DOD ANNOUNCES U.S. ARMY EUROPE FACILITIES RETURNED TO GERMANY

Dept of Defense ^ | 4/30/03 | DoD

[Hipixs]

No. 290-03
(703)697-5131(media)

IMMEDIATE RELEASE	April 30, 2003	(703)428-0711(public/industry)
DOD ANNOUNCES U.S. ARMY EUROPE FACILITIES RETURNED TO GERMANY The Department of Defense today announced that U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) will partially close the Giessen General Depot, Germany, and return its other facilities in Giessen, Friedberg, Butzbach, Wetzlar and Bad Nauheim in fiscal 2006-2008 as part of the U.S. Army's Efficient-Basing East project. The closures will be completed incrementally during that timeframe as brigade combat team assets are consolidated at one location. The concentration of assets at one site will enhance both traning and deployment readiness by putting six battalion-sized units adjacent to their major training area. Termed "Efficient-Basing East," the project is in keeping with the Army's goal to station a brigade combat team on a single installation and deploy a brigade combat team anywhere in the world. As such, the facilities in and around Giessen were identified as excess to the needs of the U.S. Army in Europe for military operational reasons. In fiscal 2006, the MacArthur Family Housing Area in Friedberg, the George Gershwin Family Housing Area in Wetzlar and the Alvin York Village Familiy Housing Area in Bad Nauheim will be returned to Germany. In fiscal 2007, operations at the Ray Barracks in Friedberg, the Friedberg Training and Storage Area, Schloss Kaserne in Butzbach and the Roman Way Village family housing area will end. In fiscal 2008, facilities in Giessen, including Pendleton Barracks, the John F. Dulles Village Housing Area, the George C. Marshall Village Family Housing Area and the Giessen Military Community Facilities will be closed. Operations at the Butzbach training area and range will terminate in 2008 as well. Also in fiscal 2008, the partial closure of the Giessen Depot will occur. As a result of these closures, USAREUR will inactivate the 284th Base Support Battalion and local elements of the 104th Area Support Group after completion of the move in fiscal 2007 and 2008. Overall, the closures will impact approximately 3,400 soldiers and some 5,000 family members. A total of approximately 270 U.S. appropriated fund civilians, 140 U.S. nonappropriated fund personnel, and 230 local national civilians will be affected. U.S. military operations at the retained portion of the Giessen Depot will be the Army and Air Force Exchange System (AAFES) distribution center and engineer support center. The AAFES distribution center currently employs about 26 U.S. civilians and some 500 local nationals. The Engineer Support Center employs about 12 U.S. civilians and 45 local nationals. Military officials determined the depot remains the most efficient site for these operations in terms of its location and extensive warehouses. The engineer support center, an element of Installation Management Agency, Europe Region, is the central administration and distribution point for both issued family housing furniture and unaccompanied personnel housing furnishings throughout the command.

[Night Hides Not]

Were you ever stationed in Germany? When I was stationed there 20+ years ago, we had tens of thousands more troops, vehicles, and airplanes. I don't recall any successful attempt to wipe out a smaller facility, to include the old Nike-Hercules batteries that were located throughout West Germany. For your info, these units were nuclear capable, and therefore a much more lucrative target for a terrorist than an infantry battalion.

I recall many alerts and warnings of Baader-Meinhof gang activity, but their success was limited at best.

There will be plenty of safeguards put in place, to ensure proper dispersal of personnel, equipment, and material.

[Unicorn]

BTTT

[RetiredArmy]

I spent 3 years in Giessen. My old unit, the 2/2 ADA was headquartered there. I lived in Marshall Housing area in Giessen.

[sit-rep]

I understand where you are coming from, but a tactical Nuke is only good for 5-10 miles. The article said the positions of the troops will be connected to their training area... I have never been there, but would guess the area is a few thousand acres or more. If the divisions are staged around the training area, you do have a nice LZ smack dap in the center...protected.

Just looking at it from not only their perspective, but a few others as well.

[RJL]

U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) will partially close the Giessen General Depot, Germany, and return its other facilities in Giessen, Friedberg, Butzbach, Wetzlar and Bad Nauheim in fiscal 2006-2008

2006 to 2008? Seems like a long way off.

I would like to see it happen much faster. I suppose they are figuring that building new bases in other countries will take some time.

[wasp69]

I have never been stationed in Germany. However, the enemy we face today is a lot less rational than the Soviets. The way I look at this situation is from the perspective of the aircraft at Pearl Harbor being parked in the open and grouped together so they were more easy to protect against sabotage. The end result was the loss of alot of aircraft by very few munitions. I also look at it from the perspective of closing naval bases and concentrating fleet assets in fewer areas. The Spanish learned the hard way in Plymout Harbor about grouping their fleet together for protection. To me, this is a huge tactical mistake.

[sit-rep]

I understand your point, and maybe, do not know enough about what is actually happening to voice an opinion. But again, if their training grounds is a large area, I think it not as bad as your Pearl Harbor example.

IMHO, I think if these countries want to opt out of joining forces to fight a terroist threat like Saddam, that is fine with me...opt out. But when you start bad mouthing my country, I think we should do everything in our power to cripple them economically. Just pull out all Military. Stop all trade and close their businesses here at home...kick them out of our country, since we are the rogue nation they claim we are.

SR

[PfromHoGro]

Yep. See-yah! Wouldn't want to be-yah.

[eBelasco]

Anyone know the yearly cost of keeping all these bases operational in Europe? Why do we need to keep any bases open over there (is Poland going to invade Belgium or something?!)? I would much rather have my taxes spent on another CVN or two.

[hardhead]

There have been no U.S. military activities in France since the mid-60s - the Frenchies beat us to the punch and kicked us out when they dropped out of NATO. Don't buy any T-Fal cookware.

[Tailback]

The next step should be to get out of the FYR's (former Yugoslav republics) and make Europe (to include the Russians) keep those idiots from killing each other.

[gulfcoast6]

Line em up, close them down!

[wasp69]

But when you start bad mouthing my country, I think we should do everything in our power to cripple them economically. Just pull out all Military. Stop all trade and close their businesses here at home...kick them out of our country, since we are the rogue nation they claim we are.

I agree with you completely. If it were up to me, I would take the one large main base (as well as the rest of them) out of Germany and scatter them in Eastern Europe where it would be cheaper, the locals more friendly, and they would not be concentrated but still able to link up quickly.