Today we had the rare opportunity to visit camp Humphreys, the largest United States military base outside of the country. The base which is thousands of acres large, is home to thousands of military personnel, Korean military personnel, and their families. The base includes a golf course, dining halls, gyms, chapels, four schools, sports fields, housing, storage facilities, and the largest military base airfield outside the United States. The base was established in 1962 after the conclusion of the Korean war which lasted from 1950 to 1953. The base existed to keep an American presence in the country to deter North Korean engagement and it has remained that way since.

Today on our tour we were given the opportunity to speak with the head of the base, a lieutenant general who is a Pittsburgh native. He was very pleasant and happy to see us from the University of Pittsburgh. He was able to give a quick rundown on the activities that occur on a day-to-day basis at the camp. Furthermore, we were able to tour around the entire base on our tour bus as well as some of the storage facilities. The storage facilities were built to hold different vehicles and equipment that the army corps of engineers and engineering battalions use in the field. Most of the vehicles were used to clear obstacles and build infrastructure for the army. This includes construction equipment such as a bulldozer and excavator as well as special mine clearing and bridge building equipment in addition.

Nevertheless, the United States military in the presence has existed since the end of the Korean War. Both the Koreans and Americans train and operate together to secure the indo-pacific region and to deter any incursions by the North Koreans. As a result, the collateral agreement between Korea and the U.S. will continue to exist to meet the needs of both countries.