Know your limit when it comes to rations

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  In an effort to ensure availability of goods, and to combat potential black marketing, U.S. Forces Korea has a rations control program in place which closely monitors the purchase of beer, liquor, groceries and other goods purchased on base.

The Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Republic of Korea requires reasonable and practical efforts to control access of unqualified persons to duty free goods. It also helps prevent abuse of duty free privileges, according to USFK regulation 60-1.

Authorized personnel for the ration program include assigned and temporary duty active military, DoD civilians, contractors, military retirees and widowers. Spouses who are here without their sponsors are not authorized rations.

New Wolf Pack members are registered with the ration control program upon arrival here as part of their in-processing with the 8th Security Forces Squadron pass and registration section. Senior Airman Dwight Corbett, 8th SFS ration control agent, is responsible for managing Kunsan's ration control program and reporting violators to unit first sergeants.

"Once you're put in the system, that's when all of your transactions at the BX and commissary will start to be tracked and that's when you're officially watched as far as your ration limits," Corbett said.

Current ration allotments are as follows:
Liquor (20 percent or more alcohol by volume) - Three units (fifth, quart or liter bottle) per month
Beer - two cases per day, not to exceed eight cases per month
Commissary - the current individual rate is $650 per month

"Everyone will fall under the individual rate," Corbett said. "The only time it will change is when you have your family come and visit you - your spouse or children. You'll get upgraded depending on how many people you have come visit you. Once they leave, you'll fall back to the individual rate."

Another measure USFK has in place is a black market working group that meets regularly to identify trends and develop recommendations for items to be added to the watch list. Currently, items such as vitamins, diapers, and baby formula, high-dollar electronics and sporting equipment are monitored.

"Black market here in South Korea has been problematic over the years," Corbett said. "They watch for certain items they deem as 'hot' as far as the Korean nationals or off base [because] we can purchase a few items cheaper on base than what you can get off base."

Corbett receives a monthly report, consisting of a list of names for ration violators, which he refers to unit commanders and first sergeants. Civilians who exceed the ration limit may face administrative actions or loss of shopping privileges, while military members are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

"It could help identify possible drinking trends for those having problems adapting here," said Master Sgt. Johnny Vinson, 8th Operations Group first sergeant. "The limits help prevent people from buying excessive alcohol and sitting in their room drinking excessively."

However, most of the recent violations Vinson has seen can be attributed to a lack of education about the rations program and its limits.

"Most violations I've seen so far involve one person buying drinks for a party with several people," he said. "A lot of times people aren't paying attention to how much they buy during the month, so if they buy two units for a party at the beginning of the month and two more units before the end of the month they're over the limit. We have a lot of new arrivals so people need to know how to check what they've purchased."

Members can register online at https://pimskapp.korea.army.mil to check their rations use. The system can also send email when members are close to their monthly limits. Typically, the rations allotment rolls over on the first day of each month; however, sometimes the system used to track purchases can be delayed by up to 48 hours, Corbett added.