Although I was less surprised by the breakfast options at the hotel buffet this morning, it was still amusing to observe the contrasting choices made by my classmates. While some of us opted for American-style scrambled eggs and toast, others ate noodles or mandu (Korean dumplings) in accordance with the local culture. Although my appetite this morning was too small for a large meal, I’m setting a goal this week to try and adapt to the Korean way of breakfast.

Following breakfast, we departed our hotel promptly at 8AM for a two-hour bus ride to Camp Humpreys – the largest U.S. military base in Asia. Upon our arrival on the base, we were greeted by Lieutenant General Christopher LaNeve. He explained how Camp Humpreys serves a supportive role to the South Korean military to protect the democracies of both countries following the Korean War. Speaking with the Lieutenant General was truly a unique opportunity given that he is a Pittsburgh native. He was able to simultaneously relate his experiences to that of us students at the University of Pittsburgh while sharing his experiences at the base in South Korea.

After being welcomed to the base, we ate lunch in the military dining facilities and toured around a variety of military equipment. The tour was delivered by a group of combat engineers. While speaking with them, I found it fascinating that they’re expected to understand the operation of multiple military vehicles without involvement with the research and design process that contributes to the manufacture of such technologies. It emphasized the concept that as an engineer, I will be required to develop products that have the user in mind. In this instance, I learned that the engineers who work for the defense department likely must consider how combat engineers and/or other military machinery operators are able to utilize the equipment. During the explanation of the technologies, the use of each vehicle we witnessed was categorized as for mobility, counter-mobility, etc. My favorite part of the day was being able to climb into a military tank and boat to view the technologies up close. 

Lastly, our time on the base concluded with a bus tour of the facilities. I was amazed at how large Camp Humprey is as a whole. With its multiple schools, gyms, health buildings, shopping, dining, and housing options, it could practically be considered a miniature U.S. for army members within South Korea. 

Given the magnitude of information I learned about military technology and the self-sufficient nature of Camp Humprey, I’ve begun to consider how the base could be advanced by smart systems technologies that appear more prevalent in the rest of Korea. For example, today when we ate at the dining facility, it quickly became crowded and lines grew somewhat long. Would it be possible to improve the speed of serving army members by implementing some automated cafeteria system? How could other facilities at the base be enhanced in a similar manner? I’ve also begun to consider whether automating some of the military technologies we observed today could improve the U.S. defense in Korea without posing risk to security. Ultimately, touring Camp Humprey was a valuable experience in witnessing the ability of the U.S. to foster a healthy relationship with South Korea for enhanced security. It has provided much food for thought regarding how smart systems could be integrated into the base as a potential subject for our final Plus3 project where we develop our own hypothetical business in Korea.