Posted on 07/29/2005 11:37:05 AM PDT by lizol
U.S. Army to Vacate 13 Bases in Germany
BERLIN - The U.S. Army will pull out of 13 bases in southern Germany as part of a repositioning of American forces around the world, its European headquarters said Friday.
The 11 bases in and around the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg will be handed over to the German government by September 2007, a statement from the Army's European headquarters in Heidelberg said. Two more bases near Wuerzburg will be closed and handed over in subsequent years.
The closures are part of plans to return the headquarters of the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division to the United States next year and relocate other units.
The U.S. Department of Defense said the changes will affect about 6,100 soldiers; 11,000 family members; 1,000 Army civilian employees; and 1,000 civilians employed locally.
The United States is withdrawing forces that were based in Western Europe to confront the Soviet Union during the Cold War, bringing many units home and opening smaller, more flexible bases to respond to new threats, including international terrorism.
A start.
Good!.........It's WAAAAAYY overdue..........
Being born in Stuttgart when my dad was stationed over there, this is quite a change to me....
Bwhahahahahahah!!
Good deal. We have been carrying the German's water since 1945, defense wise.
About time they grow up and take care of themselves without Uncle Sam's help.
They're headed for El Paso.
Good.
Yea!!! This is good. We don't need to have as big a presence there, and the German people don't deserve us in such large numbers right now. Keeping our people state-side as much as possible will help retention and communities in the US, rather than Germany.
That probably includes Schweinfurt, too.
Ah, well. At least I still have my Green Goose card.
When Germany carries its own water, it has a nasty tendency to carry it to France and Poland.
Close them all. There are lots of countries in Eastern Europe that would love to have U.S. bases.
On a similar note, the BRAC committee is in Galena Alaska today to assess the impact of base closure on that small community. 45 jobs.
bringing many units home and opening smaller, more flexible bases to respond to new threats, including international terrorism.
or border control operations? Please please please!
Man that would be a bombshell, but it will not happen.
"Yea!!! This is good. We don't need to have as big a presence there, and the German people don't deserve us in such large numbers right now. Keeping our people state-side as much as possible will help retention and communities in the US, rather than Germany."
Not only that but their salaries will be spent in the US. To the liberal Germans...SUFFAH!!!!
Meanwhile, we're closing bases state-side.
Looks like GW has a withdrawal plan for Germany.
It's a quagmire! We've been there 60 freeking years!!!
The huge medical facility Ramstein will still be operating.
I would not want to leave Germany to their own devices but I do believe we will be moving some bases to Poland.
Well, we'll protect Poland.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.