7th US Air Force Updates Curfew Policy for Airmen Stationed in South Korea

For those that haven’t seen this yet, below is the latest curfew order published by the 7th Air Force Commander, Lieutenant General Wilsbach on March 14, 2019 that applies to all Air Force personnel stationed in South Korea:

MEMORANDUM FOR ALL AIR FORCE PERSONNEL IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

FROM: 7 AF/CC (Commander, Air Forces Korea) Unit 2047
APO AP 96278-2047

SUBJECT: 7 AF (AFKOR) General Order Regarding Off-Installation Curfew

1. Background. This order supersedes the 7 AF (AFKOR) Curfew Order dated 11 January 2016. It contains substantial changes, and must be reviewed in its entirety. This order is effective immediately and remains in effect until further notice. This order implements USFK General Order Regarding Off-Installation Curfew (19 December 2014).

2. Purpose. This curfew is imposed in order to bolster operational and mission readiness in this armistice operating environment, to safeguard the vital relationship the United States enjoys with the Republic of Korea, and to more efficiently meet our obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty and implementing arrangements.

3. Applicability. This order applies to all United States Air Force (USAF) military personnel in the Republic of Korea, including those in a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or temporary duty/temporary additional duty (TDY/TAD) status, except for those Airmen attached or assigned to the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR), the Joint U.S. Military Affairs Group -. Korea (JUSMAG-K), or the Air Force Element of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). USAF military personnel assigned to SOCKOR and the Air Force Element of USFKremain subject to the USFK General Order Regarding Off-Installation Curfew (19 December 2014). Dependents, Department of Defense (DoD) Civilians, and DoD-invited contractors! technical representatives requested and encouraged to abide by this order.

4. Curfew Order. An off-installation curfew is in effect from 0100 until 0500 every day of the year. By 0100, all personnel subject to this order will be (1) on a U.S. military installation, (2) in a private residence; or (3) inside a hotel room (but NOT in any public area of the hotel such as the lounge, bar, lobby, restaurant, casino, pool, spa, or hallway).

5. Exceptions. Paragraph 5 of USFK General Order Regarding Off-Installation Curfew (19December 2014) provides the following exceptions, modified for purposes of this 7 AF order:
a. Official duty. Travel during curfew hours directly to and from a location described in paragraph 4(1)-(3) above is authorized for official duty. “Official duty” includes travel for the purposes of attending or participating in Physical Training (PT).
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b. Leave. Service members on official leave are exempt from curfew. During times of curfew while off a U.S. military installation, service members exempt from curfew must have valid documentation of their official leave authorization on their person.

c. Exceptions granted by 7 AF commanders/directors. Commanders subordinate to me who hold a squadron command or above may, on a case-by-case basis, grant persoimel assigned to their unit written, narrowly-tailored, exceptions to this order. During times of curfew while off a U.S. military installation, service members who have received a written exemption from curfew from their commander must have that written exception on their person.

6. Enforcement. This is a punitive general order. Personnel who violate this order may be punished under Article 92, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and may also face adverse administrative actions as authorized by applicable law and regulations.
a. Commanders may dispose of violations of this order in any manner authorized by law or regulation. Dispositions shall be individualized, warranted, appropriate, and fair.
b. If a violation of this order occurs under circumstances relating to an allegation of rape, sexual assault, forcible sodomy, or an attempt to commit such an offense, then the disposition decision for the alleged curfew violation by either the accused or the victim of the sexual offense must be made by a special court-martial convening authority in the grade of Colonel, or higher.
c. Commanders shall ensure that I am made personally aware of any violation of this order by a service member in the grade of Senior Master Sergeant or above. Commanders shall comply with any disposition withholding policy in effect for offenses committed by such personnel.
d. Unit commanders will ensure all USAF personnel who travel to the Republic of Korea for any other purpose, including to perform TDY/TAD, are made aware of, and fully understand, the punitive nature of this order.
7. Subject to applicable law and regulations, all commanders have authority to impose further restrictions, or to curtail the exceptions in paragraph 5, above, as they deem necessary due tooperational requirements or local conditions. Commanders should consult their servicing legal office regarding the terms of this order and the means and methods of its enforcement.

KENNETH S. WILSBACH

Lieutenant General, USAF Commander