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| Europe |
| U.S. Army Europe facilities to be returned to German control |
| 2003-04-30 |
| 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. 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. |
| Posted by:Domingo |
| #7 A slow phaseout from Germany makes sense, and as TGA says, not because of the poor Schroeder government. Korea is another matter. The SKors clearly don't like us being there, except when our guys are being used as tripwires. I also fail to see what our interest is in keeping ground forces there. The SKors have a strong economy and plenty of capability to defend themselves...and we can help from the air and sea if needed. Strategically, I also fail to see the value of 37,000 troops tied down in Korea. The primary threats from North Korea to US are that they will ship missiles to terror states and/or build ICBMs capable of hitting us. We can take ICBMs out on their launchpads, if necessary, and we can blockade that country by sea, something we couldn't do with Iraq. I think we bring our guys home, stop dealing with North Korea at all, let the SKors, Japanese and Chinese deal with the problem. Explain to me why this is wrong? |
| Posted by: R. McLeod 2003-05-01 01:40:22 |
| #6 What's the delay? Close 'em now. (I agree about Korea, too) |
| Posted by: Jeremy 2003-04-30 15:36:36 |
| #5 I think this is a win/win situation for everyone. The local German economy will suffer, but just like bases that have been brac(k)ed here in the US, they will get over it. The current political climate just makes it easier for the US to rip the band aid off and pull out. The local's complaints will fall on deaf ears right now, which for the US, is actually a feature, not a bug. Just because we had a base there in the past, doesn't mean it's the ideal location or that the cost/benefit of having it, is justified. Good for the Pentagon planners for making changes that will be beneficial in the long term. Now....if we can just get our troops out of Korea where the cost/benefit/usefullness is clearly askew. |
| Posted by: Becky 2003-04-30 11:23:38 |
| #4 We once had several 100000s of US troups on German soil. We had to cope with the loss a few years ago as well and it was much bigger. As I have pointed out before these are strategic decisions. Troops are not moved out because we happen to have a mediocre government for a while, they move out because they are not needed anymore in Germany. As to 8000 consumers: This is true although the impact depends a lot on the current Euro-Dollar rate. GI's are not exactly overpaid so they spend most of their income in local army stores. The Euro trades at 1,11$ today, so Germany is expensive right now. When the dollar was stronger soldiers ventured out more into German restaurants, shops etc. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-04-30 10:57:15 |
| #3 The "local jobs" are U.S.-paid jobs. That's a tiny part of the effect on the local economy compared to removing well over 8,000 consumers. |
| Posted by: Tom 2003-04-30 10:23:45 |
| #2 Hope so. As well as relocations to the New Europe countries which are cheaper and, sorry TGA, at least publicly, more eager for our operations |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-04-30 10:11:47 |
| #1 230 local jobs down the tubes. Can we expect more of these kinds of announcements ? |
| Posted by: Domingo 2003-04-30 10:06:10 |