Football hooligans ‘getting more violent’
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U.S. Army veteran Peter Schmelkin visited Patton and Campbell Barracks in Heidelberg, Germany where he was stationed from 1951-53. Schmelkin returned to the area for the first time to reflect on the many wonderful memories he created during his time here as a Soldier.
HEIDELBERG, Germany – To Peter Schmelkin, Germany has always been a picturesque moment in his life, full of adventure, stories and memories.
Schmelkin, a former draftee in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953, returned to Patton Barracks in Heidelberg the morning of Aug. 5 to relive a brief but significant part of his life.
Since 1973 the U.S. Armed Forces has been a volunteer organization, but Schmelkin remembers the days of the draft.
He fondly recalls his 18-month career as a Soldier at Campbell Barracks, the former Wehrmacht Grossdeutschland-Kaserne.
“It’s hard to believe I’m here. It’s been so long ago,” Schmelkin said.
Times have changed on military installations worldwide, but Schmelkin’s memories of being a Soldier remain ingrained forever.
It was the 60th anniversary of his marriage and his 58th anniversary marking his time spent in Heidelberg. Schmelkin was just as excited as he was nervous as he recalled his time here in the 1950s.
Walking through the gate of Patton Barracks, Schmelkin was met by Public Affairs Specialist Karin Zuleger and retired Lt. Col. Larry Applebaum to embark on an exploration of Patton Barracks.
During the walking tour, the 86-year-old stopped to take in the view of the new U.S. Army.
He pulled out a 1951 Zeiss Contessa camera with a pamphlet and a picture he took at the corporate office in Stuttgart.
This same camera helped him color many of his moments in Germany and made him remember his 1946 Ford “Frauline.”
“I bought a ’46 Ford from a general and when I drove it I would have to put these big gas cans in the trunk because you could only get gas on military installations. I would ride to other cities and these cans made this terrible noise and smelled strong enough to give you a headache,” Schmelkin said.
In a photo album was the picture of “Frauline,” along with many other treasures of his time spent in Germany.
Schmelkin shared his photos with Command Sgt. Maj. Annette Weber who stopped by the Warrior Zone to greet the former draftee and honor him with a coin.
As Schmelkin was about to depart the Warrior Zone, Rabbi Avi Weiss arrived to discuss Schmelkin’s experience of coming back to Germany.
He talked about the work he does now and how it gives him a way to impart joy into someone else’s life.
“I volunteer my time to the Veterans Affairs at the Heinz Hospital in Chicago and I am a member of the Jewish War Veterans Association. It breaks my heart to see these young fellows in such bad shape coming back from war. So, I go there to help them through their rehabilitative stages,” Schmelkin said.
Schmelkin has amassed more memories of Germany to take back home to Chicago where he can fatten his photo book with another snapshot of his life.
May 312011
Retired Sgt. 1st Class Michael McChesney reads from a sight card during his optometry checkup with Sgt. Nicky Granados at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic for Retiree Appreciation Day May 12.
<div id="others"> <ul> <li> <a href="/media/198175/"><img src="http://www.army.mil/content/images/2011/05/26/198175/size3.jpg" width="150" alt="Experts provide answers for military retirees" /></a> <div class="title" style = "font-weight:bold;"></div> <div class="caption">Retired Sgt. 1st Class Michael McChesney reads from a sight card during his optometry checkup with Sgt. Nicky Granados at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic for Retiree Appreciation Day May 12.</div> </li> </ul> </div>
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WIESBADEN, Germany — Questions come easy when you’re a military retiree.
When do I qualify for Social Security benefits? How do I straighten out my Veterans Affairs paperwork? What about my spouse; does she qualify for anything?
The answers, at least for retirees living overseas, are harder to come by.
“It’s really about being able to speak to an expert for what they (as retirees) want to know,” said John Herron, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden’s retirement services program manager, speaking about the garrison’s May 12 Retiree Appreciation Day.
From Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits to health care and taxes, subject matter experts were on hand for the Retiree Appreciation Day. Most of the experts were hosted at the Wiesbaden Health Clinic.
“I was here to see Tricare,” said Frank Bowman, a retired staff sergeant living in Bad Krueznach. “I’m turning 65 in less than a year. I need to know what to do.”
The 20-year military veteran is one of thousands of military retirees and one of 40,000 U.S. federal beneficiaries living in Germany.
“Most of the time (retirees) want to know about Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits,” said Ralf Fischer, a claims representative with the Social Security Administration Federal Beneficiary Unit in Frankfurt.
And most military retirees don’t know that they need to enroll in Medicare Plan B in order to continue receiving Tricare coverage after turning 65, said Fischer.
Retired Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Chandler smiled as he walked down the front entrance hallway of the Wiesbaden Health Clinic. After a doctor’s appointment that checked his health " from vision and blood pressure to prescription renewals, Chandler said the appreciation day was “very helpful.”
“The one-stop shop (set-up) is great,” said Chandler. “It’s the best thing the garrison can do. But the health clinic really is the best part.”
For retirees living overseas, medical appointments with military clinics are difficult to obtain " active duty Soldiers and their family members are given first priority.
The inclusion of available medical appointments for retirees is a big draw for the garrison’s annual Retiree Appreciation Day.
“It feels good because we don’t get to see retired Soldiers that often,” said Spc. Jordan Moore of the Wiesbaden Health Clinic. “They drive from miles away just to get here. From a health clinic point of view it is important to them in to check their lab work and their vision.”
“Patients do appreciate what we’re doing for them,” said Moore.
For more information on Social Security benefits, call the FBU in Frankfurt at (069) 9055 51201 or visit www.usembassy.de.
Army.mil Article: Experts provide answers for military retirees
Kaiserslautern MP dares to make a difference
Apr 7, 2011
ByRick Scavetta (U.S. Army Garrison – Kaiserslautern)
Photo credit Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Garrison – Kaiserslautern
Sgt. Mark Arnett and Spc. Kathy Ogburn, military police officers from U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern, look over a lesson plan for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. National DARE Day was April 7.Related Links
- Army.mil: Europe News
- D.A.R.E. – Drug Abuse Resistance Education
- U.S. Army Garrison – Kaiserslautern
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — As Sgt. Mark Arnett wraps up his tenure teaching kids about the effects of drugs and alcohol, he can look back knowing he made an impact on children’s lives.
For the past two years, Arnett has taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in the Kaiserslautern Military Community’s fours elementary schools.
“It’s been great for me to see the difference DARE is making in kids’ lives,” Arnett said. “The light bulb goes on and the wheels are turning.”
Since 1983, DARE has taught millions of students worldwide about the effects of alcohol and drugs. Each April, “National DARE Day” is commemorated in the United States by a presidential proclamation, community events and activities. This year, President Barrack Obama declared April 7 as National D.A.R.E. Day.
It’s been a few weeks since Arnett, wrapped up his final class. Still, when kids see him in the community, they ask Arnett to come back.
“That’s rewarding, to know that they learned and that it was a fun experience for them,” Arnett said.
While at Fort Meyer, Va., Arnett shook hands with kids as “McGruff the Crime Dog.” But he’d never been in front of a classroom. In becoming Kaiserslautern’s DARE instructor, Arnett learned the subtleties of teaching.
“As a Soldier, you instruct your peers,” Arnett said. “It’s totally different in front of fifth graders, trying to get them to listen to you.”
Department of Defense Dependents Schools students complete 10 lessons over several weeks, working from DARE planners, Arnett said. Weekly lessons often include acting out skits on peer pressure and watching videos about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
In Europe, where beer and wine are often part of the local culture, alcohol is easier to obtain at a younger age. Children living overseas know about that, Arnett said.
“We stress the impacts alcohol has on young bodies, the adverse effects that it can have,” Arnett said. “Kids are pretty smart,” Arnett said. “They know it’s bad for you, just not how bad it can be.”
What kids learn in DARE can have a ripple effect within their families. One Kaiserslautern fifth-grader recently brought her lessons home and helped her mother quit smoking, Arnett said.
Staffing a DARE officer for Kaiserslautern Military Community schools make sense, as police in military communities mirror the work of their civilian counterparts, said Master Sgt. Kenneth Pryor, the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern provost sergeant.
“It gives us an opportunity to have an officer go into the classroom, so the kids don’t just see a police officer as a cop,” Pryor said. “It humanizes the individual.”
In February, Lt. Col. Kevin Hutchison, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern, spoke at the graduation of Kaiserslautern Elementary School’s class. He thanked Arnett for his efforts in making the DARE program successful in the KMC.
“He is the face of DARE in our community,” Hutchison said.
Arnett departs Kaiserslautern soon for Fort Knox, Ky., where he will serve with the 1st Infantry Division. He’ll now pass the reigns to Spc. Kathy Ogburn.
In less than four years as a military police officer, has already served on patrol at Fort Hood, Tex., and helped train local police in Afghanistan’s Panjshir valley. She’s excited about taking on a new challenge, she said.
“I’ve worked the road and I’ve deployed,” Ogburn said. “Now, I get a chance to do something completely different.”
Photo credit Nathan Van Schaik (USAG Schweinfurt)
Retired Navy SEAL and TRX trainer Ken Taylor monitors in the background while Pfc. Derrick Bales, left, and Pfc. Kyle Chubboy, right, break a sweat using their TRX strap. The TRX training is part of the Mission Essential Fitness pilot program being tested on 1-91 Soldiers in Schweinfurt.Related Links
- Army to test new fitness program in Europe
- 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment
- U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt
SCHWEINFURT, Germany-The American Soldier of the future will be more aerobically and anaerobically fit to meet the demands of combat-that is, if Soldiers stationed here have anything to do with it.
Charlie Troop from the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment stationed in Schweinfurt kick-started a new pilot fitness program Feb. 16 at Finney gym that could revolutionize the training protocol associated with Soldier fitness.
Drawing from the insights of NCAA Division I college football fitness and coupled with conditioning that employs functional movements, the Mission Essential Fitness program aims to build the modern-day Soldier into a "tactical athlete," according to its developer, Doug Briggs, Fort Bliss Director of Human Performance.
U.S. Army Europe and Installation Management Command Europe teamed up to conduct the MEF pilot program which will run through June 1 in Schweinfurt.
On Wednesday, day one, the Soldiers recorded vital information that will be tracked to monitor the overall success of the program. Things like blood pressure, body fat index, scores on fitness and agility tests, as well as their susceptibility to injury over the course of the coming months will all be scrutinized by a team of experts.
Afterwards, they laced up their sneakers, donned PT gear and readied for instruction. Enter Ken Taylor, a retired Navy SEAL, fitness guru and the brain trust behind one of the pillars of the MEF program, simply known around fitness circles as TRX.
"TRX is training redefined," said Taylor. "It’s mission-specific, functional training that can be done anywhere so the Soldier can increase operational capability."
Otherwise known as suspension training, TRX utilizes a strap suspended from an anchor point. Athletes use the strap to perform grueling exercises in a variety of positions. For a Soldier on the go, the one pound easily accessible strap can be jimmied to a door, a make-shift wall or a tank. It makes the gymnasium obsolete.
"TRX is an integral part of the MEF training," said Angela Flowers, the IMCOM-E fitness program manager.
"It lends itself to building the whole tactical Soldier by adding strength, agility and flexibility."
Taylor spent hours teaching Troopers with their straps in the art of atomic push-ups, single-leg squats, planks and other high-octane TRX exercises.
Asked why his troop was chosen over the hundreds of others to participate in the MEF training, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Pine, the team leader for the 1-91 C Troop, said it was because of their experiences in the most rigorous terrains during their deployment to Afghanistan last year.
"If we can help the Army create a more combat-ready program, this will help Soldiers get fit for deployment," Pine said.
Stellar Award winner James Fortune & FIYA take gospel to troops
Jan 25, 2011
By Tim Hipps (Family and MWR Command)
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three-time gospel music Stellar Award winner James Fortune is scheduled to headline Army Entertainment Division’s "Lift Up Your Spirit II" tour for troops in Korea and Germany with his band, "James Fortune & FIYA."
"For me, it’s just going to be amazing," said Fortune, who was honored Jan. 15 with 2011 Stellar Awards for Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year, Group Duo of the Year and Contemporary CD of the Year for "Encore," released Jan. 26, 2010.
"It’s the first time that I’ve been overseas to minister," Fortune said. "We see their sacrifice and hard work, but to be over there and be able to see them praising God and having a good time is going to mean a lot to me."
Fortune & FIYA, the female gospel group RiZen, and hip gospel performer Canton Jones will perform free shows at U.S. Army garrisons Feb. 9 in Hohenfels, Feb. 10 in Ansbach, Feb. 11 in Baumholder and Feb. 12 in Wiesbaden.
The gospel groups will be joined on stage in Germany by Sgt. Calvin Snead, a performer from the 2010 U.S. Army Soldier Show.
The tour will resume Feb. 17-22 at Camps Walker, Casey, and Humphreys and Yongsan Garrison, Korea.
Fortune said he hopes to deliver a "ministry of encouragement so they know how much we appreciate them, to lift their spirits, and to just really minister" to the Soldiers and their Families.
"I’ve actually toured with RiZen before, and Canton and I have done quite a few shows together," Fortune said. "He is high-energy, anointed, just really gets the place rocking when he’s on stage."
Canton "CJ" Jones has a Grammy nod, a Stellar Award nomination, three Gospel Choice Awards and four CDs in his portfolio. He has sold hundreds of thousands of albums and has several songs in regular rotation in the U.S. and abroad, including "Love Song," "Stay Saved" and "The Password."
Jones has shared the stage with hip hop heavyweights T.I., David Banner and Ludacris; established performers John Legend, Kirk Franklin and Patti LaBelle; and gospel powerhouses Smokie Norful, Dr. Bobby Jones and Kierra "Kiki" Sheard.
RiZen, a Stellar Award winning duo featuring sisters Adriann and Aundrea Lewis, was originally formed in 1995 as an eight-member praise and worship team at New Galilee Baptist Church in Saginaw, Mich., where their father, Luciose Lewis, serves as pastor. Only the sisters remain, and they signed with Verity Records to release their third CD, entitled "FREE."
Adriann and Aundrea were reared by a preacher who allowed them to listen to all kinds of music. Their early exposure to various musical styles continues to influence their sound. RiZen won Stellar Awards in 2004 for Best New Artist and 2006 for Best Traditional Group/Duo.
"Our mother was a musician, so she listened to all genres of music," Adriann explained. "To this day, I still love R&B artists. Some of my favorites are Tina Turner and Mary J. Blige. However, we grew up Baptist, so that’s all we knew when it came to our own singing and recording – and that’s where we get our signature sound."
"We grew up with the Gospel Music Workshop of America," Aundra said. "Through our mom, who is a piano teacher and choir director, we were introduced to the music of seasoned traditional gospel artists like Rev. Charles Nicks, Dr. James Cleveland, Albertina Walker, and Dorothy Norwood. However, we do love R&B, jazz and country music.
"Growing up, our parents allowed us to go to concerts, like New Edition and LL Cool J, and we were able to buy albums. We still have our Michael Jackson albums to this day. So even though our musical foundation is the Baptist church, we have a range of influences that occasionally pop up in our music."
Fortune feels fortunate to headline such a talented tour.
"It’s going to be a phenomenal show," he said. "I’m really looking forward to it."
Stellar Award winner James Fortune & FIYA take gospel to troops
Feb 022011
Leaders celebrate, vow to continue to promote German-American relations
Jan 27, 2011
By Karl Weisel (USAG Wiesbaden)
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WIESBADEN, Germany – German, American and international guests gathered at the Community Activity Center Jan. 23 to celebrate past successes and vowed to continue working closely together in the future.
More than 300 people heard speakers, networked and shared social time during a New Year’s reception co-hosted by the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, 1st Armored Division and 5th Signal Command.
Deployment, redeployments, transformation and friendship were among the main topics.
“This past year has been a very busy one for U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden,” said Col. Jeffrey Dill, USAG Wiesbaden commander. “We successfully deployed and redeployed an armored division headquarters and its Special Troops Battalion from Iraq; we have successfully deployed and redeployed numerous subordinate units from the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade to Iraq and Afghanistan; and we have successfully deployed and redeployed a number of individual augmentees who contribute significantly to the overall wartime effort to combat terrorism. All the while we did our very best to take care of the families left in our care.”
Maj. Gen. Terry Wolff, 1st AD commander, praised the outstanding support rendered by host nation officials and the garrison while division Soldiers served for a year in Iraq. “We’re glad to be home,” he told the guests, thanking those who provided for the safety, security and well-being of families who remained behind in Wiesbaden.
“At U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, taking care of our people – Soldiers, families and civilians – is our primary mission and one that we take very seriously,” said Dill, looking back at some of 2010′s highlights including massive construction efforts to build new Army family housing and U.S. Army Europe’s new Command and Battle Center at Wiesbaden Army Airfield, cooperation with the Hessen state Archaeology Office to unearth Roman ruins, the opening of the new Wiesbaden Entertainment Center in Hainerberg Housing and successful simulated and real-world emergency response efforts involving U.S. and host nation responders. “We have also been upgrading our infrastructure all over the garrison footprint. It has indeed been a very busy and a very successful year.”
“We Hessians are particularly happy that the U.S. Army has decided to relocate its European headquarters – USAREUR – to Wiesbaden,” said Axel Wintermeyer, chief of the Hessen State Chancellery, speaking on behalf of Hessen Minister President Volker Bouffier. “We are pleased with the very high level of cooperation that our state agencies enjoy with their U.S. counterparts in the many complex undertakings involved in this effort.”
After expressing his gratitude that members of the 1st AD returned safety to Wiesbaden from “its very important mission in Iraq,” Wintermeyer added that the citizens of Hessen “will be sad to see you go” when the division relocates to Fort Bliss, Texas, this summer.
“Like Minister President Bouffier, I look forward to the continuing close cooperation of our nations, here in Hessen, in Germany, and Europe, as well as in those troubled regions around the world,” said Wintermeyer, “from Afghanistan to the coast of Somalia in the hope that by working together and with our other partners we can continue to make a positive difference in the interests of peace, freedom and prosperity.”
Other speakers included Wiesbaden Lord Mayor Dr. Helmut Müller and 2nd Signal Brigade commander Col. Mitchell Kilgo, who represented Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Smith Jr. Both praised the close working relationships between the U.S. military and host nation.
Besides noting ongoing efforts to maintain German-American relations, the lord mayor praised school partnerships which encourage the establishment of lifelong relationships and understanding.
“We now call Wiesbaden our home away from home,” noted Kilgo.
Leaders celebrate, vow to continue to promote German-American relations
Feb 022011
Photo Credit: Ignacio \.
Soldiers from the 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team review their paperwork at the first station of the U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder pre-deployment processing center. Here they receive an orientation on how the processing flow operates and they begin their half-day proce
BAUMHOLDER, Germany – The U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder stood up its pre-deployment processing center Jan. 25 to help Soldiers of the 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team prepare for deployment to Afghanistan by the end of February.
As the key support agency for the 170th IBCT, the USAG Baumholder is preparing Soldiers for the long deployment by consolidating numerous service agencies such as medical, dental, legal and other supporting agencies under one roof. This one-stop-shopping facility allows Soldiers of the 170th IBCT to take care of their official and personal needs before departing Baumholder.
The USAG Baumholder has utilized this pre-deployment processing center for numerous brigade deployments and the operation is refined with each deployment. Everything a Soldier needs to take care of before deployment, such as ID card renovation, powers of attorney, family issues, immunization updates, medical counseling and more is centralized to streamline the pre-deployment process.
The brigade is deploying to Afghanistan to accomplish missions in support of the International Security Assistance Force and the people of Afghanistan. 3rd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment is already on the ground in Afghanistan and is conducting missions in support of the training of Afghan National Security Forces. They deployed in December. The remainder of the brigade deploys in late February for approximately 12 months.
"Our main goal is to take care of all of the administrative needs of the Soldier so that he is prepared and ready to deploy," said Capt. Andrew Chovancek, from USAG Baumholder’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.
The Soldier arrives at the pre-deployment center with a packet that his unit provides him and after receiving additional paperwork and a couple of briefings from service agencies, he is given an orientation to the flow of events in the building and begins his processing.
"Our biggest section is medical. It is the largest and most important portion of the process that ensures the Soldier has received any and all required medical treatment," said Chovancek.
"The other half is the administrative portions which include all the garrison and installation support agencies such as housing, to make sure we are tracking within the garrison any washers or dryers, or loaner equipment that needs to be picked up. The community mail room ensures that all his mail is forwarded or held, depending on each Soldier’s circumstance.
We also update all of their SGLI 93′s in case something happens to the Soldier so that the entitlements go to where he wants them to," said Chovancek.
Army Community Service provides a number of their personnel throughout the day who offer consultations to further assist the Soldier in making decisions about numerous personal and official issues.
"finally, the unit provides their family readiness leader who ensures the Soldier’s POV storage and household good storage needs are in order. They also establish and confirm contacts here in the rear while they are deployed.
"Once they have completed their processing we make sure they have done everything they need to, including attending additional briefings that we provide at the Wagon Wheel Theater consisting of a medical threat brief, pre-mobilization legal briefing, and a finance entitlement travel briefing which includes information such as what happens when they go on leave and what benefits a Soldier is entitled to while he is deployed. Once they are done they get signed out and head back to their unit," said Chovancek.
The entire process only takes up a half day of the Soldier’s time, not to include the briefings at the Wagon Wheel Theater, which are scheduled at a different time.
By offering Soldiers this consolidated pre-deployment processing opportunity as well as an annual CARE fair and two deployment fairs, the USAG Baumholder and numerous support agencies are ensuring that Soldiers and families are fully prepared for the upcoming deployment.
The USAG Baumholder will continue to support the needs of families and rear detachment organizations as the Soldiers of the 170th IBCT, the Bayonet Brigade, accomplish their mission in Afghanistan.
Military Police experience first 360 degree, live-fire training in Europe
Jan 13, 2011
By Stefanie Kastner, 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany- There is a bitter cold silence between the snow-covered trees and the icy air of the Grafenwoehr Training Area (GTA). Out of nowhere, the silence is broken by the sound of grenade launchers and M4′s fired by the Soldiers training on Range 201, a 360 degree combat outpost (COP) live-fire training facility.
Due to its vast number of ranges and the ability to adapt them to meet the training unit’s needs, the Joint Multinational Training Command provides units one-stop training support by providing them the resources to conduct quality training. In particular, the COP live-fire facility provides unit a training environment that allows them to employ all elements in their arsenal- like weaponry, vehicles, and communication equipment -into a pertinent training scenario, with the appropriate digital interfaces, to meet their needs. The COP live-fire facility at the GTA is the first one of its kind in the Military.
"COP Live Fire differs from regular training in that it has a 360 degree fires capability. A unit can fire in any direction," said Cpt. Ian McCollum of the GTA Range Operations. "We take advantage of this by surrounding the entire COP with targets. This allows leaders the opportunity to practice fire discipline, fire distribution, and defensive priorities of work, to name a few, and soldiers to practice target acquisition and fire control."
With conditions and sounds simulating real combat, the709th Military Police (MP) Battalion trained on several combat scenario their Soldiers might face during their deployment in the upcoming year. One training scenario utilized by the battalion was based on a real-life incident in which International Security Assistance Force troops were attacked by 300 Taliban members, killing eight Americans and wounding 22. During the scenario, Soldiers implemented tactical movements, while team leaders relayed critical information, like the need for more ammunition or additional firepower, to platoon leaders.
"In this type of situation the platoon leaders do not engage in combat," said 2nd Lt. Tillman Busbee, a platoon leader in the 709th MP Battalion. "They coordinate the entire operation."
If Soldiers run short or are out of ammo, they have to have a direct line of communication to their platoon leaders, which was an objective emphasized during the exercise.
"We communicate a lot when it comes to ammo so that two big weapons do not go down at the same time," said Capt. Rebecca Doak of the 709th MP Battalion.
The Soldiers in the guard towers on all four corners of the perimeter are the most important aspect of the whole exercise. They ensure all team movements are spread throughout the established 360-degree perimeter of the range in order to keep everyone from focusing on one point.
"Each team has a sector and can only move so much," said Busbee, "The Soldiers in the towers can see where the focus is needed and can help out one team, if necessary. This prevents everyone from going to one team’s side and neglecting their own side."
Some team members were also designated as Afghan National Police (ANP) role players. By having team members play the part of the ANP, Soldiers can work on their foreign communication skills and learn to work together with foreign nationals just as they will have to during deployment.
"Having role players pose as the Afghan National Police helps the team get used to the idea of having a language barrier between themselves and some of the team members," said Busbee.
"It is like playing a basketball game with someone who has never played before. You have to communicate things to them in ways that they will understand."
Whether it is replicating the operational environment or offering units an opportunity to train on their tactics, the JMTC gives commanders and staffs a world-class capability to conduct individual and crew live-fire qualification and company-team training exercises.
Military Police experience first 360 degree, live-fire training in Europe
Jan 252011
Schweinfurt DPW’s toil kept community functioning during record-setting month
Jan 24, 2011
By Charles Stadtlander (IMCOM)
Story Highlights
- Record-setting German December produced unexpected snowstorms in Schweinfurt
- USAG Schweinfurt Directorate of Public Works kept roads clear, post operational
Photo credit Charles Stadtlander (IMCOM)
In 2010, Germany experienced the coldest December in over 40 years, according to the German weather service. Coupled with above-average precipitation levels, this resulted in tremendous amounts of snowfall for Schweinfurt. The garrison’s Directorate of Public Works employees toiled long hours to clear roads and sidewalks throughout the month, utilizing 130 tons of salt and a worthy fleet of snow-removal vehicles and machinery.Related Links
- USAG Schweinfurt Directorate of Public Works
- U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt
- Installation Management Command – Europe
SCHWEINFURT, Germany — Residents of Germany just survived the coldest December since 1969, and in doing so received a barrage of snow not experienced in years. The area around the Army garrison here received several storms and tallied nearly 60 centimeters of snow accumulation, resulting in several days of delays or closures for garrison services and schools. Franconia enjoyed its first white Christmas since 1981.
While many employees and students looked forward to enjoying a long morning at home during these weather delays, the tireless employees of USAG Schweinfurt’s Directorate of Public Works knew that the snow days would be long ones.
"The crew members are experienced, reliable and hard-working personnel who perform the work to the very best of their abilities," said Robin Fisher, the head of DPW. To report to work so early on snow days, the clearance workers are "taking risk on snow- or ice-covered public road conditions to clear our roads, sidewalks and parking areas within the garrison."
Snow clearance workers, a force 20 people strong, start their days as early as 3 a.m. when the snow is falling. An early start rarely means an early departure, and these employees usually stay until 5 p.m. or later to ensure that the roads were clear for the community members. A weekend staff is on hand as well, sometimes working 10 hours on a Saturday just to keep roads clear.
"The priorities are set to provide the greatest good to the community," said DPW Officer-in-charge Capt. Carl Oborski. He said the first concerns when plowing are major streets and thoroughfares. Problems arise when cars drive repeatedly over roads not plowed yet. The remaining compacted snow is difficult for machinery to remove. "If every Soldier or spouse shoveled their respective parking spot, it would be easy."
In November, the DPW coffers were stocked with a healthy amount of salt necessary to keep roads clear and ice-free during a standard German winter. But as the days grew colder and one storm piled up after the next, the clearance crews needed more of the rock salt to meet the demands of the community. Unfortunately, German autobahn and local road maintenance crews were blindsided by the same weather, and scrambled to stock up on their own salt supplies. Despite the shortfall, DPW crews were able to blanket garrison roads with 130 tons of salt throughout the month of December.
The DPW stable of machinery is no small outfit. Two large Mercedes Unimogs with three-meter plows are the behemoths of the fleet, and the workers also operate smaller trucks and several walk-behind brooms and salt spreaders for sidewalks and tight spaces. And after the roads are cleared, the mountains of snow need to go somewhere. This important task falls to the heavy-duty scoop loaders and dump trucks.
"When the accumulated snow is piled on top of the storm sewer grates and melts, it gets compacted," said Oborski. "Then it freezes and acts like a drain plug in your sink." DPW’s task during the warm, rainy weeks of early January was to make sure the on-post drains were able handle the rain and meltwater. Sand and gravel spread on the road for traction during December compounded the labor of this task, as runoff sends the grit into gutters and sewers.
Though the snow removal crews’ hard work kept the main arteries of the garrison functional during a record-setting December, Bernhard Morber of DPW’s maintenance division is keen to spotlight other hard workers in snow removal. "All tenant organizations, units and residents are involved in snow and ice removal services in their area of responsibility. We want to express our appreciation of all their efforts."
Schweinfurt DPW’s toil kept community functioning during record-setting month
Jan 122011
When the wife and I were in Germany on a train the Christmas of 2010, I ran across this train sitting on a side track at on of the haup bahnhofs. You don’t see many of these anymore even in Germany.
Jan 122011
Jan 122011
Dec 242010
I am researching a car show from the Montieth Barracks in 1954. I ran across your site an thought i would pass this on to you . I am interested in US Military folks and their competition activities in Car clubs in Europe in the fifities,
Tom Householder
If you are looking for an old friend or a buddy you were stationed with, this is the place to start your search. You may run into them.
Nov 132010
- Send a message of support on the “Thank the Troops Message Form” at OurMilitary.mil
- Take a Veteran out to eat; whether it is a fast-food chain or a fine-dining establishment. Tell them why you are bringing them out to eat.
- Are you a knitter or crocheter? Make a scarf for the cold-winters ahead. Donate them at a local-VFW for a veteran in need or contact Operation Gratitude to see how to donate.
- Listen to their stories with interest. If they are a war-veteran they have seen things you will never see. Listen and Learn.
- Call and Visit a local nursing home or VA Hospital. Find out what you can do to help. If you quilt make a blanket for a needy veteran. If you bake call and find out if you can bring in something special. Bring a book to read to a veteran “ready and willing” to listen. We all have talents that can be used.
- Send an ‘E-Card’ through the American Legion to the Veterans in your life that use email.
- Support a Military Family through Operation Homefront. Watch their website for ‘current needs’: http://www.operationhomefront.net/currentneeds.aspx
- Military-member at the same restaurant as you? Send them a drink or pay for their dessert.
- Is there a disabled veteran in your neighborhood? Help with the raking of his leaves or shoveling her driveway.
- Do you have a website? Make a page dedicated to our military. Need some help finding content for it?: For your site
- Do you bake? Make an Apple Pie or another specialty and bring it over to a neighbor-veteran. Don’t forget to grab a box of ice cream to take. Now I’m hungry!
- Own a business? Hang a sign and invite all veterans in for something free. A cup of coffee, a flower, a massage. Something you can give from your inventory to show your gratitude.
- Do you quilt? Make a blanket for a retiring service-member. It will be a keepsake they treasure.
- Employers: Host a special luncheon for all of your veterans. Recognize their service to your company & your country.
- Call them. A grandparent, uncle, aunt, mother, father. Take the time to call them, especially if they live far away, and find out how they are doing.
- Send a note to your local school to urge the teachers to discuss Veterans Day. Visit Veterans’ Day Teacher Resource Guide for some tips.
- Did you know November is also Military Family Month? By thanking the family, you thank the Veteran. Family Matters Blog: Nation Celebrates Military Family Month
- Nearly 40 percent of our veteran population is 65 or older, give a veteran your phone number and ask them to call if they need help around the house. Make a note to call them this winter to see what they need.
- Have your children paint a picture or write a letter. Send it to your grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, any relative that is a Veteran.
- Recognize the Veterans in church on the Sunday before or after Veterans Day
- Greet them on their special day with a smile and a thank you.
- Remember Veterans during other holidays, especially those without family. Send a Thanksgiving card, Christmas card or Valentines card, to either a Vet that you know or through a VA Hospital or VFW.
- Teach your children a patriotic song, like America the Beautiful or the Star Spangled Banner. Instill patriotism early.
- Employers: Give the veterans in your company a paid afternoon off on Veterans Day.
- Offer a Military Discount year round and include veterans. Don’t forget a Military Discount equals a free ad on MilitaryAvenue.com. Find out more: Why is a Military Discount Valuable for a Marketing Strategy
- Teachers: Invite a Veteran to speak at your school, in a class room or to the entire school.
- Walk a mile in their shoes instead of flipping the channel when the news comes on
- Pray for them and their families, every day.
- Start a Drive: Ask local businesses to participate in a drive for local veterans or deployed service-members.
- Know a military family with a deployed member? Take them a treat on Veterans Day as a thank you and ask what you can do to make things easier
- Do you scrapbook? Make cards through the organization “Operation Write Home“. They send them to the troops so that they troops can write letters home on them
- Tell them about local businesses special offers for them on Veterans Day
- Clean out your closets and contribute gently used household goods to Vietnam Veterans of America.
- Do a random act of kindness for a vet or their family. Remain anonymous.
- Say something to them on Facebook, Twitter, etc thanking them for their service
- Open up your house on Thanksgiving or another holiday to a few veterans (active-duty or prior-service) that don’t have any family in the area. Make it a holiday none of you will forget.
- Visit Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Wall, or any of the other War Memorials on your next trip to DC
- Call a veteran-friend and get together over dinner or a movie
- Volunteer at a VA Medical Center
- Help a deployed single-service member by taking care of their pet while they are gone; get involved with a Pet Foster Care program.
- Invite a few vets and friends over on Veterans Day and celebrate their service over beer, a football game, movie or game of pool in the basement.
- Participate in the ‘Thank a Veteran at Work‘ program from the History Channel.
- Did a veteran in your neighborhood just come back from a deployment? Send them a card of ‘Thanks’.
- Tell your Veterans friends & family about MilitaryAvenue.com. They can find businesses in their area that recognize veterans year round with Military Discounts.
- Talk to your children about the pride we have in the Military
- Visit your local USO. What do they need? A monetary donation or a gift of your time?
- Fly your flag 365 days of the year. Don’t forget to lower it when appropriate.
- Teachers: Have your kids write short articles of how veterans are honored around the world. And if you know any veterans locally, propose that your kids interview them about what it’s like to serve in the U.S. military.
- Learn a fact about the particular branch of service your family member has joined
- Participate in the ‘Veterans History Project’
- Are you a military-brat? Talk to your parents about the pride you have in their service
- Offer to pick-up their bill (at a restaurant, bowling, ice cream stand, etc)
- Hear the National Anthem playing? Stop what you are doing and think about the sacrifices of our US Military.
- Wear an American flag on your clothing. It’s a small way to say, “I am proud of my country.”
- Introduce your children to VA Kids, from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Do you scrapbook? Make a Scrapbook a page or a whole book honoring a service-person. Journal about how proud you are. Add the pages to your own family’s history.
- Have a pot-luck, at church or a banquet hall, for a group of local veterans. Invite the community to participate.
- Listen to them. Some just want to share a story from their service
- Vote. Don’t let them sacrifice for naught. Be a good citizen and do your part to protect the freedoms our service-people have fought and died for.
- Dedicate a patriotic song in a veteran’s honor on the radio.
- Tell your children all about your Veteran-grandparents. What made them special and what they did as a Veteran. Pass on a legacy.
- Spot a DoD sticker on a car in the parking lot? Leave a note of Thanks.
- Pass out small flags around your neighborhood in honor of Veterans Day.
- Support the children of deployed National Guard and Reserve soldiers. Fund raise or contribute to ‘Our Military Kids‘
- Give them a big smile as you walk by, sometimes that is all that is needed.
- If you see a veteran with an old flag on their pole leave them a new one, with a note of thanks for their service.
- Do you have a veteran as an employee? Give them an extra time on break and a public Thank You on Veterans Day
- Visit a veteran’s grave. Even if you simply stand there for a moment of quiet reflection, you’re honoring their service–and you’re rededicating yourself to the freedoms we enjoy as a citizen of this country.
- Find out which businesses in your community truly support veterans and the troops; become their customer.
- Teachers: Teach your children about the history of Veterans Day by having them create a time line of events leading to the observance of the holiday.
- Do you know the mom or dad of a veteran? Thank them for raising one of America’s Heroes.
- Go to your local VFW ask if you can make a donation, either by money or donation of your time. If you have a family member that serves in the armed forces you could make a donation in there honor.
- Teachers: Take the time to write letters to veterans thanking them for their service. A great opportunity to talk about citizenship (& practice their handwriting). Call your local USO, VFW, or VA Medical Center to have them delivered to.
- In the market to hire? Seriously consider a Veteran. http://www.dol.gov/vets/
- Meditate on these words: “O Lord God of hosts, stretch forth, we pray, your almighty army to strengthen and protect the Soldiers of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of rest and training keep them safe from all evil. Endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” – From the Book of Worship for United States Forces
- Proudly display a “I support the troops” magnet on the bumper of your car
- Know a veteran that will be flying soon? Give them your upgrade coupon for their next flight.
- Order a shnazzy t-shirt or perhaps a tie that shows your thankfulness. Have one sent to a veteran in your family.
- Take the time to read 101 Ways to Say Thank you to a Military Spouse. Thanking the Spouse is a Thank You to the Veteran.
- During a family reunion recognize the veterans in your family. A special toast or a big family “Thank you!”
- Find out how you can help with a Community Service Project through your local VFW.
- Organize a group (boys scouts, girl scouts, classroom) to write letters to veterans. Bring the letters & cards to a local nursing home to be delivered to their vets.
- Support our troops this holiday season via ‘Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes’ program. Find out more here.
- Read some of the veterans’ stories at DAV Charitable Service Trust. This is just a small sample of the sacrifices our service-members have made for us throughout the generations.
- Is it still warm where you live? Treat a veteran to a round of golf on Veterans Day or the weekend before or after.
- Attend a local parade or ceremony on Veterans Day
- Make a tax-deductible donation to ‘Books For Soldiers‘. They send books and other care-packages to our deployed service-members.
- Help a veteran with projects around his or her house. Patching a leaky roof, moving heavy rocks or rearranging the living room furniture is easier for the 20-somethings than a 60-somethings.
- Make a lunch date: Take your veteran-colleague out for lunch.
- Learn to say Thank You in sign-language. The Gratitude Campaign.
- Take pride in our history, in times of war and peace. Do you know the history of Veterans Day?
- Ask your company to put a flag out. Offer to help with raising & lowering the flag, it’s not beneath you.
- Offer to take a veterans dog for a walk. Invite them to come along with you if they can.
- Know a veteran’s hobby? Send them a subscription to a related magazine.
- Offer to babysit for a veteran-military family. Let the husband and wife get out together on Veterans Day or over the weekend. Perhaps it will be a great opportunity for them to reconnect after a deployment.
- Contribute your time, talent or money to Fisher House™ Foundation, “comfort homes,” built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers.
- Get involved and send a service-person a care package. Go to http://www.soldiersangels.org/ for a list of organizations with projects to support servicemen and servicewomen and their families.
- Donate your airline mileage to the Hero Miles program.
- Business Owners: What kind of Veterans Day special are you having for your Veterans? Is it from the heart?
- If you meet a veteran on this Veteran’s Day, or any day, just say thanks. They served you, and this nation, well.
- To truly honor our veterans make the best of the opportunity the sacrifices of our fighting men and women have provided. Love your country with passion, and do what you can to make it a better place.
On this Veterans Day the MilitaryAvenue Team would like to wish all of our veterans a very Happy Veterans Day! Thank you for serving your country with pride.
HEIDELBERG, Germany – Several U.S. Army Europe and Installation Management Command-Europe food service personnel and dining facilities received awards for achievements at the 43rd Annual Food Service Awards ceremony at Patrick Henry Village here, Oct. 28.
The awards program “recognizes the teamwork, professionalism, service and the quality that our dining facilities have, and continue to improve on, “said Brig. Gen. Paul Wentz, USAREUR’s deputy chief of staff for logistics.
Two sets of awards were presented at the ceremony, for the USAREUR/IMCOM-E Culinary Warrior NCO and Soldier of the Year, and for winners in the garrison and field kitchen categories of the USAEUR/IMCOM-E level of the Philip A. Connelly food service competition.
The four teams that earned Connelly awards competed in a field of 27 dining facilities across Europe, while the culinary warriors proved themselves against a pool of hundreds of possible competitors at a time when many other missions are expected of them, Wentz said.
“We have over 900 food service Soldiers in USAREUR, and at any given time 25 percent of them are deployed and 25 percent of them are getting ready to deploy,” said Wentz. ” So in the middle of all that, these Soldiers are continuing to hone their skills and work hard to be the best of the best.”
The culinary warriors competed for their titles in September, while dining facilities competing for the Connelly awards were evaluated in a number of areas, including food preparation, taste, nutrition, service and sanitation during evaluations earlier this year.
Wentz said the two – quality dining facilities and quality food service Soldiers – go hand in hand.
“Without great dining facilities we would struggle to maintain the great Soldiers that we have, so thank you for what you do, and continue to do, for our Army,” the general said.
Winners of the USAREUR-level awards will go on to compete at the Department of the Army level in December.
PHILIP A. CONNELLY AWARDS WINNERS
Small garrison dining facility category: 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Dining Facility, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart
Large garrison dining facility category: U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr Dining Facility
RUNNERS-UP
Small garrison dining facility category: Warrior Sports Café Dining Facility, U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels
Large garrison dining facility category: South of the Alps Dining Facility, U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza
USAREUR/IMCOM-E CULINARY WARRIORS OF THE YEAR WINNERS
Culinary Warrior NCO of the Year: Staff Sgt. Keldric Kearse, 172nd Infantry Brigade
Culinary Warrior Soldier of the Year: Spc. Danny Washington, 172nd Infantry Brigade
RUNNERS-UP
Culinary Warrior NCO of the Year: Sgt. Andrew Nicholson, 5th Quartermaster Company
Culinary Warrior Soldier of the Year: Spc. Sarah Kilpatrick, 66th Transportation Company
Sep 192010
1-46 holds final Iron Professional Competition
Staff photo by Ally Rogers
CARLOS EVANS STRUGGLED TO COMPLETE the two minute sit-up portion of the Iron Pro competition last week.By ALLY ROGERS
Turret Sports Editor
Fort Knox’s 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Division hosted its final Iron Professional Competition Friday morning.
The Iron Professional is a physical fitness challenge designed to facilitate enhanced physical fitness and conditioning. The event is voluntary and offers several incentives for participation. Soldiers who complete the event receive a certificate; those who meet the Iron Pro standards (100 points on each event amounting to 500 total points) get a T-shirt and a baseball cap. Additionally, the top Soldiers earn an Army Achievement Medal, while the most elite performer also earns a plaque.
Lt. Col. Antonio Austin, the 1-46 commander, said, “This is a good time to build a team. One of the priorities within the battalion is to build a level of culture of physical fitness. We use this as an extended PT test.”
What made this competition stand out among the other Iron Pros the unit has hosted is that the field of participation was open to the entire 194th Armored Brigade, the 1-46 parent unit. Austin explained that an open event permitted each unit to measure its elite PT performers.
“What (units) did was send the best of the best here to meet this standard and set themselves apart from others in the brigade,” he said.
Chuck Wyckoff, a two-time Iron Professional, explained, “This event is motivational. It sends a message throughout the entire unit to train and it gives a reason to train. Being part of 5-15, I know that we take pride in PT and (surpassing) everyone else in the brigade. So this was a fun to be picked to come out and represent 5-15.”
At 5:30 a.m. participants met at the 1-46 parking lot, then jogged to the 46th AG track next to Otto Physical Fitness Center. While at the track the participants worked through timed sit-ups, push-ups, and a two-mile run.
In order to gain the necessary 100 points for each event, male participants must complete 77 push-ups and females need 50 in two minutes. For each additional push-up, an extra point is awarded. Again, to “max” the sit-ups participants need to complete 82 in two minutes — an extra point was awarded for each extra sit-up. For the two-miler females must finish in under 16 minutes, while males must finish in under 13 — every six seconds faster gains the participant an extra point.
Sara Kulumani was the only female competitor in the 11-person contest, which featured four Soldiers from 5-15, four from 1-46, and one from
3-81, 5-46, and 1-81. She explained that since she recently completed air assault school she wasn’t overly confident that she’d perform well.
“You’re supposed to give yourself a while to recover, a few days at the very least, after complete muscle failure,” she explained. “But I did okay.”
She explained that her strategy was to over-max the first three events because the last two—pull-ups and dips—are her weaknesses.
Once the two-miler was completed, the Soldiers jogged back to their starting point at the 1-46 parking lot to perform the final two events. For the pull-ups and dips there is no set standard, although each executed repetition counts for five points for males and seven and a half points for females.
Between each event of the Iron Pro there is a five-minute recovery time, compared to the 10-minute recovery in the Army Physical Fitness Test.
Wyckoff explained that the event builds confidence, while identifying weaknesses.
The Turret News, Sports, Entertainment and information for Ft. Knox and Hardin County, Kentucky
Soldiers help replace vet’s stolen medals
By Evan Belanger – Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser
Posted : Saturday Sep 18, 2010 15:26:35 EDTDECATUR, Ala. — With tears forming in his eyes, disabled war veteran Scott Sharbutt said he was thankful and proud after a medal repatriation ceremony Thursday at Decatur City Hall.
The ceremony, arranged by members of Redstone Arsenal’s 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion, replaced the Gulf War veteran’s service medals, which were stolen from his Decatur home in a burglary this month.
“I’m about to cry,” Sharbutt said after the ceremony. “I didn’t think the response was going to be this great.”
Army civilian employee Stephen Hogan, who organized the ceremony, said he and other veterans in his battalion were touched when they read Sharbutt’s story last week.
“Being a prior veteran, it caught my eye, and I saw these medals that I actually have, too, and the first thing I thought was ‘How can I assist this veteran?’ ” Hogan said. “Because once a veteran, always a veteran. It’s a brotherhood that you’re always helping and assisting as much as you can.”
He called in favors from military friends to arrange replacement medals for Sharbutt.
He also collected donations from the battalion to purchase a presentation box and arranged for his commanding officer, Col. Jose Garcia, to present the medals.
Garcia returned early from vacation to preside over the ceremony. He said he hoped the replacement medals restore some of the identity that was stolen from the former soldier.
“It’s not just the awards themselves. It’s the fact that it takes something away from him,” Garcia said. “I think this is the least we can do right now.”
During the ceremony, Garcia said he spoke for everyone in the military when he said he was proud of Sharbutt’s military service and continued life as a constructive U.S. citizen.
Those attending included Sharbutt’s mother, Charla Price, and his son, Seth Sharbutt, soon to leave for college. They also included Mayor Don Stanford, who called the theft “a tragedy” that Decatur police would continue investigating.
A former tank mechanic, Sharbutt served with the 1st Cavalry Division during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The division crossed into Iraq weeks ahead of the main ground offensive, conducting reconnaissance, clearing mines and crushing an Iraqi regiment.
But Sharbutt was exposed to chemical weapons from a munitions-demolition site during the deployment. He now struggles daily with a host of medical problems related to the exposure and suffers the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
At 43, he sometimes uses a walker to get around and has had fluid drained from his knee more than 70 times. He is still seeking permanent status as a disabled veteran.
Sharbutt displayed his service medals proudly at his home, calling them his “most prized possessions.”
He said he has no idea why anyone would steal the medals since they have little monetary value and are engraved with his name.
The stolen medals include the Army Commendation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. They also include the Kuwait Liberation Medal, presented to Sharbutt by King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, ruler of Saudi Arabia during the war.
Members of the 2nd Medical Recruiting Battalion at Redstone Arsenal arranged Thursday’s repatriation ceremony. The battalion recruits health-care professionals into the military, providing scholarships or student-loan reimbursement in return for service in the Army.
Soldiers help replace vet’s stolen medals – Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq – Army Times
Motorcycle Trainer at Fort KnoxStaff photo by Maureen Rose
SPC. MATTHEW TONKINSON, WITH THE U.S. ARMY ARMOR CENTER, rode the motorcycle trainer at Hill Hall.
By Maureen Rose – Turret Associate Editor – maureen.rose@usarmy.mil
They’re sleek, fast, and downright sexy.
They’re also deadly, killing 51 Soldiers in 2008.
The culprits are motorcycles.Particularly sport bikes, often called “crotch rockets.” In 2008, 51 Soldiers died in motorcycle accidents, with 37 of that number on sport bikes.
The Army has responded by making safety training for bikers mandatory, and the culture of safety is slowly making progress. In 2009, Soldier deaths on motorcycles decreased to 32, with 20 of them attributed to sport bikes.
Fort Knox complies with and even goes beyond the Army’s standard. Classes offered include the Basic Rider Course, the Experienced Rider Course, and the Military Sport Bike Course, as well as a refresher course for Soldiers who have been deployed and need to brush up on their skills.
The instructors, Lane Craven and Reginald Atkins, are experienced riders and former Soldiers. Atkins races motorcycles and Craven owned his own business, running a safe driver school in Louisville before joining the Knox team 10 years ago. Craven is also a certified sport bike trainer.
“There are only four sport bike trainers in the country,” Atkins said, “and we are privileged to have Lane to help us.”
While other branches of the armed services often have active duty military personnel teaching the courses, the Knox instructors believe that’s a disadvantage. Craven explained that with so many duties and deployments, professional standards are difficult to maintain with an active duty staff. He and Atkins concentrate on training and helping Soldiers.
Motorcycles are popular with Soldiers for various reasons. Atkins said he thinks it’s often because bikes can supply the adrenaline rush that redeployed Soldiers may be craving.
“We often say that these high performance bikes are being ridden by low performance riders,” Atkins added.
Some bikers may choose motorcycles, thinking it’s cheaper to operate than an automobile. However, that low-budget option isn’t as clear-cut as it once was. Atkins explained that the gas mileage is good on a motorcycle, but the price tag for a quality used bike may start at $4,000, while a good touring or cruise bike can go up to $35,000. Then there’s the additional expense of personal protective equipment, which can cost another $1,000. The maintenance can become expensive as well, especially if you haven’t learned to do any yourself.
Craven and Atkins strive to help there, as well. In the winter months, when biking isn’t so popular, they focus on teaching maintenance. It’s not required, but they believe it provides a service.
“We have the luxury of the craft shop here where two motorcycle lifts were installed specifically to help Soldier-riders,” Atkins said.
Soldiers who learn to change the oil in their bikes can save a lot of money, because an oil change done at a dealership can cost as much as $175, Atkins explained. If they’re not sure how to do it, or have a question, just call te experts at Hill Hall.
“We’ll be happy to come to the craft shop and help you,” Atkins said. “We’re all about helping Soldiers.”
When the refresher course is taught for redeploying Soldiers, sometimes the safety instructors can help Soldiers detect maintenance issues.
One Soldier brought his hastily-assembled bike to the refresher class. Craven immediately noted a problem and gave the Soldier a no-go for the course.
“He didn’t have any brake pads on his rear wheels,” Craven explained. “I’m sure he wasn’t aware of it, but of course that would be a big problem.”
If Soldiers don’t meet the standards, they won’t be passed along just to satisfy a regulation.
“We ensure they meet the standard,” Atkins said. “If they don’t, we do extra training, bring them
back for an extra day, even do some one-on-one training if that’s what’s needed.”
In addition to helping Soldiers with direction interaction, the safety instructors are available to assist leadership to identify problems with Soldier-bikers and teach them what to look for. For example, Soldiers occasionally modify their bikes for more speed at the expense of safety. Craven and Atkins can show commanders—even if they aren’t bike riders—how to spot those hazardous bike conditions.
Fort Knox’s Motorcycle Safety Day will be held May 4, with featured speakers and training scheduled to assist Soldiers, retirees, DA civilians, and family members become safer riders. Mike Fitzgerald, one of many motorcycle experts who volunteer their time to come to Fort Knox, will discuss adjusting suspension. Because most motorcycles are manufactured in Japan, the suspension systems are set for Japanese riders who are shorter and lighter than most U.S. riders. That difference affects how the bike handles, Atkins explained.
For more information, call the Installation Safety Office at 624-4306 or contact the instructors at 624-3141.
“We will have the best motorcycle safety day in the Army,” Atkins predicted
Sep 132010
‘The smart ones all want to leave’
Twenty years after unification, the country’s East is a radically different place. Structural changes have left urban populations in decline, and the brightest inhabitants are usually the first to go.
Right on Germany’s eastern border the town of Schwedt overlooks the River Oder. In the 1960s, this was a boom town: people moved here in tens of thousands to work in the local oil refinery. But since reunification that trend has been radically reversed.
The PR assistant in Schwedt Town Hall insists that the mayor himself will answer any questions. “Urban restructuring is a matter for the boss,” she says. Sure enough, the mayor, Juergen Polzehl, a gray-haired man in his mid-50s, invites me to go for a ride with him in his official car. He tells the chauffeur to drive us to the Kuelz district.
On the way there we pass row upon row of prefabricated apartment blocks – a legacy of the final, brief heyday of the Uckermark regional municipality. The town’s population swelled to 52,000 after the refinery was built, and housing had to be created for all the new arrivals.
Rapid decline in population
Then came German reunification. Workers at the refinery were laid off. In the past 20 years, 20,000 people have moved away from Schwedt. At one time thousands of apartments stood empty.
“We had to respond to the situation,” says Polzehl, pointing out of the window. Suddenly the buildings are interrupted by a wide, uneven open space. “All this was apartment blocks, one after another. Now it’s all been returned to nature,” Polzehl explains.
For a while they were demolishing as many as a thousand apartments in a year in Schwedt. Now, Polzehl says, it’s about 150 per year: the contraction of the town is gradually becoming more manageable.
Billions of euros have been spent on urban restructuring. Demolition, reconstruction and reforestation help alleviate the sadness of the shrinking towns, but the alteration of the demographic has had a lasting effect on the makeup of the population. Polzehl is particularly concerned that so many young women have moved away.
This is a problem for many of the regions – and it has led to a severe shortage of young women in the new federal states. The newspaper Die Welt reports that, in the 25-30 age bracket, in the East there are only 85 women for every 100 men.
Polzehl remains optimistic. “Perhaps that will change if we locate a few businesses here and a local authority office. That’ll improve the job situation,” he says, hopefully.
Brain drain
The mayor has set himself a considerable challenge. Conditions here, as in many parts of eastern Germany, are not good. The unemployment figure for the country as a whole is less than eight percent, but the East is struggling with more than 12 percent unemployment. In Schwedt it is even higher at 16 percent.
More efficient production methods and the closing or relocation of industry have greatly reduced the number of jobs available in the East. Those who are able to leave, do. Salaries, too, are higher in the West.
The young, the intelligent and the educated are leading the exodus, leaving behind the old and those described by despairing employers as “barely trainable.” In an interview with the Berliner Zeitung in 2004, Ulf Matthiesen, a researcher in area studies, described them as “unemployed urban idiots with no family ties and no prospect of forming a relationship.”
In parts of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania the number of pupils dropping out of school is 50 percent higher than the national average. More than 10 percent leave school early, according to Heike Liebmann, head of the City Regeneration Department at the Leibniz Institute for Regional Development. She describes this as an indication of the degree to which the general level of education among the local population has fallen.
Furthermore, the fewer creative and enterprising people there are in public life, the less attractive the prospect of staying here becomes for those left behind. It’s a vicious circle.
Every year, Ruediger Ober-Bloebaum resigns himself to seeing more of Schwedt’s bright young people move away. The stocky 50-year-old is the headmaster of the town’s last remaining high school. Last summer 103 pupils graduated, but he says: “Of these, only seven are staying in Schwedt. The others are all going away to study or start an apprenticeship, and only 10 of those think they might come back.” Ober-Bloebaum supposes Schwedt is too quiet for them; there’s just not enough going on there.
But there’s another problem, too. He refers to a 2007 study by the Berlin Institute for Population and Development which suggested “that the girls are leaving because they find the boys here too stupid.”
Wild, wild East
Before unification in 1990, then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl spoke of the prospect of “landscapes in bloom.” He used the term as a metaphor for the economic development of the East, but in recent years regional planners have suggested it should be taken literally. They have proposed returning parts of eastern Germany to nature.
Liebmann says it’s hard to imagine how the movement of people could be controlled in such a process, but she adds that “it is certainly useful for society to consider whether it can afford to maintain the existing infrastructure in areas that are becoming less densely populated.”
Polzehl is dismissive of such ideas. “We can’t just let all this become a jungle. We have our roots here; this is our home.”
And Schwedt still has good things to offer. It is responsible for 15 percent of the industrial production of the state of Brandenburg, and Germany’s only meadowland national park is right next door.
On the way back to the town hall, Mayor Polzehl draws encouragement from his own life story. “I moved away too, when I was young,” he says. “And now I’m back again.”
Author: Heiner Kiesel, Schwedt/cc
Editor: Nancy Isenson
Eastern Germany has made great economic leaps, study finds
Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Parts of eastern Germany, like Dresden, have bloomed while others lag economically
Nearly 20 years have passed since East and West Germany became one country. A new study has found that East Germany’s economic situation has improved dramatically since then, but it still lags behind the West.
A new study has found that the gap between former East German and West German states is narrowing. That is despite disproportionately low wages and high unemployment in the eastern states.
The survey, conducted by the Ifo economic research institute for the magazine Super Illu, found that from 1991 to 2009, the gross domestic product of the eastern German states doubled. In western Germany the GDP grew just 12 percent. The wage gap between the two regions also shrunk in the two decades since reunification. In 1991 the average east German worker earned just 57 percent of the equivalent salary in the western states. Now that figure is 83 percent.
Efficiency has also improved in the east. In 1991 it took 77.2 hours of work to produce 1,000 euros ($1,272) economic output while today it takes just 29 hours.
In some areas the lifestyle in eastern German states has surpassed that of the western states, according to Super Illu. Some 57 percent of all eastern Germans owned a car in 2007 while 51 percent of western Germans did.
Disparities remain
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Productivity is up in the eastern German states since 1991
Commenting on the findings, Brandenburg’s state premier, Matthias Platzeck, said the results showed how hard eastern Germans had worked to turn their economy around.
He said he was grateful for the study because it underlined how economically bad off the eastern German states were right after reunification. Today’s youth, he said, had no idea what a “frail” economy the GDR had in 1988.
Billions of euros have been transferred eastward since German reunification and Germans still pay a 5.5 percent solidarity tax to help rebuild the infrastructure and economy of the eastern German states. Unemployment remains persistently high in those states, however, currently at almost double the level seen among western Germans.
According to Destasis, the national statistics office, 11.5 percent of eastern Germans were unemployed in August while only 6.6 percent of western Germans were unemployed.
Author: Holly Fox (AFP/dpa)
Editor: Sean Sinico
Aug 132010
This is the Gasthaus at the end of the road to Montieth. It’s where the Trollycar use to turn around on a place called Billinganlage, in Fürth. Taken 5-Jul-2010 by Gary Maffioli
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Aug 032010
Events or anything of interest to the Kasernes can be added on this page.
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Tucher Beer Bus at the Haupt Markt in downtown Nürnberg.
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Another of the many McDonalds in Nürnberg
Jun 192010
Jun 192010
Erlangen Bahnhof. Rode this train many a time to Nürnberg !!!!!
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