Camp Casey, South Korea, February 18, 2021 - The U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Casey community bid farewell to Lt. Col. Diosabelle “Jo” Buack during a virtual relinquishment of command ceremony, today as she prepares to return to the U.S., after 19-months of service at the Northern-based Camp Casey in South Korea.
“I was so proud and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the Camp Casey [Area I] commander,” Buack said. “As I started this journey, Command Sgt. Major Hathaway and the previous DGC [deputy to the Garrison Commander] Mr. Turinski and I had a vision to make Camp Casey feel like home. I think as a team we were able to do that.”
Buack expressed gratitude for successful partnerships and relationship with partners who she views as part of her team…DeCA [the Defense Commissary Agency], The Exchange, Red Cross, The USO, the 2nd Infantry Division, rotational brigades and commanders, Team Thunder and all the small unit elements that make this a fantastic community, she said.
“To the entirety of that team and for your hard work, I just want to say thanks for doing a fantastic job of putting the quality of life of these Soldiers first,” she said. “Thanks for being kind to the Soldiers and for teaching them about Korea, and or genuinely caring about their mental and physical welfare.”
She said, it’s the care and concern, the little details that will make Soldiers remember their assignment here.
With elements of the 2nd Infantry Division located at Camp Casey, Brig. Gen. Guy M. Jones, the deputy commanding general-maneuver of the 2nd Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Division said Buack worked tirelessly to ensure support of their units.
“She would often manipulate resources, make changes to make the required support possible,” he said. “You rolled with the punches time-after-time. We knew we had a team mate up here.”
For her many accomplishments as garrison commander, Buack was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
“Today is a sad day, said Craig L. Deatrick, the director of Installation Management Command-Pacific, Anyone who knows Jo, sees her as an intelligent, charismatic and engaging leader.
Jo Buack leaves a positive, lasting legacy behind, said Deatrick.
Amongst her many accomplishments she is credited with ensuring garrison services were completely synchronized, contributing to unit readiness and improving the overall quality of life for a population of more than 10 thousand soldiers and civilians and their family members.
Presiding over the ceremony was Col. Ellis R. Baker, the USAG Yongsan-Casey garrison commander.
Baker said, Buack’s enthusiasm and counsel will be missed.
“It will be difficult to fill the void,” said Baker. “Thank you for everything.”
Speaking to her family watching via Facebook live he said, what you started by nurturing a terrific human being pays dividends as the positive impacts and influences of her coaching and mentoring of others will pay forward for decades to come.
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