USAG HUMPHREYS, South Korea – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Far East District prides itself on building strong foundations and quality structures because the buildings are what remain of an everlasting legacy.
Like USACE, the Han family—Sam (69), father of Cedric (43) and Nathan (41)—has built a legacy spanning over four decades at FED.
A Moral Compass
In 1960, Sam’s father retired from the Republic of Korea Marine Corps and made a 61-day trek across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans to move his family from Seoul, South Korea, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He wanted to venture into the carnation business.
For three years, the family had a “comfortable living.” However, Sam and his brothers had ambitions for college, so his father moved them to Los Angeles in 1969.
The Beginnings of a Public Servant
Fast-forward to Dec. 31, 1978, when 23-year-old Sam started his first day in the Federal Service at the Department of Agriculture’s Los Angeles Forrest Service, two weeks after graduating from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in Civil Engineering.
Sam would inspect forest, debris basins, hiking trails, campgrounds and dams weekly; and assess and contain forest fires.
“A forest fire is considered as a declaration of war,” Sam said.
Service workers would not sleep for the first 48-hours, following two 12-hours shifts sleeping in the forest. He would even ride in a helicopter to conduct surveys.
Sam described his experience as “physically demanding” yet an “exciting” challenge.
Then one day, a friend—who worked at USACE—convinced him to apply to USACE.
“And it perked my ears,” Sam said. “Wait a minute…I get to work in Germany? I get to work in Japan and even Korea? That is great!”
However, there was an internal struggle. He was taught to value the “unwritten principle” of loyalty to family and to the workplace.
Then one day, Sam’s supervisor walked into his office to discuss the offer.
“He looked at me and said, ‘As my personal opinion, I want you to stay as long as you can. However, it’s your career…it is your life. Don’t make your loyalty stop you from going to a better place for your own career,” Sam said.
Sam applied, but there was still conflict. Hence, he visited his supervisor again.
His supervisor stated, “I'm sad that I may lose you, but I'm happy that you're stepping up for your opportunity.”
Sam then knew it was time for a new adventure at USACE Los Angeles District in the Santa Ana River Resident Office. Then USACE Honolulu District (POH) called in 1983 to offer him a job, so he moved his family the following year to Honolulu in April 1984. At the time, Cedric was 2 years old; and Nathan and his twin brother—Jonathan—were just born. After two years at POH, the family moved to FED and stayed from March 1986 to April 1991; and then returned to the L.A. district. Finally, after a few years in L.A., the Hans transferred back to FED from Dec. 1994 to 2018.
Enjoying the Retired Life
After 24-years at FED, Sam transferred to the Sacramento District in 2018 and retired two years later July 3, 2020, right before Independence Day.
“I was enjoying my retired life,” Sam said.
He fondly talked about going on long walks with his dog; and thought of doing parliamentary work in Sacramento to give back to the community and government.
Then he was rehired to FED as a re-employed annuitant since July 2024. Sam stated his wife wanted to travel more.
The USACE Life
Sam’s children were exposed to USACE at an early age. He even visited Nathan’s school to talk about the agency. While their father was not in the military, they grew up on many military bases.
“You know, since my dad was already in the Corps, I kind of grew up as a military brat,” Nathan said.
Sam hoped one of his sons would start at a career at USACE. Like many parents, he was concerned about his children’s future.
“He's kind of Spartan”
Nathan described Sam as “laid-back, but also strict when necessary.” Due to Sam’s upbringing, he values rules and discipline.
“[My father] taught me the importance of living an honest life,” Sam said.
Cedric described his father a “the rock in the family” and “a decision maker.”
He wants the best for all of us. He doesn't want us to needlessly suffer,” Cedric said. “He's kind of Spartan when it comes to work ethic.”
According to both Cedric and Nathan, Sam taught them to treat people with respect and to have a moral compass.
“The core principle, the quorum—what do you call—morals and ethics… he always points true. Whenever I have a[n] ethical dilemma, I ask for his opinion and advice because he's totally straight. So, I think that's where I get my moral compass from,” Cedric said.
Now at 42-years-old, Cedric’s, a husband and father of a 3-year-old (almost 4-years-old) daughter, priorities have shifted.
“As a new dad myself, I think I'm starting to understand where he's coming from. I try to keep that in mind [when] I speak with him now,” Cedric said.
The Wave Chaser
After graduating from Seoul American High School (SAHS), a DoDEA school in Yongsan Garrison, Nathan, now Resident Engineer of the Pyeongtaek Resident Office, USACE FED, was unsure about his major, which led him to follow his father’s footsteps in Civil Engineering. After graduating from University of California, Davis, Nathan worked as a Traffic Engineer for a private firm for a year, and felt something was missing.
Nathan participated in USACE’s summer internship during high school and the Department of Army Fellows Program after leaving the private firm. He was able to shadow personnel, understand processes and engage in various trainings.
“I didn't realize how helpful the internship was until I became a permanent employee,” Nathan said.
Shortly after, Nathan was hired as a Project Engineer (PE) at the Honolulu District. He described it as “challenging” but “exciting experience” working with advance technology. The island life was also a “refreshing change” from the busyness of Seoul.
“Moving to Honolulu was incredibly exciting,” he said. “The skies were clear, the weather was perfect, and who doesn't love the ocean?!”
“Soaking Up the Rays” & Catching Some Waves
While not working, Nathan likes hiking with friends, but a recent hobby he picked up is golfing.
“It's a very stressful hobby, but it's a little bit addicting,” Nathan said.
He plays for social reasons since many people at FED golf, including his father. He did not find the sport interesting at first, but after playing more often with his dad, Nathan grew fond of it.
“With that mindset, I started practicing, and somewhere along the way, I actually began to enjoy it and started playing more frequently,” he said.
Yet, there is one sport he enjoys, but does not do often since moving back to South Korea. Nathan developed an interest in surfing while in Honolulu.
“Living in Hawaii encouraged me to spend more time outdoors and soak up the sun. It made me more physically active, and I had always wanted to try surfing. After going with a few friends and catching my first wave, I was instantly hooked,” he said.
He would wake up almost daily in the morning just to catch a wave. When he does, there is an amazing “adrenaline rush.”
“It’s an addictive feeling that I can’t get enough of and always find myself chasing for more,” Nathan said.
He mentioned “it’s incredibly peaceful and quiet during those moments” while waiting for a wave.
”He Proved Himself”
Sam described Nathan as “shy in nature but very sharp.” Cedric stated his brother “has an uncanny ability” to digest and synthesize information and make it understandable.
It can be “hard to fool him,” Sam said, especially when Nathan is focused. They do not work together often because Sam’s located in Kunsan and Nathan is located at Camp Humphreys. However, they still share knowledge whenever time allots such as Nathan helping his dad with new software or Sam providing advice on management or construction.
“He proved himself [while] working in the construction…with his peers, with his boss. And he proved to himself that he's doing a good job,” Sam said.
Ultimately, it was through Nathan’s observations of his father’s actions that helped him through life.
In 10 years, Nathan still hopes to work for USACE, but his sights are migrating towards the next generation of engineers.
The Book Lover
Cedric started working for FED in October 2023 as a Quality Assurance Representative (QAR). His job includes visiting construction sites daily to ensure a contract is properly executed.
There were a few factors that influenced his path to the district. Two prominent reasons were his father and brother; and the second was his hour commute in California when he was working at a private construction firm.
When Cedric moved his family to South Korea, Nathan helped him through the transition and taught him about Camp Humphreys and FED.
“[Cedric]’s very calm and always tries to understand other people’s perspectives,” Nathan said. “It seems like people naturally turn to him when they have problems or need advice.”
Sam described Cedric as a “great listener” with a “quiet personality but very intuitive.” He is the “type of person who thinks before talking.”
Following a Different Path
While being exposed to USACE, Cedric did not fully understand his father’s job until he worked at a private construction firm as a project coordinator.
“I get what he was doing in a grandeur scheme,” he said.
Cedric started out majoring in Civil Engineering at UC Davis, but switched to English Literature. Though he was interested in math, he preferred reading and writing.
At UC Davis, he grew fondly of Jane Austen’s works. Cedric was surprised by the “effortless” atmosphere Austen created. She “opened” his eyes to a “vivid” world of everyday situations.
While he does not read as often since becoming a father, he still passes his love for reading to his daughter.
“That is the only hobby that I really, really miss before having my daughter. No time for that. [laughing] I think when she starts elementary school, I think I might have that hobby back,” Cedric said. “I would be honored to be called the book lover.”
“Quiet Personality but Very Intuitive”
Currently, Cedric is detailing with Program and Project Management Division (PPMD), which requires communication with many stakeholders.
“I'm the point of contact with the project, from [cradle to grave]. I work with the users, the customers, the stakeholders, and the construction aspect of it [as] the project engineer,” Cedric said.
A detail is like an internship as they provide USACE personnel a chance to explore various positions temporarily.
“Sample what it's like and if you don't like it, you could be like, ‘Oh, I'm never doing that again’ or if you like it, ‘Oh yeah, I could see myself doing this song, maybe later,’” Cedric stated.
He compared PPMD to English Literature since it is “more fluid” compared to the Construction Division which is like Mathematics. PPMD is about “How do you interpret this? How do you feel about this?,” according to Cedric. The idea that there are many ways to solve a problem. Hence, “empathy” and good communication can solve many problems.
“Building Something Tangible”
After over a year at FED, Cedric is enjoying it. He complemented the level of quality and comradery at FED. It is a place where people help each other, “I don't even have to go to them. They'll just stop by, ‘Hey, how you doing? Do you have any questions, or do you need help with anything?’”
For the first time, Cedric feels like he is “enjoying something bigger than” himself, especially since it is “building something tangible.”
“I'm earning my living while contributing back to my country, so I think that is pretty awesome,” Cedric said.
A Proud Father
At USACE, the “Spirit of the Corps” is about leaving a legacy. Like how FED builds strong structures and lasting legacies, so does the Han family after 43 years. More importantly, it is strengthening the bonds between father and sons.
“I’m proud of both of them,” Sam thoughtfully stated.