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Heidelberg, long the headquarters city of US Army Europe (USAREUR), will lose that function under current transition plans. The headquarters of USAREUR and V Corps are to be combined and moved to Wiesbaden. There is as yet no firm date for this change.
Heidelberg, one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, is the largest German city never to have been bombed during World War II. The city is known for its celebrated university and numerous physicians and humanists. The landscape offers picturesque beauty rivaling any in Europe, as well as bustling, modern cities with famous historical buildings, excellent cuisine, outstanding wines and friendly hospitality. Heidelberg is also the home of the U. S. Army Garrison (USAG), Heidelberg .
USAG Heidelberg consists of the military communities of Heidelberg, Germersheim, Schwetzingen, Mannheim, Darmstadt, Kaiserslautern and Landstuhl, and is a diverse, exciting group of communities focused on maintaining the highest quality of life. Headquartered on Patton Barracks, USAG Heidelberg maintains and supports a community of soldiers, civilians, contractors, and family members. It is further augmented by a diverse group of people constituting the host nation employee work force.
USAG Heidelberg plays a key role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Heidelberg Army Hospital and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), are way stations for wounded soldiers coming in from Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers fly into nearby Ramstein Air Base and are then transported to Landstuhl or Heidelberg hospitals to be treated or evaluated before traveling on to their final destination in the United States.
Quality of life within USAG Heidelberg is considered a "readiness issue" and can be compared to stateside assignments. U.S. style shopping, schools, medical facilities, dining, recreation, single soldier activities and family support are combined with diverse local culture to make your tour pleasant and memorable.
A number of special events and programs are available to all residents in the USAG Heidelberg. German-American fests bring the local people and Americans together to enjoy food and drink, while relaxing in a large fest tent.
USAG MANNHEIM
With a population of 340,000, the university town of Mannheim is the second largest city in Baden-Wurttemberg, an elegant old town, carefully restored after wartime bombing. Located at the center of the Rhine-Neckar triangle, it is known as the city of quadrangles. On March 17, 1606 Prince-Elector Friedrich IV of Palatinate laid the plan for the fortified city with right-angled streets. The city name itself describes Mannheim as a place where "men are at home." The population of the greater Mannheim-Ludwigshafen urban area exceeds half a million.
USAG KAISERSLAUTERN
The Kaiserslautern area, already the largest American military community outside the United States, will become even more important under current transition plans. It is slated to be one of just four main operating areas left in USAREUR after the plans are completed.
As such it has, and will continue to have, virtually every facility imaginable. That includes the only large US air base in Germany, Ramstein. Elements of USAG Kaiserslautern include: the Landstuhl Medical Center, a major hospital; the Miesau Depot, and remote site Pirmasens. It is also the headquarters of the Defense Commissary Agency Europe.
The American military is an important industry in the area. There was little reconstruction and a slow economy following World War II. Then, in 1952, the Americans moved in. This brought money to the area. Since then the city has been almost totally rebuilt. The towering modern city hall (Rathaus) was built from 1964-1968. Kaiserslautern annexed several surrounding villages in 1969 and now its population is approximately 100,000.
It earned its name as the favorite hunting retreat of Emperor (Kaiser) Frederick Barbarossa who ruled the diverse lands of the Holy Roman Empire from 1155 until 1190. The Lautern was then an important river that actually made the old section of Kaiserslautern an island in medieval times.
Pirmasens, nearly destroyed in World War II, is now a bustling, modern town. Located close to the famed "Wine Road," it offers numerous opportunities for day trips and excursions through Germany's beautiful vineyards and farmlands.
USAG DARMSTADT
United States Army Garrison Darmstadt is also becoming smaller. Four of its facilities in Babenhausen and Aschaffenburg are to be returned to the host nation sometime in fiscal 2007. And three signal units in Darmstadt are to inactivate, along with a military intelligence battalion there.
Cambrai Fritsch Kaserne, built in the 1930s as two individual kasernes, is the hub of the community and home to Headquarters, USAG Darmstadt. Lincoln Village, the largest government housing area in the USAG, and St. Barbara Village, the officer and CSM government housing area, are only a few minutes from Cambrai Fritsch Kaserne.
Lincoln village houses the gas station for the USAG. The famous Frankenstein Castle is just minutes south of Cambrai Fritsch Kaserne. MWR facilities are prevalent and quality of life is excellent in the community. The European Stars and Stripes complex is located in the neighboring community of Griesheim.
SPORTS & RECREATION
- Sports. Fitness centers are located throughout USAG Heidelberg with well-trained staffs, convenient hours of operation, locker rooms and a full array of fitness equipment. Activities offered include basketball, racquetball, boxing, soccer, softball, flag football, rugby, aerobics, youth leagues and much more. The Heidelberg and Ramstein golf clubs are both 18-hole championship courses that rank with the very best in Germany, and membership rates are reasonable. Unit and community sports programs abound in USAG Heidelberg. Heidelberg, Mannheim and Kaiserslautern traditionally host some of the larger championships in Europe, including a number of international tournaments.
- Community Centers. First-class centers in every community offer a relaxed atmosphere featuring tournaments in pool, table tennis and chess, special events, television rooms and much more. Musical equipment, games and other items can also be checked out for use in the centers. Concert tickets are sold and one-day tours are also organized.
- Rod and Gun Clubs. Top-notch clubs in Heidelberg, Darmstadt and Kaiserslautern provide excellent German hunting and fishing opportunities, as well as bargain resale activities. Ranges accommodate rifle and pistol shooters and archery enthusiasts.
- Outdoor Recreation. USAG Heidelberg programs offer economical ski trips and packages to ski resorts in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France and the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in southern Bavaria. Outdoor recreation checkout centers are available throughout the garrison.
- Bowling. Modern centers offer multiple-lane facilities, pro shops, snack bars, game rooms and conference rooms.
- USO. The worldwide United Service Organizations has several facilities in USAG Heidelberg. The Rhein-Neckar regional office is located in Mannheim. The USO also sells tickets to concerts and other special events in and around Germany.
FAMILY & SINGLE SOLDIER SUPPORT
- Health Services. USAREUR's two premier medical facilities, the Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center and U.S. Army Hospital, Heidelberg, are both in USAG Heidelberg. Patient liaison officers are available in each garrison to assist people who may need special services available only at local German facilities. Dental facilities in USAG Heidelberg provide general dentistry and specialty treatment to authorized individuals. There are also clinics in Mannheim and Darmstadt.
- Schools. There are no fewer than 10 schools in the Kaiserslautern Military Community, making it the largest American school system outside the Continental United States. The schools are Ramstein Elementary School (K-3), Ramstein Intermediate School (4-5), Ramstein Middle School (6-8), Ramstein High School (9-12), Vogelweh Elementary School (K-5), Kaiserslautern Elementary School (K-5), Kaiserslautern Middle School (6-8), Kaiserslautern High School (9-12), Sembach Elementary (K-3), Sembach Middle (4-8) and Landstuhl Elementary and Middle (K-8). There are also elementary schools in Mannheim, Heidelberg and Darmstadt; middle schools in Heidelberg, Mannheim and Darmstadt, and high schools in Mannheim and Heidelberg.
- Child Development Services. CDS provides full service, center-based child care, the Family Child Care (FCC) program, the School Age Services (SAS) program and respite child care for service members in pay grade E-4 and below. All nine centers in USAG Heidelberg meet rigorous Department of Defense childcare and safety standards.
- Youth Services. YS operates a sports and fitness program throughout the garrison for organized seasonal sports such as football, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, swimming and cheerleading. Heidelberg YS's unique School of the Arts emphasizes programs in music, dance, visual arts and theater. Sports programs, student services and various leisure and recreational activities for youth ages 6-19 are available. Youth Services has an impressive array of activities in USAG Heidelberg. Each U.S. Army Garrison has a main youth center, and there is another in Landstuhl.
- Chapels. Religious services, religious education programs, support facilities and crisis intervention centers are located in each garrison.
- Family Readiness Group training is available through all six Army Community Service (ACS) offices in USAG Heidelberg. Training focuses on numerous topics, including family readiness group formation, referral services, authorized support and community resources. The training can be geared to unit level or specific groups in each community and is portable, so that it can be given in places other than ACS centers. Family readiness groups are an excellent place to volunteer and gain new job skills.
- Scouting. There are active scouting programs for girls and boys in USAG Heidelberg. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts advertise their activities and recruit members through the schools, libraries, youth activity centers and other media.
- Red Cross. The American Red Cross has offices in each garrison to assist with medical reports, birth notices, spouse emergency notification during deployments and verification for emergency leave. Counseling and referrals on personal and family problems are also offered, as well as emergency financial assistance (on a case-to-case basis).
- Better Opportunities for Single Servicemembers (BOSS). This program is designed to bring single members' quality of life in line with their married counterparts. Billets afford them more living space so they may decorate to their own tastes and include amenities such as floor kitchenettes, private facilities, fitness equipment and government furnishings. The BOSS program in USAG Heidelberg involves single personnel in recreational travel and community help programs.
- Volunteers. These are an integral part of every community. Many are able to work in their chosen fields and maintain skills or develop new ones. Volunteer experience offers great potential for self-fulfillment and may also be reflected on resumes for future job employment. Army Volunteer Corps (AVC) Coordinator offices assist agencies in each garrison by publicizing their need for volunteers.
- ACAP. The Army Career and Alumni Program and the Job Information Center offer services to help soldiers, civilians and family members in their transition to new careers. Updated computer job banks, interview training, benefits briefings and other reference materials are available for the job seeker.
- Civilian Personnel Assistance Centers. Each garrison has a branch office of the Heidelberg center. The centers provide job information and process applications for appropriated and non-appropriated fund positions.
- Veterinary Services. These include animal disease prevention and control, issuance of health certificates and vaccinations.
FACILITIES
- Commissaries. Modern, well-stocked commissaries are located throughout USAG Heidelberg, selling U.S. brand-name products and many European specialties. Other commissaries are located in Heidelberg, Mannheim, Ramstein, Darmstadt and Kaiserslautern.
- Exchanges. Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) facilities are located throughout USAG Heidelberg. The installation Shopping Center is located on Czernyring in Heidelberg. Other AAFES main stores are located in Ramstein, Darmstadt and Vogelweh. Services include retail stores, service stations, shoppettes, pick-up points, military clothing sales stores, video stores, Class Six beverage shops, food courts, laundromats, alterations shops, movie theaters and barber and beauty shops.
Additionally, a variety of AAFES concessionaires offer many other services. The first AAFES-operated Vision Center in Europe is located on Coleman Barracks in Mannheim.
- Restaurants. In addition to many excellent local restaurants, pubs and cafes in USAG Heidelberg, many installations feature U.S. franchises where U.S. currency is accepted. Places like Burger King, Popeye's Chicken and Robin Hood have full product line menus and opportunities for family member employment. The only TGI Friday's is located on Patrick Henry Village, Heidelberg.
- Libraries. Excellent ones in each garrison provide invaluable, modern resources to students of all ages and levels, including research material for several master's degree programs and Internet access. Some libraries have a video library as well.
- Clubs. Military clubs are important morale support activities in USAG Heidelberg. They offer fine dining, an assortment of snacks, live entertainment, excellent brunches, karaoke bars, wide-screen televisions, unit and group nights, plus many other programs and activities.
- Transient Lodging. Temporary lodging facilities and guesthouses are located in each garrison. These facilities offer affordable and comfortable alternatives to local hotels and pensions.
- Army Post Offices (APOs). Military postal services are offered in Army Post Offices in every location in USAG Heidelberg. Mailing letters or small packages between European APOs is free.
- Banking. Community banks offer full service banking in every USAG Heidelberg community. Automatic teller machines (ATMs) located throughout the garrison offer 24-hour service for deposits and withdrawals from both checking and savings accounts.
- Auto Craft Shops. There are eight of them in USAG Heidelberg, offering assistance in performing automotive maintenance and repair. Equipment, tools and trained mechanics make everything, from charging a battery to major overhauls, possible at great cost savings.
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