Yi, Chong Cha (center), poses for a photo with members if the Eighth Army Safety Directorate and Korean Service Corps Safety Office following her retirement ceremony at Eighth Army headquarters on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2024. (Photo by Pfc. Lee, Geon Ho)
Eighth Army in South Korea turned 80 years old this year, and for more than half of that existence, Yi, Chong Cha has dedicated her career to supporting the United States’ only field army.
Yi was honored during a ceremony at Eighth Army headquarters on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Aug. 29. She retired after 49 years working for the Korean Service Corps Battalion, a flagged battalion commanded by a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, which is assigned to the Materiel Support Command-Korea and the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command. The KSC executes daily mission command consisting of 18 companies augmenting on-peninsula U.S. forces with embedded, multi-functional, sustainment support.
Yi concluded her nearly 50-year career in the KSC Safety Office where she ensured a safe working environment for KSC and Eighth Army employees.
“I have made it safe by pointing out unsafe situations through Deliberate Risk Assessment,” Yi said. “My mission was to (put aside) aim for accident-free workplaces. I liked to (care) for the welfare of the employees. It was good to manage my work and life balance in my career. I believe I couldn’t accomplish my work well if I worked in a local company, but I did it here in KSC without any trouble until an honorable retirement.”
An “original Seoulite,” Yi was born and raised in South Korea’s largest city and capital. When it was time to look for work, she challenged herself by applying for a job with the KSC. She began her career at Camp Kim in Yongsan.
“I was so interested in a U.S. Army job, especially getting to work with foreigners when I graduated school, so I applied to a vacant position in the KSC when I heard about it from my friend.”
Yi wasn’t always a safety specialist. She worked many jobs in the KSC throughout her years at several locations supporting Eighth Army. She worked as a clerk typist, operations clerk, administrative assistant, budget analyst and plans specialist. She worked at several Army posts, some that do not exist anymore, such as Camps Market, Mercer, Giant, Coiner, and Camp Kim.
After completing her career at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Yi said she is proud of her time as a safety specialist.
“I felt a sense of pride when I made a correction of something wrong at worksites or changed wrongdoings to make a good and safe environment,” said Yi.
She said her journey to become a safety specialist is among her most memorable accomplishments.
“My training certification, CP-12 certificates, it was not easy to take the courses, but I was able to attend several conferences and trainings to become a safety professional, and I will especially never forget the trip to [formerly called] Fort Benning and the Pentagon.”
Additionally, Yi said the certificate of appreciation she received from Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, Eighth Army commanding general, during her retirement ceremony “was an honor for KSC, and not only for me, but also for my family, it will remain an unforgettable memory.”
Yi would like to advise her coworkers, and especially junior ones, to invest their time well to accomplish what they want to be.
“Time is not waiting on us, you want to do something, whatever, do it right know so you do not regret it later.”
The Korean Service Corps has nearly 2,000 Korean employees supporting Eighth Army and U.S. Forces Korea, which serves as an invaluable asset in keeping the peninsula ready for any contingencies that arise.
Eighth Army is proud of people like Yi who have dedicated their career to supporting the Republic of Korea-U.S. alliance.
