US announces German base closures

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 7:58 am

US troops will pull out of 11 bases in southern Germany in 2007 as part of a shake-up of US forces around the world.

The bases, mainly in Bavaria, are home to the 1st Infantry Division which will return to the US in 2006, the defence department said in a statement.

It will be replaced by smaller forces able to react rapidly to new threats.

Up to 70,000 US troops currently in Europe and Asia are to be redeployed in accordance with plans announced by President George W Bush last year.

The US has almost 100,000 soldiers stationed in Western Europe and about 80,000 in the Far East.

Germany is host to the biggest US overseas contingent outside Iraq.

Support pledge

Five sites in Kitzingen in Bavaria will be handed back to German authorities, while three bases in Wuerzburg near Frankfurt in central Germany will be shut, said a statement by the US European command.

The other bases are in Giebelstadt, a small town near Wuerzburg.

A main part of this plan is to position US forces around the globe to be best able to respond to the threats of the new security environment
Pentagon statement

Two other bases are to be returned to German authorities in following years, the statement said.

The base closures will affect around 6,100 soldiers, 11,000 family members and around 2,000 civilian staff during the fiscal year 2006.

These changes are part of the Pentagon's overall plan - the Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy - to transform the military to increase strategic responsiveness and flexibility in the face of current and anticipated future threats, the statement said.

"A main part of this plan is to position US forces around the globe to be best able to respond to the threats of the new security environment."

"The 1st Infantry Division has played roles in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism," the Pentagon statement said.

It said US Army leaders were committed to supporting the soldiers, families and civilian employees during this transition.

Has you can guess I support a draw down of US troops in Europe, I just don't a need for large troop numbers in the middle of Europe. Seriously what are we defending Germany from now?

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:06 am

From annoyed polish farmers?

Seriously, this is a great move that will free up alot of manpower.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:11 am

Agreed. It isnt as if the germans need protetion from communim. Oh, wait. It does. it just isn't an external threat anymore and thus we cat do anything about it

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:13 pm

No but having troops stationed in germany and europe does provide for the ability to respond to situations closer to that area then the united states where it takes quite a bit longer to get a number of troops across the pond as it were.

Plus I have personal issues with this, if the base I was born at suddenly ceases to exist, does that mean I cease to exist since the place I was born at doesn't?

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:49 pm

Plus I have personal issues with this, if the base I was born at suddenly ceases to exist, does that mean I cease to exist since the place I was born at doesn't?

Your phyiscal existence is not depenent upon a place. It is depenent upon the contined function of your vital organs.

Has for your mental or spiritual existence, well all of us have different beliefs and I won't start that fight here.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:55 pm

I do believe he's making a funny, FM.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 2:55 pm

I was, though that doesn't mean I won't miss RheinMain.

Born there, lived there for quite a few years of my early life and I miss Germany greatly. Hell if nothing else keep bases there as a reward to the military for good service. Send them places like Germany where the locals are for the most part friendly, the beer is good and cheap, the country is full of interesting history and the place in general just rocks.

I mean I myself would love to get PCSed to Germany again.

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:24 pm

I've been wondering when they'd pack up and leave Germany. Though it would be amusing if as soon as they left, the Berlin Wall sprung back up and the tanks started rolling across West Germany.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:57 pm

Gandalf wrote:I've been wondering when they'd pack up and leave Germany. Though it would be amusing if as soon as they left, the Berlin Wall sprung back up and the tanks started rolling across West Germany.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:34 am

Good. Fuck Europe. Maybe those troops can go and back up their buddies in Iraq and get that pesky little insurgency crushed.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:53 am

Stofsk wrote:Good. Fuck Europe. Maybe those troops can go and back up their buddies in Iraq and get that pesky little insurgency crushed.

Ummm, they're kind of already doing that...

You know, not that we'd leave troops that fucking close to the war and hand them martinis and tell them not to bother. They're not the french you know.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:06 am

B4UTRUST wrote:
Stofsk wrote:Good. Fuck Europe. Maybe those troops can go and back up their buddies in Iraq and get that pesky little insurgency crushed.
Ummm, they're kind of already doing that...

You know, not that we'd leave troops that fucking close to the war and hand them martinis and tell them not to bother. They're not the french you know.

I could have been facetious. ;)

Or I would have been, had I the presence of mind and mental agility to have meant that deliberately. As it happens, I come across as an ignorant buffoon, which is more or less the truth.

Post by **B4UTRUST** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:12 am

Well if we're talking about Europe as a whole you'd be half right.

AFSO out of Mildenhall sits on their ass, never deploys, doesn't do shit except jerk off into their own feces and then tries to fix a plane on occassion. And fails miserably.

But Germany on the other hand deploys quite a bit. Last time I was over in the sandbox I saw units there from Rammstein(fighters) and Spalemgolf(definatly spelled wrong, just can't remember how at the moment, but they send A-10s).

RheinMain in the meanwhile has turned into little more then a cargo base and a refueling point for birds coming across the pond as a last stop before getting in country. We usually touch down there, get refueled pick up some more supplies and hop down in country and touch down wherever we happen to be going.

So having bases in Europe does serve a purpose. While closing some of them and pulling some troops away to more critically needed areas isn't a bad thing but to totally kill bases in Europe would be a huge mistake.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:31 am

It's at this time I feel I should point out we are redeploying to several bases in Eastern Europe which are closer to possble theathers of combat, there is no need to worry B4, expect with Rumsfield idiotcy that the era of Armor and Infantry is over.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:33 am

frigidmagi wrote:It's at this time I feel I should point out we are redeploying to several bases in Eastern Europe which are closer to possble theathers of combat, there is no need to worry B4, expect with Rumsfield idiotcy that the era of Armor and Infantry is over.

And now is the era of Information Warfare...

"The troops are in Baghdad. Major combat operations are over. No more questions good day"

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:36 am

Information Warfare is a (not so)new front in warfare, while we should most definitly not be lax in researching and developing it and defenses against the same, nothing replaces have a Division of Marines roll right over the Enemy's HQ and earsing him from existence.

You will always need boots and treads on the ground.

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