Guten tag Aus Deuschland

During the height of the Cold War, there were dozens of US Air Force bases scattered across Europe, with the majority of these in Germany. Originally these installations supported WW II occupation forces and held the ambitions of the Soviets in check. The bases have a proud legacy over the years, especially during the 1948 Berlin Airlift, in which cargo aircraft were the only lifeline to the West after the Soviets closed all land access to the German city. The Berlin Airlift remains the defining moment for airlift to this day.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of the Air Force bases were declared surplus and slowly weaned down to the handful of bases remaining today. These surviving bases have become de facto American cities overseas, offering those stationed there a little bit of home. On any base there is a commissary, base exchange, fitness centers and playing fields, clubs, restaurants (including a Chili’s Bar & Grill), golf course, library, internet café, coffee shops, community center, and other services.

The local German community around each base also offer warm hospitality to Americans stationed overseas. Some of the larger German communities are near US Army installations, such as Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, or Wiesbaden. The Germans have been gracious hosts for many years and have come to depend on American dollars spent in their communities. These German communities typically offer the same businesses as those found outside of stateside bases and English is widely spoken.

One of my favorite haunts is an Irish pub in a town one of the airbases; playing darts and drinking a good Irish beer is a great way to spend a leisurely evening after dinner. Another favorite is a döner kebab place, one of the best contributions of the Turkish expatriate community living in Germany. For those who have not had the joy of eating a döner, they are the Turkish equivalent of the hot dog but are similar to a Greek gyro with additional toppings.

One of the greatest benefits of visiting our German bases is the ability to travel around Europe when we have time off. Some of my favorite destinations are Frankfurt and the wineries and cafes of the Rhine Valley, the grand duchy of Luxemburg, the WW II battlefields of Bastogne, Belgium, and the WW I citadel and battlefields of Verdun, France. I have also been to Paris twice, but to see it properly, an overnight stay is required and we often do not have enough time off to do Paris justice.

I enjoy my time off in Germany, but after a week or so away from home, I am eager to return home to spend time with the family. I’m thankful that I can do my part for the war and go home after a short amount of time. So many others, who are deployed for months to a year at a time, do not have that opportunity.