USAG HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Far East District (FED) continues construction on OS031 Fuel Oil Facility, the second phase of a three-part construction project, located on USAG Humphreys.
The facility will serve to support the U.S. Forces Korea and Eighth Army’s warfighting missions.
Completing this project will increase readiness by establishing the capability to bring millions of gallons of aviation fuel, by train, to multiple installations throughout the Republic of Korea.
The fueling system is manually operated and must be manned to ensure the incoming and outgoing fuel is stored properly and filtered, providing quality fuel for transport to USFK aircraft.
“One of our biggest challenges was not being able to bring the commissioning agents from the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jay Kim, FED project engineer. “This put a big delay on construction, but things are getting better now.”
The previous phase project, OS030, was a YRP/LH (Yongsan Relocation Program/ Korea Land and Housing) Corporation funded project, whereas OS031 is a ROK (Republic of Korea) In-Kind funded project.
“For project OS031, the commissioning and inspections are ongoing and is anticipated to be completed October 2021,” said Kim. “Once OS031 is turned over to Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the ‘OS031 PHII’ project will commence, and the estimated completion is March 2022.”
Defense Logistics Agency, the nation’s combat logistics support agency, manages the global supply chain – from raw materials to end user to disposition – for the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, 11 combatant commands, other federal agencies, and partner & allied nations.
“This is a good time to recognize FED, Defense Logistics Agency, Ministry of National Defense, and contractors,” said Kenith Ward, FED resident engineer. “The project was delayed several times, due to COVID and our partners were willing to shift schedules to accommodate the completion.”
USACE Far East District is the premier engineering, design, and construction agent for all DoD agencies in the Republic of Korea. Since its inception, the Far East District has played a critical role in the security and stability of the region and in strengthening the alliance between the US and the ROK. As such, it also fulfills a unique mission; the only “maneuver” district within USACE, FED must always be prepared for war, even while building for peace on the Korean peninsula. The Far East District is responsible for executing a multi-billion-dollar program, the largest construction program managed by the U.S. Army.