Letters to the Editor for Friday, February 13

Stars and Stripes

Preparing for spouses’ arrival?

First I want to thank Stars and Stripes for printing a follow-up story to the U.S. Forces Korea/invited contractor debacle that occurred last year (“More USFK contractors lose jobs over visas,” Feb. 10). It was a genuine travesty unnoticed by most of those not affected by it.That USFK/Contracting Command Korea suddenly decided to begin revoking Status of Forces Agreement status to contractors with little or no notice and offered not one whit of assistance or advice afterward seems to indicate that they were primarily concerned with taking away jobs from invited contractors. Many were U.S. veterans who chose to live here after retirement. Even as of today, USFK/CCK is not publicly discussing this issue!The only possible explanation I and others can deduce from this lack of assistance is that they are trying to create job vacancies for an anticipated influx of dependent spouses.Since USFK/CCK decided to strip us of our SOFA status, I have read and reread USFK Regulation 700-19 several times. On Page 7 of the current regulation it clearly states that a person can only be designated as an invited contractor if the contractor is in South Korea solely for the purpose of executing contracts with the U.S. for the benefit of the U.S. armed forces. Based on my interpretation of this clause, that clearly omits dependent spouses. I have no stars on my shoulders to enforce this interpretation, but I think most literate Americans would interpret it the same way.Now let’s wait and see how long it takes for USFK officials to rewrite the regulation to suit their agenda. I give it a few months. And while they’re at it they should delete that “ordinary resident” prohibition. It is unfair to U.S. veterans living in Korea.

Tech. Sgt. Charles Lacy (retired)
Songtan, South Korea