Osan Air Force Base

Osan Air Force Base is the other military base we will be working with. Osan is about a 30 minutes from our apartment, and 40 miles south of Seoul. The base is one of two major U.S. Air Force installations operated by U.S. Forces Korea, the other being Kunsan Air Base.

Osan AFB was entirely planned and built by the U.S. from scratch during the Korean War. Prior to the invasion of the Republic of Korea by the North Korean communists in 1950, the area consisted of several tiny farming villages near the hillsides and a large number of rice paddy areas where the runway now lies.    Their mission is to employ airpower to Defend the Republic of Korea, and Defeat any attacks from North Korea. They are "ready to fight tonight" air power - precise, intense, and overwhelming; whenever and wherever needed. Osan Air Base, located just 48 miles south of the Korean DMZ.  

It is so humbling to attend church with these men, and women who are here to defend us. They are here in a far off county, so those of us in the USA don’t have to worry or even think about our freedom. The spirit is strong here. The saints stick together. It seems there is an extremely strong bond here in both of our Branches. Church is their home away from home! We are told over and over again how glad they are that we are here. Which really helps! 

 

When we trained for this mission we were told, get on your knees and ask Heaven Father what we should do. We sat in a Branch Counsel Meets on Sunday, it was a real eye opener.  They have so many challenges! It is humbling. Its humbling to talk to the single, and unaccompanied men and women here. They have problems most of us don’t even think about! One father told us how difficult it was to not be able to talk about many things the job did with his children and his wife. 

He told how when he was in a different country, he did rescue missions. He would shower and clean up before he returned home, so no questions would be asked. One day he lost a friend that he worked with. He put a smile on his face, and didn’t show his family or tell them anything had happened that day. They had no idea the danger he had faced that day. He talked about his concerns for his children becoming teenagers and having to move from one county to anoter.

The challenges of separation, and being reunited. Not knowing when the next separation would take place. Children having to face the possibly of maybe dad might not coming home. Many of them truly live in a different world! One of our main goal here is to let them know the Church is mindful of them and really cares deeply for them!

Drive to Osan.