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Single soldiers will get two-year assignments instead of the typical 12-month tour; Soldiers with families will get three years vice two.<\/p>\n
By Karen Jowers<\/strong><\/p>\n A new Pentagon directive implementing longer tours of duty in South Korea will improve force stability, support service members\u2019 quality of life and enhance readiness in the face of regional threats, U.S. Forces Korea officials said<\/p>\n The directive, announced Tuesday, extends tours for unaccompanied service members assigned to South Korea from 12 months to 24 months.<\/p>\n The policy takes effect Oct. 1, 2025, and applies to all service members receiving orders on or after that date, though implementation timelines may vary by service branch, officials said. The directive follows a February announcement that extended tours for military families moving to South Korea from 24 months to 36 months.<\/p>\n Currently, there are roughly 28,500 military personnel stationed in South Korea, with the Army having the largest contingent of permanent party personnel there, at about 14,000 personnel.<\/p>\n For more than a decade, officials have discussed extending tour lengths in South Korea. Air Force Col. William Parker, director of personnel for U.S. Forces Korea, described the change in tour lengths as a \u201ctour normalization policy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n