A Pentagon official stated that no decision has been made on the fate of a U.S. Army squadron based in South Korea. The remark follows a recent Congressional Research Service report claiming the unit ceased operations on December 15. The squadron has been active at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek since May 2022.
WASHINGTON — A Pentagon official said Friday that no decision has been made on the fate of the U.S. Army's 5th Air Cavalry Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment (5-17 ACS) in South Korea, which was reported to have been deactivated as part of a military transformation initiative.
The remarks came after a recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report stated that the squadron at Camp Humphreys, a key U.S. base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province—about 60 kilometers south of Seoul—ceased operations on Dec. 15. The unit was activated on May 17, 2022, and has supported the 2nd Infantry Division with hundreds of personnel, as well as aviation and reconnaissance assets including AH-64E Apache helicopters and RQ-7B Shadow drones.
"No decision has been made and we do not comment on pre-decisional force structure matters," the official said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency, apparently indicating that the squadron remains active.
The CRS report fueled speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration could pursue a reduction in the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea to better counter threats from an assertive China.
