I agree with PRB, we're not facing any threats in Europe, time to bring the boys home. Leave some medical units and Air Force. We sure could use the cuts in spending right now....

The concerns (usually economic impact) are not unique to Europe but have been endured by many areas in the USA who've lost one or another iteration of BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure). A country has to do what it has to do.

Around here that F16 running low-level ingress routes, or the weekend music of 105's going off, is called "the sound of Freedom." Statewide, busine$$es call it something else, as they're already familiar with what's at stake. Most of the citizenry is supportive anyway because it's both in their makeup and it's their son/daughter that is going through their 3rd deployment and we watched their baseball practices, went to their school recitals when they were growing up, etc.)

To stay in an environment that isn't supportive, absent the threat that previously justified the presence, isn't going to carry economic water. I had this debate with the young "professionally-permanent" students at the Frei Universitat in the 60's. "Ami go home" ... fine. Let me know how that student mil-service deferment based on your pilgrimage to West Berlin works out for you.

Respectfully, it seems no one wants the Spartan on their fenceline until it cuts into their rice bowl. Plus ca change...

AFAIK Bases like Katterbach (not particually the Ansbach facility), Bamberg and Oberpfaffenhofen are safe to stay.

For Katterbach IIRC the bunker complex is unique and vital as is the Recce/Signal capabilities of Oberpfaffenhofen in order to furfill some (tbh a bit outdated) NATO Agreements.

Bamberg is said to be the 2nd largest US Ammunition Depot outside US soil and is a logistic key point for any operation in the middle east.

And look: Future Operations of the US, NATO or some Allies with US interests involved will probably take place in northern Africa. So Germany isn´t a particually bad place for stationing your troops. It´s one of the most secure and safe countries in the world, provides a very high standard of living and has an accomplished history with US Troops being stationed in the country. Very little personal conflicts besides this noise gibberish (which I can tell you also the Bundeswehr is constantly facing).

And I mean, even though it´s the military, you might check with your troops: Where would you rather spend some years of your service away from home: Germany or Romania/Hungary etc....

I myself was stationed in the US with the German Troops there. (for those who didn´t knew this: Germany has got 5 military Bases on US Soil). And well if it was not the United States I am sure I would have not enjoyed my stay as I did.

I think Jas meant to say there are 5 American bases in the US where German military forces are routinely stationed for training - two of them are here in Texas (one in the SW for Heer training and one in the North for Luftwaffe training).

This is not any sort of NWO conspiracy. ;)

Richard :munchin

Shhhhhh ;)

We do sell that differently to the people here :D

Holloman AFB does actually have a real base even with german flight security personnel and air traffic management, that´s why we are flying there with german markings on the Tornados and under german flight security rules. The HQ Command US/CA is pretty independent too and for instance is not embedded in any other USGOV Institution or facility, as it is for the traffic&transportation Department at Dulles International Airport.

But anyway let me live on in my dreams that we made a fair trade instead of you having the best training areas in our country (Grafenwöhr and Baumholder) and us "occupying" some lifeless desert in the middle of nowhere.

Btw: NWO conspiracy? With Germany on Top? Wahahha yeah no... maybe if the US-GER-UK-F-I-J formed the USD - United States of Debt we´ll have some say in a NWO ;)

Greetings from sunny Airborne School Altenstadt

It's a kinda sorta thing...

http://www.holloman.af.mil/library/f...et.asp?id=4364

FWIW - El Paso and Alamogordo are both good places to find great German food and conversation for those wanting to enjoy a taste of Germany and practice their language skills. ;)

OBTW - I sure miss Altenstadt. I remember when we were undergoing team HALO training there and one of the guys landed in a mist sump at a dairy near the DZ after a combination of a not so great 'spot' from an MC-130E and a breezy day - the riggers were pissed about their chutes and we made him hose down before that chilly ride back to Tölz in the back of the M35. :D

Richard :munchin