Telephone Directory 221st BSB, Wiesbaden, Mainz, Dexheim 222nd BSB, Baumholder 284th BSB, Giessen, Friedberg, Butzbach, Bad Nauheim 414th BSB, Hanau, Buedingen, Gelnhausen Sports & Recreation Family & Single Soldier Support Facilities

The 104th ASG, headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a dynamic, forward-looking organization providing support to approximately 45,000 troops, family members and civilian employees as well as a large community of retirees who live, work and train within the ASG's area of operation. It's the home of the 1st Armored ("Old Ironsides") Division, elements of which deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom from Hanau, Wiesbaden, Baumholder, Friedburg and others of its communities.

The 104th ASG is comprised of the following Base Support Battalions (BSBs): The 221st BSB in Wiesbaden, with the Dexheim AST; the 222nd BSB in Baumholder; the 284th BSB in Giessen, with an Area Support Team in Friedberg and housing areas in Butzbach and Bad Nauheim; and the 414th BSB in Hanau, which also supports Buedingen and Gelnhausen.

221ST BASE SUPPORT BATTALION WIESBADEN, MAINZ, DEXHEIM
Wiesbaden, nestled in the Rhine valley near the junction of the Rhine and Main rivers, is noted as a spa and health center. It reached its zenith near the end of the 19th century, and many villas give witness to its elegant past. The Golden City of Mainz's rich history has been lighted by such luminaries as Barbarossa, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. It is also the site of one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Germany, and is perhaps most famous of all for one of the lustiest carnival (Mardi Gras) celebrations on the Rhine.

Constant changes have steadily added additional features to the community, including new AAFES facilities, better child care, renovated family housing units, additional recreation events and the televised transmission of community-specific information over AFN-Wiesbaden. Other facilities in Wiesbaden worth noting are the 18-hole Rheinblick Golf Course, the largest AAFES sports store in Europe, a paintball course, the American Arms Hotel/Conference Center and the Wiesbaden Catering Center. The headquarters of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is at Mainz-Kastel.

Dexheim's Anderson Barracks is located approximately 20 miles south of Wiesbaden. The quiet town of Dexheim is situated in a rural setting only minutes from the picturesque Rhine River. Dexheim's neighboring towns, Nierstein and Oppenheim, boast world-famous vineyards.

222ND BASE SUPPORT BATTALION, BAUMHOLDER
Baumholder is home to the largest concentration of U.S. combat soldiers outside the United States. It consists of Smith Barracks (the main post), and the base operations area support teams of Strassburg in Idar-Oberstein and Neubrücke near Birkenfeld. Major elements of the 1st Armored Division are stationed there, including the division's 2nd Brigade and Division Artillery.

The 222nd BSB maintains and supports a community for approximately 13,500 soldiers, civilians and family members. For the professional soldier there is a local training area, indoor and outdoor ranges, Bradley platoon gunnery trainer, Stinger missile and M1 tank simulators, MILES warehouse, airfield and a railhead solely for military use.

The recreation services boast a campground, nine-hole golf course, three fitness studios and the only indoor pool in U.S. Army Europe.

World War II brought the military to Baumholder. The Third Reich needed a training area and Baumholder was chosen. The French occupied the area in 1945 and in 1951 the Americans moved in. With the help of thousands of German workers, dwellings for American families were quickly constructed.

284TH BASE SUPPORT BATTALION, GIESSEN, FRIEDBERG, BUTZBACH, BAD NAUHEIM
The 284th Base Support Battalion is composed of two major sites, the Giessen U.S. Army Depot, on the site of a former airfield, and Ray Barracks in Friedberg. The major unit at both locations is the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, known as the "Forerunners." The housing area at Bad Nauheim, an important mineral spa, is 15 min from Ray Barracks.

The days of the 284th BSB are numbered. Between 2006 and 2008, it is planned to move the 1st Brigade to $300 million worth of new housing and military support facilities in Grafenwoehr.The move will mean the closing of about a dozen facilities in Giessen, Friedberg, Wetzlar, Bad Nauheim and Butzbach, though parts of the Giessen Depot will continue to operate.

Most support agencies have been offering services in both Giessen and Friedberg. The Giessen Depot has also been the home of the 284th BSB Headquarters. This 522-acre plot became an airfield in 1920 and through the end of World War II was used at different times by both German military and civilian aircraft.

The other major post, Ray Barracks, is located in Friedberg approximately 50 miles north of Hanau. The history of Ray Barracks as it is known today started around 1912 when the town requested that a garrison be once again stationed in Friedberg. Among the famous personalities who have served at Ray Barracks is the late Elvis Presley.

414TH BSB, HANAU, BUEDINGEN, GELNHAUSEN
The 414th Base Support Battalion is primarily composed of the Hanau, Erlensee and Büdingen military communities with sub-communities in Grossauheim and Gelnhausen.

There are a rather large number of military installations in Hanau and, like Europe itself, the kasernes are steeped in history. For example, Pioneer Kaserne home to the 130th Combat Engineer Brigade, got its name from the original German Pioniere (Engineers) who inhabited the post until 1945. It was first built during the 1930s.

Fliegerhorst Kaserne, home to the 4th Aviation Brigade in nearby Erlensee, was built for the German Air Force. Yorkhof Kaserne, which houses the headquarters of the 104th Area Support Group, was built around the turn of the century.

Hutier Kaserne, still named for a famous Prussian general, was constructed between 1908 and 1910, and Argonner Kaserne is named after the Argonne Forest in France, a major World War I battlefield. The kaserne is now split into two parts. Old Argonner is home to the 414th BSB command group as well as a number of MWR facilities, while New Argonner houses the U.S. dental and medical clinics as well as family housing. The kaserne still has a large stone platform that was used for a gallows in the last century.

Büdingen, home of the 1-1 Armored Cavalry, is the smallest of the 414th's sub-communities. Armstrong Barracks there was named in honor of Eugene M. Armstrong, an African-American 1st lieutenant who was killed in action in Italy. Coleman Barracks in nearby Gelnhausen, is renowned for its well-kept buildings and peaceful atmosphere.

SPORTS & RECREATION
• Fitness Centers are located throughout the 104th ASG 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. Unit and community sports programs abound. Many of the centers in the 104th have recently been renovated and all receive new state-of-the-art equipment on a regular basis.

• Sports. Whether you like to play, coach or officiate, there is a place you in the sports program. There is basketball, softball, wrestling, tennis and more, and invitational tournaments are organized year round. Wiesbaden is home to the 18-hole Rheinblick Golf Course and Baumholder has the nine-hole Rolling Hills Golf Course. In addition to the golf course, Baumholder has a campground, three fitness studios and the only indoor pool in U.S. Army Europe. Hanau is the home of the Black History Month Boxing Tournament and the 1/1CAV hosts the annual Boximania.

• Outdoor Recreation Centers are a must for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. They rent every kind of equipment for every kind of outdoor activity, including camping gear, bikes, ski gear, sleds, coolers and tents. They even rent cars, vans and buses for shopping trips, unit trips and vacations, and a driver comes with the buses. Outdoor rec organizes great trips, too. Special programs of several recreation divisions include "run for your life", noontime and evening aerobics classes and martial arts instruction. The centers take the people on shopping trips to the Czech Republic, and on trips for skiing, white water rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, rappelling and biking.

• Bowling. The centers located throughout the ASG have open bowling, monthly cash tournaments, league bowling, children's birthday parties and more. The Hessen Bowl in Hanau is one of the largest in Germany, with 32 lanes.

FAMILY & SINGLE SOLDIER SUPPORT
• Army Community Service (ACS) is an umbrella organization that covers Family Assistance Centers, Information and Referral, Family Advocacy, Relocation Assistance, Lending Closet, Outreach, Mobilization and Deployment, Financial Readiness programs and Employment Readiness for family members, and is a resource for all community members.

• Schools. There are elementary schools in Giessen, Baumholder, Butzbach, Bad Nauheim, Wiesbaden, Hanau, Gelnhausen and Dexheim; middle schools in Hanau and Wiesbaden; a combined high and middle school in Giessen, and high schools in Hanau, Wiesbaden and Baumholder. Local German schools generally only accept U.S. family members when one parent is German.

• Health Services. The United States Army health clinics in Baumholder, Buedingen, Butzbach, Dexheim, Friedberg, Hanau and Wiesbaden are outpatient facilities providing high quality primary and limited specialty health care. Serious cases in all communities are referred to local host nation hospitals or the Landstuhl or Heidelberg Regional Medical Centers in Germany. TRICARE-Europe is alive and well in the 104th ASG.

• Veterinary Clinics are located in Hanau, Giessen, Wiesbaden, and Baumholder , and the services they offer include animal disease prevention and control, issuance of health certificates and vaccinations.

• Single Solder Quality of Life. This program is designed to bring single soldiers' quality of life in line with their married counterparts. Billets afford single soldiers 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 Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program in the 104th ASG involves single soldiers in recreational travel and community help programs.

FACILITIES
• Theater. Award-winning playhouses in the 104th ASG include the Keller Theater in Giessen and the Amelia Erhart Playhouse in Wiesbaden. They perform everything; musicals, dramas, and children's theater, and are always looking for actors, actresses and technicians.

• Clubs like Club I on Fliegerhorst Kaserne in Hanau, the Rheinlander in Baumholder and the Woodland Club in Giessen all have their unique character, with entertainment and menu to fit different tastes. Among their offerings are fine dining, an assortment of snacks, live entertainment, excellent brunches, karaoke bars, wide-screen televisions, unit and group nights, bingo and live entertainment. All clubs and bowling centers now have state-of-the-art video games.

• Youth Services. YS operates a sports and fitness program throughout the ASG for organized seasonal sports such as football, soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, swimming and cheerleading. "The Underground" at Baumholder is a Teen Support Center staffed by a Youth Development Specialist and an Adolescent Counselor. Sports programs, student services and various leisure and recreational activities for youth ages 6-19 are available.

• Rod and Gun Clubs. There are modern, yet cozy ones in the 104th ASG, at Hanau and Baumholder. Baumholder has a fully stocked pro shop, and both offer hunting and fishing courses the year round. The Hanau club has an affinity for attracting top country music stars. It also hosts a series of mud races each summer, in which you can enter your car and see its gleaming finish vanish under some of the slimiest mud in creation.

• AFN-Frankfurt is a powerful command information tool, with three unmanned television affiliates within the 104th ASG: AFN-Hanau, AFN-Friedberg, and AFN-Wiesbaden. They carry spots tailored to each community, keeping those living in the area informed about upcoming events and activities.

• Skating Rink. The one in Hanau, one of the few in USAREUR, is fun for young and old, and ideal for birthday parties.

• Transient Lodging. Temporary lodging facilities and guest houses are located in each BSB. These facilities, offering affordable and comfortable alternatives to local hotels and pensions, include the American Arms Hotel/Conference Center in Wiesbaden. There are others in Bad Kreuznach, Baumholder, Friedberg, Hanau and Wiesbaden.

• Shopping. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) provides a full range of facilities, including a main exchange, military clothing sales, class six store, shoppettes, beauty and barber shops, pick-up points, laundromats and movie theaters. One of the largest stores in Europe is at Mainz-Kastel, and Wiesbaden has the largest AAFES Sports Store in Europe. Each community also has an AAFES bookstore, and additional AAFES facilities and services available in the 104th ASG include auto parts stores, AAFES gift stores and optical shops. Car rental is also available. Other main exchanges are at Giessen, Hanau and Baumholder.

• Commissaries. Modern, well-stocked commissaries are located throughout the ASG, selling U.S. brand-name products and many European specialties. The Hanau commissary is by far the largest and nicest one around. And it has great hours; open till 8 p.m. seven days a week. Baumholder's medium-sized commissary has more than 7,000 shelf items and 200 fresh products. The Bad Nauheim Commissary, once voted the best small commissary in USAREUR, is said to have the best meat department around. Other commissaries are at Giessen, Wiesbaden, Dexheim and Gelnhausen.

• Restaurants. Many installations feature U.S. franchises where U.S. currency is accepted. Included are Anthony's Pizza, Burger King, Popeye's Chicken, Frank's Franks, Baskin Robbins ice cream and Robin Hood. These franchise food restaurants provide opportunities for family member employment.

• Auto Craft Centers can help you keep your car running. They have bays and tools for do-it-yourselfers, plus experienced mechanics if you get stuck. You can get an oil change there or get some welding done. Auto Craft Centers also operate a towing service and have a driving school and auto care classes. Baumholder even has an auto parts yard and the Giessen center sometimes conducts an auto flea market.

• Libraries. Excellent ones in each BSB provide invaluable, modern resources to students of all ages and levels, including research material for several master's degree programs and Internet access, plus reference material, daily newspapers, magazines and books on tape. Some libraries have a video library as well.

• Arts and Crafts Centers. Their programs include framing, ceramics, photography and woodworking. They also have portrait studios and handicraft classes for the novice.

• USO. The worldwide United Service Organizations has several facilities in the 104th ASG. Lounges are located at the Frankfurt International Airport and the Passenger Terminal at Rhein Main Air Base, and at Hanau, the Hainerberg PX Shopping Center in Wiesbaden and the Wiesbaden Army Airfield.

• APOs. Each community in 104th ASG has full-service Army post offices for all community members. They provide parcel service and transport all classes of mail from priority to express. They also transport mail for free from APO to APO when "MPS" is written in the upper right corner of envelopes and packages.

• Banking. Community banks offer full service banking, including money exchange service, in every ASG community. Automatic teller machines (ATMs) offer 24-hour service for deposits and withdrawals from both checking and savings accounts.

• The Baumholder Museum traces the history of the 1st Armored Division from its formation in 1940 until the present day. The museum grounds have a large historical vehicle park with tanks, artillery pieces and other equipment from the WWII period until the present day, including captured Iraqi vehicles from Operation Desert Storm. The museum also sponsors military modeling, wargaming and historical reenactment events.