PCSing to Korea (Yongsan)

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 08:37:11 -0400

After calling Branch I was offered Korea. Because of my MOS I can only be assigned to 121 CSH (Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital). I am looking for information on family housing (on / off post), I have a wife, two kids and a large dog; schools (Female/13yo/8th grade and Male/11yo/5th grade; youth sports (soccer, baseball); family MWR activities; availability of good quality used vehicles - due to my current duty station I will not be bringing a vehicle to Korea and instead purchasing one on arrival; availability of CrossFit gym on post - similar to the ones in Germany, JBAB and Ft. Eustis (I'm sure there are others but these are the ones I have been to). Thank you.

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Mar 25 at 2014 8:18 PM

SGT Thomas Lucken — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:18:23 -0400

121st Evac is at Yongsan in Seoul....... Been plush for many years! I served way north every time with 2ID.... :-)

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made May 13 at 2014 6:22 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Tue, 13 May 2014 18:22:22 -0400

SFC Settle, thanks for posting this. My best advice would be to go to the link below and directly connect with some of your SNCO peers or Officers at Allgood CSH. We have 40+ of them here on RallyPoint right now! Does this help? Keep us posted!

https://www.rallypoint.com/units/121st-allgood-ach-121st-brian-allgood-army-community-hospital-yongsan-garrison-south-korea/current

121st Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital (121st Allgood ACH), 65th Medical Brigade members...

Find 121st Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital (121st Allgood ACH) members on RallyPoint.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 6 at 2014 12:13 AM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 00:13:21 -0400

Good time to go to Yongsan. The 121 is moving to Humphreys in 2 years, so these will be the last years of being stationed at Yongsan. I'd go back in a heartbeat as long as 121 was still at Yongsan.

As an accompanied E-7 there are really 2 housing options. The first is post-housing at Hannam Village. These are decent apartments that have recently been redone. The only disadvantage is that it is on the other side of Itaewon (shopping district that is outside of the Yongsan gates). Traffic through Itaewon is REALLY bad in the afternoon. If there is no housing available in Hannam village, you may be allowed to get an apartment on the economy. Housing around Yongsan is in a boom right now. Koreans are building high-rises like crazy around Yongsan in anticipation of the base closing down. Fair warning, apartments in Korea run smaller than they do in the US. I would have your sponsor start looking for a good realtor to start looking for you if this is the way you are going to go. You may have issues with the dog though.

Cars in Yongsan area are relatively easy to come by. Expect to pay $1000-$2000 for a used car. May not be the most aesthetically pleasing vehicle, but you likely will only be driving on post. Traffic in Seoul is bad, parking worse, but public transportation is among the best in the world.

I was at BAACH/121CSH for 2 years prior to coming to Bliss. Loved Korea and Seoul. I'd go back in a heartbeat.