Sing Chang, left, and Andrew Hine, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District, discuss and analyze air quality during an inspection at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Dec. 16, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Alejandro Carrasquel/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District earned the Army Safety and Occupational Health Star designation May 27, becoming only the 19th Army organization to receive the recognition after a seven-year effort to strengthen workplace safety across the district.
“This recognition is a testament to our culture of safety,” Col. Jeremiah Willis, commander of the Far East District, said in a press release. “The work that has gone into preparing for the [star evaluation] reflects our commitment to excellence and the dedication of our workforce.”
Andrew Hine, acting safety chief for the district, said by email that this is the district’s first Army Safety and Occupational Health Star award and marks an emphasized dedication to risk management and continuous improvement that began in 2019.
“One of the most significant improvements has been the development of enhanced tracking and analysis capabilities,” he said. “This allows leaders to identify trends more accurately, target resources where they are needed most, and make data driven decisions to continuously improve safety performance.”
Hine said more than 60 employees participated in interviews during the final assessment, answering questions about reporting hazards, managing risk and whether they felt supported by leadership when raising safety concerns in the workplace.
“The goal was to ensure that safety knowledge wasn’t just held by the Safety Office but understood by every Soldier and civilian in the command,” he said.
During the two-week evaluation, assessment teams reviewed leadership involvement, employee participation, training programs and risk management practices while conducting field visits to active project sites throughout the district’s area of responsibility.
Hine said one of the biggest challenges involved maintaining continuity in an overseas organization where frequent personnel turnover can affect long-term initiatives, requiring the district to sustain safety standards through workforce and leadership transitions.
“Achieving Star status required more than meeting safety requirements; it demanded a long-term cultural shift from a compliance-focused approach to a proactive safety culture,” he said.
Assessment teams spent two weeks reviewing safety management systems, interviewing employees and visiting project sites to determine whether the district’s safety practices were consistently applied throughout the organization, Hine said.
“This recognition signifies the district has matured beyond simple regulatory compliance,” said Troy Larson, safety and occupational health manager at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters in a press release. “Every member, from leadership to the individual Soldier or Civilian, is actively engaged in risk management and plays an important part.”
Army organizations that earn Star status are reevaluated every four years. The Far East District’s next assessment is scheduled for 2030.
