IMCOM Korea commander tells Red Cloud Garrison leaders to prepare for tough decisions

By Mr. Kevin B Jackson (IMCOM)September 1, 2010

IMCOM Korea commander tells Red Cloud Garrison leaders to prepare for tough decisions
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
IMCOM Korea commander tells Red Cloud Garrison leaders to prepare for tough decisions
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. David G. Fox (center), commander of the Installation Management Command Korea, shares a laugh with Casey Elementary School Principal Shelly Kennedy and Lt. Col. Richard Fromm, U.S. Army Garrison Casey commander, during a visit to the schoo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CASEY GARRISON, South Korea - With Defense Department Secretary Robert Gates announcing Aug. 9 that financial belt-tightening may result in the shutter of a major command employing 5,000 people and the elimination of at least 50 general and flag officer, and 150 Senior Executive Service positions within the next two years, the new Installation Management Command Korea commander who visited here Aug. 24 is grappling with a very tough question - "what is good enough'"

"What's good enough," said Brig. Gen. David G. Fox, IMCOM-Korea commander, rhetorically to garrison leaders here during a windshield tour of Casey Garrison, "is what keeps a Soldier dry, warm in the winter, cool in summer and provides basic amenities."

The general, who assumed command of IMCOM Korea June 22, visited Casey Garrison for his initial orientation to the community. Before embarking on a windshield tour and visit to some of the facilities, he received a series of briefings about facilities, training ranges, housing, tour normalization and force protection initiatives.

One message came across loud and clear throughout the 65-minute session - the Defense Department is tightening its purse strings and the garrison is going to have to make some tough decisions for Warrior Country installations.

"There is no more money for good ideas," Fox said. "There isn't any more."

The IMCOM Korea commander also talked briefly about the First Sergeant's Barracks Initiative - a program that is designed to standardize barracks management across installations and provide timely maintenance of Soldiers' rooms and common areas. The general said the garrison will maintain the barracks and that a person in the barracks will manage the work orders.

Lt. Col. Richard Fromm, Casey Garrison commander, briefly talked about "tour normalization." Since U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Walter Sharp announced Dec. 10, 2008 his intent to increase command sponsored positions in Warrior Country - a first step in what the Army calls "tour normalization" - many more families have arrived in the previous dependent restricted area.

Fromm said 560 additional families have arrived with Soldiers assigned to Casey Garrison and 170 to Red Cloud Garrison so far.

The increasing population and changing demographics havr led to numerous construction projects including the building of the Casey Elementary School - the first-ever Department of Defense Education Activity school in the area.

Other projects in the "downtown area" of Casey Garrison - located just behind the Gateway Club - include converting a barracks into the second wing of the school and a theater into the cafeteria and music room, constructing a child development center, turning the former community activity center into the youth/teen center and renovating the former education center into the Army Community Service building. The garrison has also had to increase its services for families.

"We've looked at support services we need to increase to support tour normalization," Richard Davis, deputy to the Red Cloud Garrison commander, said to the general. Davis added that full services will be provided on Casey Garrison and scaled-down services will be available on Red Cloud Garrison and Camp Stanley.

During the windshield tour of Casey Garrison, the general told the garrison staff that "...he doesn't want to take money away..." but that the garrison staff will need to make tough decisions about what they need instead of what they want. He said the "absolutely must have" projects will be funded.

Once inside the former digital conference center, which is now a Community Activity Center, the general quickly surveyed the facility and declared it a Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization funding program success story.

"You can do this," the general said about converting the facility as he looked around. "It meets your needs and it's a nice place."

He also toured inside the life support area, Casey Elementary School and several barracks, including the Headquarters and Headquarters, U.S. Army Garrison Casey barracks.

The last leg of the day-long tour of Casey Garrison took the general to the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex where he met with Harold Wheeler, director of Training Support Activity Korea, for a briefing and tour.

Before departing Warrior Country for the trip back to Yongsan Garrison he acknowledged that "The Army's home" is undergoing significant changes throughout the peninsula.

"Korea in five years isn't going to look anything like it does today," Fox said. "It's going to look like Europe."