U.S. commander`s ties to Korea date back to his father

By Lee Youkyung
SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- For the U.S. general responsible for some 28,500
American servicemen in South Korea under his command, light, relaxed moments may
be difficult to relish.
Gen. Walter Sharp oversees forces on the frontline of an alliance that is
technically still at war with North Korea. Since establishing its presence in
1953, U.S. Forces Korea continues to serve the role of a bulwark against the
communist North's million strong army, a role maintained even after the end of
the Cold War.
"We work very hard to make sure that we are prepared for anything North Korea can
send this way," the four-star general said in an exclusive interview with Yonhap
News Agency last week, the first to be held with a local media at his office in
Yongsan garrison, Seoul.
"We watch them very closely. We exercise on a day-to-day basis to make sure we're
prepared for anything up North."
The general does loosen up from time to time, as shown in a recent YouTube video,
where he is seen doing the "electric slide" to the hip-hop beat of Montell
Jordan's "This is How We Do It" at a military ball. In this rare treat for South
Korean viewers, the video shows a lighter side to the often taciturn military
commander.
Gen. Sharp's ties with Korea span generations within his family. Born in 1952 in
the home of his mother in West Virginia, Sharp came into the world just as his
father was off fighting in the 1950-1953 Korean War. The elder Sharp, who
returned later from the war and served in the military for 28 years, died two
years before his son took command of U.S. Forces Korea in June 2008.
His first assignment as a four-star general, Sharp suggested it was meaningful
for him to have his mother at the change of command ceremony.
"She came over here for the change of command and really enjoyed it here," he said.
Sharp has spent long years in the military, a period that is only just outmatched
by his marriage to Joanne Caparaso, whom he met when he was at West Point.
"I was very lucky. I was at the West Point United States Military Academy, and my
roommate was dating a girl and they wanted to go on a double date. So my roommate
said, okay you come along, so we did and so we met," he recalled.
Five days after they left West Point, on June 8, 1974, the two were married.
Since then, like many military families, they have moved from one place to
another, both nationally and internationally, before arriving in South Korea for
the first time in 1996.
"At that time I had my children with us and we absolutely loved it. My wife was
here in Yongsan and I was in the 2nd infantry division in Euijeongbu," he said.
"We had many good friends we still have here now and really had a wonderful time
then," Sharp said of his two years in Korea.
Those years shaped Sharp's current vision for the tour normalization initiative
for American servicemen coming to Korea.
Always reiterated as one of his three priorities, the tour normalization plan is
intended to enable service members to stay in Korea for two to three years,
instead of one year, with family members accompanying them.
"It will greatly increase my capability here," Sharp said. "Instead of having to
train new soldiers every year, (if) I have them for three years, our capability
goes up exponentially."
"It says Korea is important for us now and will be for the foreseeable future,"
he said. "And because of that and because of the security here and the warmth of
Korean people, we bring our service members here for three years and allow them
all to bring their families."
ylee@yna.co.kr
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