Military couples can serve concurrent short tours at Kunsan

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- A recent policy change will enable active-duty military couples to serve concurrently at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Air Force officials said March 25.

Join spouse assignments to dependent-restricted overseas locations, where accompanied housing is not available such as Kunsan AB, are not currently authorized. However, the policy change approving join spouse at Kunsan AB, allow members to serve 12-month unaccompanied tours simultaneously with their military spouses.

"Approximately 50 Wolf Pack Airmen each year spend significant portions of their tours travelling between Kunsan and Osan to be with their military spouses," said Col. Ken Ekman, the 8th Fighter Wing commander. "Our military couples make significant sacrifices to serve our Air Force. Separation during their assignments to Korea should not be one of them. This policy change represents an important step toward caring for the 8th Fighter Wing's most precious resource, our Wolf Pack Airmen."

Airmen approved for concurrent assignments to Kunsan AB will still get short tour credit and are eligible to apply for a follow-on assignment.

Until updates can be made to the military personnel data system, requests for a join spouse assignment to Kunsan AB will be implemented by exception, said Bill Houston, the Air Force Personnel Center family member travel manager.

Enlisted members interested in join spouse assignments to Kunsan AB should update their preference in the virtual MPF, using the join spouse code "A." Officers will communicate their assignment preferences via the Airman Development Plan, and will work with AFPC assignment teams, Houston said.

Kunsan AB is still a dependent-restricted location, so members will not be able to bring their non-military dependent family members.

For more information about Air Force personnel programs go to the myPers website. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one at www.retirees.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120510-068.pdf.