Migration News
Yongsan Garrison unit renamed
June 29, 2007
Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Smith prepares to case the U.S. Army Troop Command, Korea colors for the last time Friday at Yongsan Garrison during a ceremony in which USATC-K was redesignated Special Troops Battalion. (Jimmy Norris / S&S)
Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Smith prepares to case the U.S. Army Troop Command, Korea colors for the last time Friday at Yongsan Garrison during a ceremony in which USATC-K was redesignated Special Troops Battalion. (Jimmy Norris / S&S)
Company commanders and guidon bearers from U.S. Army Troop Command, Korea march in a ceremony Friday at Yongsan Garrison, in which USATC-K was redesignated Special Troops Battalion. (Jimmy Norris / S&S)
YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — The 2,500 soldiers of U.S. Army Troop Command, Korea haven’t changed patches, missions or capabilities, but they got a new name after a brief ceremony Friday.
Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Smith cased the unit’s colors for the last time at Yongsan Garrison, right before unfurling the Special Troops Battalion colors, officially redesignating the unit.
Eighth Army spokeswoman Capt. Audricia McKinney said the change is symbolic of the Army’s ongoing transformation to a “rapid response force with enhanced war-fighting capabilities.”
“The difference between a troop command and a special troops battalion is a special troops battalion is more flexible and has more capabilities then a troop command,” McKinney said in an e-mail Thursday. “This flexibility and capabilities upgrade allows the organization to respond to a variety of challenges.”