Why Korea is an Assignment of Choice – By Mr. Sam R. Luckey
In August 1976, after the DMZ tree-trimming incident, I enlisted with delayed entry so I could finish high school and join the Military Police with 8th Army. I graduated high school in spring 1977, completed Basic Training that summer, MP school in the fall, and arrived in Korea in December. I was assigned to the 110th MP Company at Camp Ames Korea, guarding nuclear components near Chong Dong Ni. It was far from the DMZ, and most of my duty was tower guard—half my shift in the towers, half training to retake hot igloos and similar drills.
In 1981, after two years as a Desk Sergeant at Fort Bliss, I returned to Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division as a Traffic Accident Specialist out of the Provost Marshal’s Office at Camp Casey. I loved that job—investigating accidents, running radar, escorting VIPs, and even flying by helicopter to apprehend AWOL soldiers when that slot was unfilled. My first tour had been tough; my second, I worked constantly and took pride in the mission.
After Korea, I was assigned to 7th Army Europe, where I worked Railway Military Police across Europe—my favorite job in uniform. I was later accepted into CID school and became Team Chief of the Drug Suppression Team at the Frankfurt CID office. After more than 11 years of active duty and hundreds of drug-related arrests in Europe, I left the Army, finding stateside duty too quiet.
One case that still puzzles me involved a strange accident near Camp Casey, when a North Korean tank ended up in a U.S. motor pool and struck a 2½-ton truck. I even posed with the AK-47 removed from it. I’ve always wondered whether it was part of a Military Intelligence or Counterintelligence operation, and I still hope someone from the 501st MI can explain what really happened.
I chose Korea partly because the Vietnam War had ended and I wanted to serve overseas. Growing up in Gary Indiana during a violent period, Korea seemed safer than home. In the end, two tours in Korea and two in Europe shaped me into a better MP, Desk Sergeant, Investigator, and CID Special Agent. I only served 11 years, but those assignments defined my life, and I still hope to return to Korea one day.
Why Korea is an Assignment of Choice ? Let us know –
This initiative invites current and former Service Members, civilians, diplomats, and families to share their stories and reflections on why serving in Korea — whether with United States Forces Korea (USFK) or at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul — was one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of their lives.
Whether your experience involved joint operations, discovering the beauty of Korean culture, forging lifelong friendships, or contributing to one of the world’s strongest alliances, we want to hear from you!
Share Your Story by Telling Us:
- What was your initial reaction upon learning that you were going to Korea?
- Why did you have that reaction?
- What did you know about Korea?
- Was there an “aha!” moment that made you think that being in Korea was good?
- How did serving and living in Korea shape your career, life, or worldview? And your family’s?
- What experiences left a lasting impression, good or bad?
Submissions can be written, video-recorded, or even a simple quote with a photo. Selected stories will be featured on all KDVA social media platforms, our website, and Journals.
How to Submit:
Email your story to KDVAKoreaChoice@gmail.com and tag us on social media using #KDVAKoreaAssignmentOfChoice.
There is no deadline. We will keep this going because we will not run out of stories from the millions of people who have served in Korea over the past 75 years!
Help us show the world why Korea isn’t just an assignment — it can be life changing!
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