USFK Ends Curfew for All U.S. Military Servicemembers; How Long Will It Last?
Via a reader tip comes news that USFK has officially ended the curfew:
United States Forces Korea ended the USFK-wide curfew for Service Members effective December 17, 2019.
The original 90 day curfew suspension, and subsequent 90 day curfew suspension extension assessments, imposed from June 17 through December 17, focused on Service Member behavior, morale, readiness factors and the capability for USFK Service Members to maintain good order and discipline, at all times and under all conditions.
“After assessing the curfew data and consulting with USFK leaders including component commanders, I decided to end the curfew effective December 17,” said Gen. Robert B. “Abe” Abrams, United States Forces Korea Commander. “The 180 day curfew suspension enabled leaders at all levels of the chain of command to recommend keeping the curfew, continuing the suspension, or ending the curfew. All recommended its termination.”
When informing USFK commanders and leaders that he was ending the curfew, Gen. Abrams reinforced two key principles by which every leader and Service Member must abide: continually instill and maintain good order and discipline, regardless of time or location, and maintain focus on their “Fight Tonight” posture, approach and mentality.
“Leaders are responsible for our Service Members on and off-post conduct; we are ambassadors of USFK, the United States and the US-RoK Alliance to the Korean people,” said Abrams. “We have a solemn responsibility to keep readiness at its highest levels with a “Fight Tonight” posture, approach and mentality. Our capability and capacity to remain ready at all times is non-negotiable.”
All Service Members are responsible to act in accordance with USFK regulations, standards of conduct and Korean Law at all times. These actions will serve as a demonstration to the ROK people that we will safeguard vital relationships while maintaining the ironclad Alliance.
USFK website
My opinion on the whole curfew issue is that I don’t like the curfew especially with more families now being stationed in Korea in an effort to normalize assignment to Korea.
Statistics say there is going to eventually be a major GI crime incident that happens. Especially if the Moon administration moves in an anti-US direction in the coming months and unleashes the media to report every GI crime incident that happens to turn public opinion against USFK. This is what happened during the Roh Moo-hyun administration.
So if a major GI crime incident does happen what will the command do, reimplement the curfew to show they doing something? That is what happened the last time the curfew was lifted. If so why remove it in the first place?
“If so why remove it in the first place?”
The curfew serves two functions for leadership; it’s a massive carrot/stick mechanism and for the daring it’s a switch-bullet for their resumes. Depending on the state at the time you can either write up “Removed obsolete restriction resulting in huge boost of morale and efficiency.” or “Implemented safeguard to ensure mission readiness and strengthened bond with host nation adhering to local norms.”
I think there will be a focus on “fight tonight” (but with a different definition than the upper echelons meant) on 20 December 2019. And then perhaps the commanding general can take my suggestion posted here some months ago and name the ensuing curfew era after the idiot that screwed up immediately after this curfew was lifted.
I also like the way Smokes described the bullet points above.
Funny, when I served in Korea we had no curfew. Turtle Farm locked their gates 1-5am but otherwise in the 2ID area (Area I) no curfew. If we did stupid stuff, the offenders were punished not the entire peninsula. As a medic I met and worked with MPs, CID, KNP when soldiers did stupid stuff. Plus the drunks taught me how to do sutures and legal blood draws. Young men thousands of miles from home, given the freedom to be responsible adults will do stupid stuff. It’s how we live to be old guys reading about young men doing stupid stuff.
Love the comments above. Smokes hit on the head. This is how officers have success without merit.
Since it was before my time, when people mention the Turtle Farm I picture in my head an actual farm with turtles and the farmer had some slutty daughters or something…
Since beating a dead horse is my speciality these days, I am not a gun owner, nor am I any longer in the militRy; but this topic concerns me.
My family and friends include a lot of retired GIs. Many of them have children or grandchildren who are Active Duty members.
Please look at https://humanevents.com/2019/12/19/soldiers-without-guns/
Thank you.
Smokes, you are absolutely right. The Turtle Farm was an actual turtle farm but instead of your fantasy of slutty farmer’s daughters, there were actual turtles dressed up in short skirts and lipstick.
Of course, unknown to the customers, most of them were tortoises with the occasional terrapin.