Camp Korean Village (also known as Camp KV) is located in a remote stretch of Iraq's western desert, close to the Syrian-Iraq border, and near the highway that connects Jordan with Baghdad. Ar Rutbah is the closest town to Camp Korean Village. Camp Korean Village is believed to be located at one of the H-3 facilities. Camp Korean Village got its name because it once housed Korean laborers who paved the Amman-Baghdad highway during Saddam Hussein's regime.
The camp is surrounded on all sides by miles of sand, and as of late-March 2004, did not have access to satellite television.
As of July 2004, Camp Korean Village served as a base camp for elements of 1st Marine Division's Regimental Combat Team 7, which helped the Iraqis run checkpoints along the Syrian and Jordanian borders and patrol western Iraq.
The small collection of concrete buildings, intermingled with Marine Corps tents has also been home to detachments from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, who provide air and communication support to the infantry units based here.
All together, the camp population, though often fluctuating, has frequently exceeded several hundred troops, with only a few dozen 1st FSSG Marines supporting them. These are tasked with providing amenities like a post office, post exchange and disbursing office to the camp. These 1st FSSG Marines are sent out to camps such as Camp Korea and are expected to operate without daily supervision from their higher headquarters.
While the post office delivers Marines' cookies and brownies, the small post exchange stocks basic necessities, such as toiletries, and nice-to-haves, such as snack food and tobacco. Unfortunately, a thanks alone doesn't pay the bill. To shop at the PX, Marines need to be able to get access to their money, a task that can be difficult in the desert. The Marines do have the camp disbursing office, though, where they can go to get their money, and which is staffed by 1st FSSG Marines. These 1st FSSG disbursers are also taked with purchasing items from the local Iraqi merchants for use on camp. The money is also used to pay contractors who are helping to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure as part of the Marine Corps' mission to conduct security and stability operations.
Regular convoys are used to continually supply the camp, including fuel. Camp Korea's fuel farm was, as of early July 2004, run by five 1st FSSG Marines.
In addition, a small detachment of 1st FSSG sailors, including a general surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a trauma doctor, a nurse and several corpsmen, have been located at the facility to provide vital medical care to anyone who needs it. Shock Trauma Platoon 7, along with Forward Resuscitative Surgical System 3, stabilizes patients from the local area for transfer to higher-level medical facilities, such as those located at Camp Al Asad or in Baghdad. The facility serves as the first point of treatment for soldiers suffering from trauma for the region surrounding the camp.
On August 9, 2004, Camp Korea serverd as the location for the first combat zone landing for airdropped supplies using the Sherpa GPS-guided parachute system. Programmed with the drop zone's coordinates, guided by the Global Positioning System, and maneuvered by motor-tugged lines, the units each sat atop a pallet of rations for Marines based at Camp Korea and steering themselves from nearly two miles high to within less than 200 meters of their target.
A United Press International story from late July 2004, mentionedh the existence of a U.S. detention facility northwest of Camp Korean Village.
Conditions at Camp Korea Village are difficult. There is no running water and electricity is provided by diesel generators. Troops are only able to shower every few days, and they have to rely on using porta-potties. Troops live either in solid buildings or in large tents with wooden floors and air conditioning. At first troops at Camp KV could only eat MREs but now they enjoy a dining hall with freshly cooked food.
