Yongsan Garrison in the 1980's.  Unrelenting and growing resentment from young Koreans resulted in the eventual departure from Seoul:

https://theworld.org/stories/2017-12-26/us-militarys-yongsan-garrison-leaves-mixed-legacy-seoul

The United States Army has provided security for the Republic of Korea for half a century, and continue to do so.  Because of that security accorded them, lefty politicians - NOKO friendly - are elected.   They eschew the blood and sacrifice made by the United States and force Eighth Army to assume a low profile.  So embarrassing - gotta hide 'em outside of our capital.

Reminds me of when my parents had a custom-made bag for me to wear on special occasions.  That bag helped with the aftermath of the Ugly Stick beating.

  The ROK's justification:  international tourists, particularly in Itaewon, should not have to see US soldiers on the streets.  As Yongsan was adjacent to Itaewon, Eighth Army had to retreat from Seoul.

Yes, Martha, General  Douglas MacArthur  is rolling over in his grave. 

 I'll bet Eighth Army never even got a set of embroidered kneepads for their efforts.

When I received my orders attaching me to the 10th Medical Detachment, I thought the name of the dental clinic was a typo.  Carius vs carious (dental decay).

But I wondered who would name a dental clinic in such a manner.  A little cheesy.

Nope, the orders contained no typos; I was proud and honored to find out the clinic was named after Major Marvin Wilbur Carius, KIA while he was deployed with the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division at the frontline during the Korean War.

He was the first dental officer killed in Korea.

https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=220670

I was privileged to have served with a staff of outstanding clinicians at Carius Dental 

Clinic.  After my arrival from Camp Casey, I was placed with a group of dental officers who had just arrived in Korea, destined for Yongsan.

I'll never forget a fellow dental officer, Major Steve Carozza, remarking, with a wry grin, on the manufacturer of the bus we were on, "High and Dry".

Actually, it was Hyundai, but the artistic representation appeared to reflect just the way Steve interpreted it...

Yongsan provided a nice BOQ, heated and air conditioned, quite the departure from the Quonset Hut.

  Routine dental treatment; no traumatic injuries with which to deal as at Camp Casey.  Or, for that matter, mass casualty incidents...

Four of us, Major Carozza, Captain Al Kuhre (ITT transfer from a Sinai rotation), and Major Tom Raper, were all general dental officers.  We visited Itaewon, as well as a variety of Korean sites, together.

The Four Musketeers, as it were...

 and, I promise, no satyrization of  Major Tom's surname.  I was a captain in the United States Army, for goodness sake.

Well...maybe once.

At  Kimpo International Airport before departure to Kadena Air Base in Japan where we would, in fact, separate for a few weeks.

We were headed to the States to see our families.  I can still recall my excitement, as my little boy and I were going leg bouncing soon!

However, I was more of an uncle when I arrived back in Chattanooga, as my little stud had not seen me in nearly a year. It didn't take long, however, to bond...

Kris was rough and tumble; another Manly Man in the making...

Unfortunately, CPT Kuhre was leaving the Army.  Having satisfied his obligation, he was excited to return to his home in Columbus, OH.  An Ohio State grad, he was going to join a group in private practice.

I was going to miss Al.  CPT Al Kuhre and I developed a friendship quickly.   

While Division Dental Surgeon for the 2D Infantry Division at Camp Casey, I was not authorized use of a POV (privately owned vehicle).  The run from my BOQ to Carius was only a mile or so, much better than when I was forced to hustle from the 2D Medical Battalion AO, where I was billeted, to the Camp Casey dental clinic, several clicks away.

CPT Kuhre offered to start giving me a lift, as he wasn't burdened by such a rule. Yongsan was not a combat-deployed AO.

A couple of weeks later, neither was I.

Upon my purchase of a Ford Granada (Ford Europe product), I felt like a sixteen year old again.

The title reflected several owners over a few years, as Korean tours were typically one or two years.  I was number 5.

The best part was now having the ability to see some truly interesting and beautiful sites in Korea.  

Owing to my good fortune, my boss, LTC Blainey, tasked me to interview several candidates for the executive secretary position at Carius Dental Clinic.  This was a very important position - an interface with KATUSA and US soldiers, as well as personal secretary for LTC Blainey and COL Mac Eddington, the top dental officer in the Republic of Korea, and my senior rater.

God blessed me, as I only had to interview a few young ladies in order to discern their capabilities necessary for this position.  One delightful candidate stood out immediately.  She spoke several languages fluently; her English was flawless.

Pae Hye Chongs's addition to the dental staff was welcomed by all.  She always brought an aura of confidence; more importantly, she was someone who appreciated the United States' efforts in the security of the Korean Peninsula. 

I never revealed to her the DEFCON designation she was living under, as that was classified.

Hye Chong also provided an immeasurable benefit with her guided tours for the Four Musketeers.  I particularly remember a traditional Korean wedding, where a set of wedding ducks was an integral part of the ceremony.  Their monogamous nature provides symbolism much revered in Korean culture.  

My parents received a set of Korean wedding ducks for Christmas, 1985.  I miss you, my darling mother.

I am very thankful for Hye Chong's friendship; her patience and efforts, along with Ajumma at the BOQ, minimized my Hanguk-mal mistakes and helped with proper chopstick technique.

Sometimes required to attend Dress Blues affairs, as part of JUSMAG responsibilities, Hye Chong provided Overwatch on both.    

Steve had a great sense of humor.  I thank him for bringing the VHS movie,  Monty Python's The Meaning of Life for the BOQ.

 "It's only wafer-thin, Mr. Creosote." 

Less than six months since my good friend, CPT Kuhre, separated from the Army for greener pastures, he was back in Korea.

Private practice was not what Al had envisioned.  He quickly rejoined the Army and requested Korea.

I know what he missed - those gorgeous Korean ladies he seemed to constantly have around him.  I recall my first visit to a Korean nightclub in Itaewon: The Twilight Zone.

Al was single, but didn't mind a 'third wheel'; Al, his girlfriend and I were having adult beverages while viewing the Itaewon nightlife on the street below.  On the third floor of the building, we had a nice birds-eye view of the street corner immediately below us.

Prostitution was legal, but regulated, in Korea.  Police would randomly swoop in and check mandatory health cards; failure to have a current one resulted in arrest.  Word of mouth, real time human intelligence, gave forewarning to these prostitutes.  

Those whose health card wasn't current paid local business owners to hide them during these raids.  I remember on several occasions hearing "Ajeossi  -   

  juseyo!" (Mister-please!) as these ladies were desperate to hide.

At any rate, Al's girlfriend explained the hierarchy of prostitution, including the highest value real estate - the street corner.  

A street corner in Itaewon was particularly valuable with so many international tourists on the streets. Gazing out the window, I noticed two 'ladies of the evening' having a dispute, apparently a territorial dispute.

Shouted words soon escalated to slapping each other.  I must say, I did not avert my eyes.  Camp Casey and Tongduchon did not provide this level of entertainment.

These were not skanky prostitutes; both were quite attractive from my observation.  Well dressed, in heels and tight dresses, I alerted Al who was gazing into his beautiful girlfriend's eyes.

"Al", as I tapped his arm, "two gorgeous ladies are ripping each other's clothes off!"

His girlfriend smiled as if this was just an ordinary event.  As Al joined me in a focused evaluation of the woman-to-woman combat about to ensue, her smile widened; I suspected things were not as they appeared.

They were not.

I have experienced the level of disappointment rendered me that night only a few times in my life.

As the clothes started coming off, the realization this was a contest between two Korean Ladyboys has burned a mental image that stays with me to this day.

Yup - Captain Kuhre's girlfriend was on it.

  In my defense, most Korean men look effeminate. 

Reminiscent of the the Upside-Down World, Captain Al Kuhre's return to Korea was not in Yongsan; it was at Camp Casey, my previous stomping grounds.  The good news was he was still assigned to the Tenth Medical Attachment but billeted at Camp Casey.

But no 0515 hours PT.

But, also, no POV.  I did help with transportation when the good captain was on leave in Seoul. 

Jogeum (a little) reciprocation for his courtesy when I first arrived in Yongsan.

God bless you, Al.

As a fellow dental officer became afflicted with  Hepatitis B at Camp Casey, my purchase of the POV enabled my abrupt return to Camp Casey at the dental clinic.

That sucked, but at least I could get back to my BOQ in Yongsan on weekends.  

Ajumma (pictured here with Hye Chong, executive secretary for Carius Dental Clinic) provided five officers with five star hotel services.

The SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) established with AFK (Armed Forces Korea) and the Republic of Korea included provisions for employment of Korean citizens.  My BOQ, consequently, had a Monday thru Friday 'house mother'.

Ajumma provided full laundry service for the five of us.  She meticulously washed, dried, ironed and folded all our laundry.

Yes, Martha, all...

Further, she kept the BOQ spotless.

Admittedly, I didn't receive this kind of service when in CONUS... 

 My drawers had neatly folded underwear and socks.  Further, the underwear was ironed also.

Monday thru Friday, the bed was made daily with fresh sheets, ironed of course.  

Ajumma washed our dishes and, on many occasions, cooked for us.  Her yaki mandu (pot stickers) were incredible.

All the officers in my BOQ tried to let Ajumma know how much we appreciated her efforts.  She wasn't required to go to these lengths in her pampering of us.

She would always flash a huge smile and, with broken English, "It is my pleasure!".

God had truly blessed us with this remarkable lady.  We were not worried about theft; she was a Christian who had lived through the Korean War and loved Eighth Army's presence in Seoul.

The SOFA dictated that we could not pay Ajumma more than the thirty-five dollars monthly determined by the agreement.

$35 a month for 5 star service?

Dedicated services provided to five officers and $175 a month was all this hard working lady was earning...

I approached the other officers, suggesting we have a birthday party for Ajumma; that was not forbidden.

The gifts and cake were all capably handled by the highly trained professionals who benefitted from this delightful lady.

Each of us had highly honed skills in support of United States Forces Korea, but did not feel comfortable in the kitchen.

But someone from Carius Dental Clinic came to the rescue.

Hye Chong

She and Ajumma prepared the fantastic dinner that evening.

Maschesayo!  (delicious!)

One day, after a trip to the commissary, I discovered I had mistakenly bought a big block of Velveeta Cheese.  There was already an unopened block sitting on my shelf in the pantry.

Silly Rabbit!

  As the tiny 5-shelf pantry did not allow much space, I asked Ajumma, who was washing dishes at the time, if she would take it off my hands.  Perhaps her family might like good old American cheese from the commissary.

With a slight look of disbelief on her face as she turned to look at me, that beautiful smile of hers appeared.  I noticed a tear when she exclaimed

Kamsahamnida!

 Hanguk-mal provides 3 different ways to convey the same message, adding to the complexity of the language.  

Smartly, however, no masculine and feminine articles.  Eurofreaks Germany and France come to mind.

The Korean language is a hierarchical language. This means that age, rank, and familiarity are important factors to take into account when communicating.   

Koreans have a variant of conversation used with close friends and relatives and one for more informal settings like a restaurant or to a taxi driver.

The third version is when one talks to their grandmother, for example; the honorific is the most formal. 

Ajumma showed deep respect for me with her thanks; I am proud I was worthy of such. 

Unabashed joy on the face of our Ajumma.

Priceless.

Another coincidence:

My fellow BOQ officers also forgot the capacity of their one shelf.  Ajumma was very helpful in not letting our small kitchen area become cluttered with boxes of this and that...

And you know, none of us ever seemed to remember the restrictive capacity accorded by that shelf while shopping at the commissary...

Our Military Intelligence Officer resident of the BOQ and his fiancee.  

Military Intelligence - I frequently asked him if that was an oxymoron...

Ajumma and Hye Chong really outdid themselves...

Only pork and beef - no kegogi...

And a feast it was!

The outrage I feel when I see an Unmanly Man masquerading as a soldier...

Notice the POS on the left.  "What's wrong with him", one might ask.  I'm not referring to his poor posture and pushing weight requirements;  it is his right shoulder patch.

This guy - who knows if he is even in the National Guard - is NOT authorized to wear the proud US Second Infantry Division ('Second to None') patch.  Two reasons:

First, it is not his duty assignment; that would be on his left shoulder.

Second, the right shoulder is ONLY for previous combat assignments. Since the 2d ID's last combat designation was around  1970, this Stolen Valor POS should be humiliated publicly by a real Army soldier.

Or, he looks great for an 80 year old...

Poor leadership in the tolerance of such garbage as above questions the quality of the New York National Guard's maintenance writ large.

More specifically...

Scrutinization of the maintenance logs associated with the complex systems found on rotary wing aircraft must be performed independently of Demoncratic control.

Further, was this aircraft flown from New York to the Mexican border?  Surely not.

There was a survivor; hopefully he will be able to confirm what is readily apparent:  a mechanical failure. 

Were all maintenance providers qualified to do so with United States Army vetting, or was even more DEI nonsense incorporated into the process?

Fortunately, the above incident is uncommon, at least for now.  The Manchurian Candidate is ensuring that is destined for change...

Pilot error is involved in some crashes, but mechanical issues are overwhelmingly responsible for these tragedies.

Rotary wing aircraft have a lot of moving parts; things can easily go wrong unless strict maintenance protocols are followed.

I was privileged to have served with the nation's best helicopter maintenance experts during my tour of duty at Fort Rucker.  

The intricacies of these highly evolved rotary wing aircraft demand the utmost in training and experience.  One of the requirements of this air asset platform is the ability to hover.  Further, multiaxis operational requirements make even the older and less sophisticated Huey maintenance a daunting task.

In short, preventive maintenance is absolutely paramount.

Boeing's 737 MAX door plug issue on 5 January should have put a fire under their butts to resolve whatever caused a dumbass to nearly kill hundreds of passengers.

Thanks to God for giving Mama Bear the strength to hold her precious baby, preventing her from being sucked out of the plane; she must be a Republican.  Demoncrats  have much less regard for life, except their own.

Boeing still has not received the message:  

Boeing's recent FAILURE of dozens of maintenance requirements in recent weeks reinforces my gratitude for not having to fly any more.  Fox News published a list of DEI requirements Boeing sheepishly follows.  Absolutely stunning.  As the reporter was enumerating a rather lengthy list of things Boeing would overlook when they provide employment, my jaw dropped. 

But mystery solved, as there was the explanation for NOT PLACING THE FOUR DOOR BOLTS on the panel.  Again,

Demoncrats:  MERITOCRACY BE DAMNED!

 "Buy a seat for your baby, you cheap bastard!"

Where is the Inspector General responsible for maintenance review and, for that matter, this witch's collection of 'soldiers'?

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