Bach To HQ, Eighth US Army, Seoul, Korea

I was a Captain when I left Korea back in 1979.  In 1989, I returned as a Lieutenant Colonel. How sweet that was! I was assigned as the Chief of Wartime Host Nation Support.

My Job was to secure an agreement between the Korean Military Command and the US Military Command for approval by The ROK Government and the Pentagon in Washington, DC.  

That was clearly no simple task.  Both the Korean Military Command and the US Military Command have been working to secure WHNS agreement since the Korean War, over 40 years ago. 

Once I became aware of my mission, I was dam glad that I had already been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.  

How in the hell was I going to be able to get this thing done, realizing that they had been unable to get it done during the past forty-plus years! This had to be a joke!  

After a few days of looking over things, I arranged a meeting with my Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) counterpart.  His name was COL Yoon.  He had one assistant, a Major Kim.  My assistant was Mr. Lee.  Mr. Lee was a naturalized American from Korea. He was very dedicated and hard working, and I came to trust him and his efforts.

COL Yoon and I, well, we were both polite to each other.  After the first couple of months of meeting, I realized that we were just pissing up a rope. We were getting absolutely nothing done.

About the third month into that Job, my boss, the J-4 (BG), called me into his office. He asked me how things are coming along. Before I could respond, he informed me that a signed Wartime Host Nation Support Agreement was the only thing that he thought stood in his path to getting his 2nd Star.    

I waited for him to continue.  Apparently, he was waiting for me to make the next move.  So I stepped in.  "Sir, I think I can get the job done, but in order for me to be able to get it done, you are going to have to let me do things my way without interference."  Shocker #1.  

I continued! "I should also tell you that over the years, many of my bosses disagreed with my approach in the beginning, but none ever disagreed with my final results."

Clearly, he was surprised!  Perhaps even shocked.  He thought for a long minute or two.  "Well, he said, nothing has worked so far, and from here it can only get better."  "What do you have in mind, he asked. I responded boldly, "Just that I want to do things my way and I will take full responsibility for any failures, and you can accept all responsibility for all successes."  Hello, I had already been considering retirement, but he did not know tha

But there is one more thing, sir!  "I want you to approve this request for funds to pay for 100 hours of one-on-one Koran Language Training for me."  "I already speak a lot more Korean than most people know, and I am sure that with some additional effort and study, I will be able to understand most of what my counterparts and their staff assistants are saying when they shift to speaking Korean during our meetings."  The General smiled, signed my Korean language request, and I was out the door. 

My next meeting with COL Yoon was clearly a shocker for him.  He and his counterpart entered my office, and we proceeded to the conference room.  I told him that I wanted to speak with him alone before we started our weekly meeting. I asked both my assistant and his assistant to step outside for a few minutes

After they departed the room, I turned toward COL Yoon. I told him that it has become very clear to me that neither he nor the ROKA had any interest in reaching an agreement with the US Government on Wartime Host Nation Support.  

I told him that I was very tired of wasting my time and his.  I told him that I was fairly certain that Kim, Jung-il (The President of North Korea), did not have any missiles that could reach the shores of California, where my family was, and if he or the ROKA and the Republic of Korea didn't care about reaching an agreement, why should I care.  

I told him that I did not expect to get another promotion as I planned to retire after my tour in Korea.   I told him that the $50,000 per year that the US Government was going to pay me as a retired army colonel would do just fine for me.

I also told him that I understand the politics of our situation.  I knew that we must continue to meet on a weekly basis; however, I was sure that if we spent our time having fun downtown, especially if we did not wear our military uniforms, no one would ever be the wiser.  

I told him that I would be dressed in civilian clothing the next time he comes, and be ready for a fun trip downtown, and the drinks on me. Shocker #2.  

COL Yoon looked at me, almost with tears in his eyes.  He had nothing to say.  He got up and went outside. He walked over to his assistant and told him that the meeting was over for the day.  They both departed.

When I told Mister Lee what I had said to COL Y.,  He almost fainted.  Sir, he said, "I hope you know what you are doing"!  "Maybe not, Mr Lee, I responded, "but there is one thing that is for sure, we haven't done a dam thing for the last three or four months, and anything would be an improvement on that."

The following Wednesday at 1300 hours, COL Y. and his assistant walked into my office. I was sitting there, dressed in civilian clothing. Of course, he and his assistant were dressed in uniform, just as I expected. COL Y., looked at me and said, " We are ready to negotiate an agreement."  OK, I responded, "Let's get started."

About 45 days later, we submitted a final WHNS document our respective HQ's for final approval.

In November of 1991, an Umbrella Agreement Between The U. S. Government and the Republic of Korea Government Concerning Wartime Host Nation Support was signed.

My Job was done! My boss was elated. The Eighth Army Commanding General was elated. So was I.  I chalk it up to an Understanding of Human Nature and my utilization of MY ”Back Door Secrets." approach to life!

Within days I was reassigned as the Chief, of the Eighth Army Exercise Branch!  We were placed Under The Gun Again. I shocked them again!

This long story and my point is this:  

If you think you know someone who can negotiate a better deal than we are offering you, call them. With My Blessings!”