YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea: U.S. Army officials met here Dec. 15 to discuss the 8th U.S. Army’s role in the most significant transformation in the 60-year history of the Republic of Korea-United States Alliance.
In the meeting at the 1st Replacement Company, leaders from the Department of the Army, 8th U.S. Army and U.S. Army Pacific staffs talked about tour normalization and the repositioning of U.S. Army forces south of Seoul to enduring hubs in Pyeongtaek and Daegu, South Korea.
“We are involved in an unprecedented transformation effort here,” said Col. Gary Martel, 8th U.S. Army deputy director of future operations. “Tour normalization will add continuity to our formations and make life easier for our families. And the consolidation of our forces will reduce our footprint and increase our quality of life.”
The colonel said the meeting gave Army leaders the opportunity to focus on the important changes on the peninsula that will make the ROK-U.S. Alliance even stronger.
“Everything we are working on is designed to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance,” said Martel.
The Eighth United States Army was founded on June 10, 1944. During World War II, 8th Army liberated more than 60 islands during amphibious operations in the Pacific and then served as the occupation force in Japan. In 1950, 8th Army was dispatched to Korea to repel communist forces and has helped to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula ever since.
“The 8th Army has and will continue to play a critical role in the defense of Korea,” said Martel. “We have a time-honored relationship with our ROK allies – one that was forged in the fire of war. This relationship is only going to get stronger.”
