CAMP WALKER, Republic of Korea -- A bright yellow ribbon stretches across the front entrance of the newly finished Shilla tower, also known as Tower One to residents of U.S. Army Garrison Daegu. Pfc. Morgan Villarreal and her husband Roman Villarreal, the first residents of the tower, and other honored guests face the crowd and put on white gloves. They then take shined scissors that gleam in the Korean sun and cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the new military family residence.

Service members and civilians gather on Camp Walker, Republic of Korea for the grand opening of the Shilla tower, April 16, 2019.

Planning for the tower started in 2012 and was in the planning stage until November of 2015 when the construction started.

The tower is the first of four being built on Camp Walker and is comprised of 90 housing units. The 90 units include 60 units with three bedrooms and 1,650 square feet of space, 26 units with four bedrooms and 1,890 square feet of space, and four units with five bedrooms and 2,164 square feet of space.

"Each of these apartments have all the amenities you could ask for," said Col. Robert Mann, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Daegu, "to include 2 full bathrooms, central air and heating, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers and large refrigerators."

The housing also includes a three-level parking garage with 145 parking spaces available to tenants, bike racks, a state of the art illuminated playground, a gazebo, and an 18-hole golf course next door. The Exchange and Commissary are also within walking distance from the tower giving its residents easy access to all Camp Walker has to offer.

One of the primary benefits to the tower includes having the majority of service members living on post which adds to mission readiness.

The first family to move into the tower is Pfc. Morgan Villarreal, a Radiology Specialist, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, and her husband Roman Villarreal.

"We're so much closer to everything," said Villarreal, "it's a really nice place to live and be able to come home and decompress."

Shilla tower is a showcase of what is to come for Camp Walker and for current and future Families in Area IV.

"For the next 30, 40, 50 or maybe 60 years these towers will provide a good home for our military Families who sacrifice so much for their country and the country of South Korea," said Mann.