PYEONGTAEK, South Korea — A supply base that has served the U.S. military since the Korean War has a new name and boss.
The Pusan Storage Facility became the Busan Storage Center in a Thursday morning re-designation ceremony at the 55-acre site in Busan.
Previously headed by military officers, there’s now a civilian in charge.
John C. Batchelor became the center’s new boss during the ceremony, with the title of “manager.” Until Thursday he’d been the facility’s deputy commander.
He replaces Army Lt. Col. Roger R. Danserau.
Until Camp Hialeah closed as part of the U.S.-South Korean agreement to shut and return many U.S. installations on the peninsula, the Hialeah installation commander also served as the PSF commander.
The Army no longer needs to maintain a military commander in Busan after Camp Hialeah’s closure last year, Batchelor said in a telephone interview Wednesday. He added the center’s mission is unchanged.
“Everything will continue as before,” he said. “There’s no disruption in service to any of our customers on the peninsula.”
The center consists of about 14 warehouses and 19 covered storage sheds that house supplies to shelter and feed troops based in South Korea. About 120 employees, most of them Korean, staff the center.
