverage and entertainment center.
Humphreys has a population of approximately 10,000. Under the new USFK plan, that number should reach approximately 64,000 by 2016.