Welcome Wagon bags filled with snacks, hygiene products and local information await newcomers at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on May 7, 2025. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — When Marine Corps spouse Alexis Gonzalez and her family arrived last summer at the largest American military installation overseas, a friendly face was waiting.
Kelly Karwel, founder of the Welcome Wagon of Korea, greeted Gonzalez and other newly arrived military families as their shuttle bus pulled into Humphreys from Icheon International Airport. Volunteers handed out bags filled with snacks, hygiene products and local information — a small gesture designed to ease their transition.
“When you get here, you’re very tired, it’s a long flight and at least you get that idea of the next day — you know what to do, what else is in this area and what places to eat,” Gonzalez recently told Stars and Stripes while volunteering for the Welcome Wagon at Maude Hall.
Welcome Wagon of Korea founder Kelly Karwell briefs newcomers upon arrival at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on May 7, 2025. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
The program, started by Karwel in 2023, has grown from a grassroots effort into a formally recognized base nonprofit with 48 volunteers. Its mission is simple: Ensure incoming service members and their families receive a warm, informative welcome.
Karwel, whose husband, U.S. Army Maj. Eric Karwel, is stationed at Humphreys, said the idea came from her own experience moving overseas. The couple has relocated internationally three times, including to Grafenwoehr, Germany, where she led a similar, smaller initiative.
She recalled arriving in foreign countries late at night with exhausted children and little idea of what to expect. Those moments, she said, inspired her to launch the Welcome Wagon.
Welcome Wagon of Korea volunteers greets newcomers in Maude Hall at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on May 7, 2025. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
The group’s work was officially recognized in September, when garrison commander Col. Ryan Workman approved its status as a base nonprofit. Since then, the Korea Defense Veterans Association of Washington, D.C., has committed to funding welcome-bag supplies for the next five years.
Today, volunteers — military spouses, service members and Defense Department civilians — sign up for shifts through the group’s Facebook page. They greet buses throughout the week, including late-night arrivals, distributing welcome bags tailored to families’ needs. Meals are provided for those arriving after hours.
Volunteers also board buses to offer briefings on base transportation and first-day logistics. Each bag includes a QR code for newcomers to offer feedback.
The Welcome Wagon, Karwel said, reflects the spirit of the people it serves.
It “adds to the community by bringing the community together to make sure the incoming soldiers and families feel welcomed,” she said.
Welcome Wagon bags filled with snacks, hygiene products and local information await newcomers at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on May 7, 2025. (Eric Mendiola/Stars and Stripes)
