As the government implemented an odd-even driving scheme for passenger cars in the public institutional sector, it excluded Army commander-use vehicles from the scope and then reversed that decision a day before implementation, causing confusion in the field.
According to the Ministry of National Defense and others on the 9th, the government, as part of energy supply measures amid the prolonged Middle East crisis, restricted public institutional sector vehicle operations under the odd-even scheme starting the previous day.
Each service received a related directive on the 3rd. As with other public institutions, special-purpose vehicles, vehicles in areas with poor public transportation, and long-distance commute vehicles (30 km or more) were excluded from the odd-even scheme.
In the directive, the Ministry of National Defense said, "Report to each general-level commander immediately upon receipt and take internal measures." It left detailed operations to the judgment of front-line commanders.
Based on this, the Army issued guidance to each unit that "command-use vehicles are excluded from the odd-even scheme." Command-use vehicles are typically used by unit commanders at the general, field-grade, and company-grade levels and are also called "car No. 1." The move took into account the impact on military operations, including frequent urgent movements and the possibility of having to travel over rugged terrain.
However, on the 7th, a day before implementation, the Ministry of National Defense asked for the guidance to be corrected, citing an "administrative error." In response, Army Headquarters changed the guidance to apply the odd-even scheme to command-use vehicles as well. However, exceptions were allowed for cases involving operational guidance at units such as the GOP (general outpost) or coastal guard units.
With the guidance flipped on the day the odd-even scheme took effect, some field sites saw confusion. It was reported that at some units, commander vehicles continued commuting as usual, indicating instances where the odd-even scheme was not properly applied.
An incumbent Army officer, identified as A, said, "Commanders are authorized for constant access, so I understand they are excluded from the odd-even scheme." Another officer, identified as B, also said, "You can still see commanders commuting by car from their quarters to the unit."
Inside the military, some also say a uniform application does not fit reality. Another officer, identified as C, said, "The distance between a commander's home and duty station varies greatly by unit, so applying the same standard is unreasonable," adding, "This is a measure that does not consider the military's characteristics."
An Army official said, "We are actively participating in the government's energy policy implementation within a range that does not affect military operations and readiness posture."