European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 a the stars and stripes Friday january 17, 1992gelnhausen now bedroom Community by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Gellhausen Germany As her three children played in the Yard Deborah Clarke sat Reading her Bible outside the family apartment in the Coleman Village housing area. The parking lot around her and most of the apartments in the army housing area were empty. The children a banter supplied the Only sounds a i kind of like it like this a Clarke said. The near silence will be Short lived but it is a far cry from the Way Coleman Village was two years ago when Clarke and her husband sgt. Reginald Clarke of the 574th personnel service co moved the family into Gellhausen a sub Community of Hanau. Back then Gellhausen bustled with 3,500 soldiers of the 2nd brigade 3rd army div who occupied the 61 acres across the Street called Coleman Cavern. The draw Down of . Forces in Europe changed that. When the 3rd army div was tagged to pull out of Germany the 2nd brigades Days became numbered and on dec. 15, 1991, the unit officially closed its doors. The Only remaining indication of american presence on the Cavern is a few soldiers removing Odds and ends. By the end of january the land occupied by americans since March 1945 will be turned Over to the German government. But the american presence will not completely be erased from Gellhausen because families like the Clarkes will fill the 379 . Housing units in Coleman Village and Randy Hubbard housing areas adjacent to Coleman Cavern. Those families will be at the forefront of a new living arrangement that army commanders refer to As bedroom communities. As the . Military presence is reduced in Europe More bedroom communities will appear. Their existence Means that american service members and their families in Small communities like Gellhausen will have to adjust to life with fewer military facilities nearby. It is an anxious time for those residents. A a our major concern is that the people remaining Here have adequate facilities a said Mary Preston Geln Hauseng a Deputy Sas Michael Abrams the 3rd army div. Units pulled out of Coleman Cavern in Gellhausen Germany on dec. 15. Installation coordinator who operates out of the old officers club a building behind the Cavern. In the next six months people will have to adapt to not having a the niceties. As close As they used to be but the Bare essentials Are there a Preston said. The Post Exchange mail room liquor store and video rental a once separate entities a have been consolidated into a single operation in Coleman Village. Just around the Corner from the vacated Cavern a Small commissary remains. Chapel services arc held in nearby Gellhausen elementary school and a youth services outlet is available. The merchants National Bank is gone hut an automatic Teller machine will be available in the housing area by the end of february. Also unavailable Are the medical clinic howling Alley theater Library and recreation Center. A shuttle bus schedule has been distributed so that residents without cars can travel to facilities in binding in 8 Miles away and Hanau about 12 Miles away. Clarke s Short term concern is whom she will rely on in an emergency since her husband no longer works across the Street. He takes the family car to work in binding in. �?�1 really done to know anyone Here now a Clarke said. Many of the residents Are moving in from Bischofsheim Manilal near Frankfurt where the army relinquished leased housing to save Money. Although most of the soldiers with these families will remain assigned to units in or near Hanau a amps Michael Abrams Crews Are trying to Salvage almost everything at Coleman Cavern in Gellhausen. A amps Sharon Kilday Tarrant some were not thrilled about moving to Gellhausen. Deborah j. Jackson was Quot very very upset before her husband sgt. Reginald Jackson of the 53rd heavy maintenance service co in Hanau and their two daughters moved from Bischofsheim Saintal two months ago. Her primary concern was her 8-year-old daughter Erika who has a speech problem. After trying several different speech therapists in the United states and Germany Erika was progressing Well with her therapist at Argonne elementary school in Hanau. The move to Gellhausen resisted by the Jacksons forced Erika to switch schools. Fortunately Erika a transition to her speech therapist at Gellhausen elementary has gone smoothly. A things Are getting better a Jackson said. Launching a bedroom Community has raised issues that the army is still grappling with Preston said. Quot people Are not quite sure where to Call for problems now that Gellhausen has no soldiers a Preston said. Quot 1 have no water. Where do i Call now a Little things. A if have a problem with my child w to do i Contact a a the army is trying to get the word out to the residents a but its going to take time a Preston said. Residents Are also concerned about a big unknown a the use of Coleman Cavern after it is returned to the germans. The City of Gellhausen plans to convert part of the land into a shopping District but the Hessen government has confirmed that it plans to House an unspecified number of refugees in some of the 2,500 billeting spaces vacated by the army. Sandra Lovett is worried about a rising crime rate brought on by refugees who May not like americans. A who knows How its going to turn out a Lovett asked. Preston the focal Point for Many concerns and complaints has a positive Outlook but empathize with residents. A if you re used to having some place real close by to take care of your immediate problems and that a gone a it lakes readjustment a Preston said. Quot there Are some concerns that Are very  Jackson sounded More like an army Wile who has survived an extreme test of flexibility. A this has been a very very rough move a she said. A you just have to make