SEOUL, South Korea – Staff Sergeant Kyle R. Ashley, a quality assurance representative (QAR) at the southern resident office (SRO), has been attached to the Far East District since the spring of 2018. The job at SRO has kept him quite busy as he ensures the projects he is assigned to comply with quality standards set by the industry.
“I am currently assigned nine projects and the secondary QAR on one project at three different locations (Camp Walker, Camp Henry and Camp Carroll),” said Ashley.
Ashley said this has been one of his best and most rewarding assignments throughout the 13 years he has spent with the Army.
“The one thing I really enjoy about the job aspect is that I am learning a new skill set that I can use when I retire from the Army,” said Ashley. “Not only is the job great but I feel that this is a good way to broaden my scope of work and create a stable network by working with an accomplished group of individuals that are more than willing to show me how to complete my job to the best of my ability.”
Ashley said the job scope at FED is a lot different than what he is used to being a carpenter. He added that the broadening of his duties and the network of people he has met will only help him down the road in his career.
“I enjoy my job here and maybe someday after I retire come back to work with the Corps of Engineers as a QAR,” said Ashley.
Aside from excelling at his job at the Far East District, Ashley also is a bit of an athlete. After arriving in Korea, Ashley made contact with the Area IV softball team and asked to try out.
“I went to the practice and I guess they like what they saw,” said Ashley. “I ended up making the team as a utility player but mainly play left or left center.”
The regular season consisted of 30 games, five weekends of six games played every other weekend starting in June and ending the second week of August. Ashley said he and a few other teammates typically practice around four times a week concentrating on hitting drills and situational hitting.
“Situation hitting would pertain to a few different things; placement of the defense, do we have any players on the bases and what is the balls and strike count,” said Ashley. “We try to have a couple of plans when we come up to the plate instead of just going up there and swinging at a pitch.
Ashley said his goal is to improve his skills as a player in the field and hitting and to get to know other softball players to expand his network of Soldiers and softball players.
“The one nice thing about playing for a post team as opposed to an intramural team is the level of competition,” said Ashley. “Post teams are made up of the best intermural players. I have seen a higher level of skills and have learned more from it.”
The post season playoffs are scheduled for later this fall.