European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday August 14, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 memories Fly at san Vito station " Vitaly facility officially makes switch to Squadron status by Marian Hamilton Mediterranean Bureau san Vito Dei Normanna Italy the 775th air base group officially said goodbye to san Vito in a inactivation ceremony Friday. In its place is the newly created 775th air base so which will be staffed solely with about 600 to 700 personnel on temporary duty who Are supporting operations deny flight and provide Promise involving the former Yugoslavia. San Vito is about seven Miles from the port City of Brindisi on the Southern Adriatic coast of Italy. At one time about 3,000 service members were As signed to san Vito. However the inactivation will Send about two thirds of these service members and their families to assignments in the United states. Most of the others Are going to air bases elsewhere in Europe. Air Force staff sgt. Erik Vainu is one of those due to rotate to the states. He and his family will stay at san Vito until sept. 20, when they will move on to Falcon fab near Colorado Springs Colo. The 31-year-old Troy n.y., native and Veteran of 11 years in the air Force said he will miss not Only Sanvito but the experience of living in Europe. My wife is Spanish and my son Ilmar age 2vi was born in Germany so we re an International family he said. I m especially going to miss the excellent people Here Vainu added. I be gotten to really know the local nationals and even some army people he joked. I m also going to miss the food lifestyle culture and not worrying about violent air Force sgt. Kevin Meyer 24, has been at san Vito for six years. He his italian born wife and their Daugh Ter will report to Andrews fab my in september. Although he is looking Forward to returning to the states he said he will miss his wife s family. They really pull together Here in Italy he said. It s not like in the states where people Don t eve know their own Meyer said he also will miss italian pasta and South Ern Italy s Balmy weather. I m originally from Ohio he explained with a laugh. Master sgt. David Mcgill a Veteran of 14 months Atman Vito has gone from being first sergeant for 150 people in the base s civil engineering Squadron to being first sergeant for the entire base in Only a couple of weeks. Tomorrow there will be Only about 20 people left in civil engineering he said but Bas wide there. Are about 8qo left. There used to be 3,000 Active duty Here. I will miss the people of Southern Italy. I can go to Brindisi which is a fair sized City in the Middle of the night and walk around any Alley i want safely you could never do that in a comparable sized City in the states. There s Only been one violent crime against a american since i got Here and that was basically a mis taken in september Mcgill will report for duty at sey Mour Johnson fab . He will be replaced by a first sergeant on temporary duty. Army sgt. 1st class Alberto Howell one of the Mil itary personnel who will remain at san Vito. He said he expects to be there for about 90 Days to a year. As a Soldier assigned to an air station Howell s Job was not eliminated when the base s main unit inactivated. If i left they d just have to bring somebody Elsein he said. However the 42-year-old Costa rican native feels the Impact of the inactivation As much As anybody runs the base defense re utilization and marketing office. I miss not Only my friends who have left but my customers As Well Howell said. \ loss of late night Wurst serves up one big beef among Gie Belstadt gis by Dave Melancon Wiir Burg Bureau Gie Belstadt Germany spec Carlos Rogers a Barracks Soldier Atli Belstadt army Airfield misses the meat wagon.". The travelling i miss Short for Jan Biss stube or snack bar was conveniently located Between Rogers Quarter Sand the enlisted soldiers club. It was open later than the club s Kitchen and served the bratwurst steaks French Fries and other German fast foods he and at least 250 other Gie Belstadt Community members liked he said. That ended just Over two months ago ii \ if it s losing Money for the Community could understand shutting it Down Button t take away what Little we have her spec Cades Rogers said Rogers of cob 7th in 159thaviation regt. It was convenient because it would be open to about Midnight he said. The club stopped serving food at 9. The army and air Force Exchange service food mall Sells Only pizzas until they shut Down at 7, and the pm shuts Down at 8. So there is nothing there after 9 except what was there in the meat soldiers and other Gie Belstadt Airfield residents signed petitions asking that the snack bar be allowed to stay he said. The petitions were turned Over to Mai. Man Uel Alvarado Gie Belstadt area support team commander. Soldiers liked the food choices of the i miss and the option of purchasing Only Sandwich instead of a whole meal Rogers said. Also the snack bar s prices were Low. If it s losing Money for the Community could understand shutting it Down but Don t take away what Little we have Here Rogers , i miss owner Jimmy her Furth a local businessman who operates Gie Belstadt s taxi service and a Guesthouse had a contract with cafes according to i miss worker Gary Russell. The contract was not renewed and the area support team was not authorized cosign contracts. I was told that the pm and the club system had complained up to Wiir Burg and they the area support team go word from their Headquarters that it the i miss was not going to be Al Lowed said Russell a retired air Force first i miss was temporarily permitted to remain open on Alvarado s orders while a contract was being sought with the 417th base support in s morale welfare and recreation officials Russell said. The 417th, based in Wiir Burg Isth Gie Belstadt Community s higher official from the Exchange service who declined to give his name said Noone from the 417th asked that the con tract be renewed. We Are aware of the petition now said Gabby Drake spokeswoman for the 417th. The decision to close the ibis was made with the Best information that we had at the when officials return from vacation Community leaders will reconsider whether to reopen the i miss she said. Most of them customers came from the Barracks Russell said. At closing time at the club we have a few crawling up who could use a Little something to eat. Primarily it was the Barracks people. We also fed maps military police on night a bratwurst Cost about $1.75, and pork Steak was about $3.50, Russell said. On a Friday or saturday night the in Biss served up to 50 customers. The i miss gave 25 percent of its prof its to the Community he said. One Gie Belstadt official said planned improvements at the army Post will re place the need for the contract snacks a Dave Mela Ricon Gary Russell stands inside the snack stand that served the Gie Belstadt army Airfield. the realignment of activities starting on the 1st of october there should be no need for a contractor be cause the services will be better said sgt. 1st class Rodney Figueroa the installation club manager a rearrangement of the Gie Belstadt clubs and renovations to the enlisted and Community establishments Are planned he said. The enlisted club which will be Rede Signater As an activity Center will Beable to sell food later in the evening be cause it will feature microwave items he said. Jim Jones Community activities director for the 417th bib told a town Hail meeting aug. 2 that renovations totalling $170,000 for the enlisted soldiers and Community clubs top the list of improvements slated for the Gie Belstadt Community. We Are Root making the Money we should make in the club system Accord ing to the Usa eur . Army Europe staff Jones we Are in the red at the end of september they la put us under a Microscope and if we re not making Money by the end of december 1994, they Are going to close the to increase profitability the enlisted club s Kitchen willbe closed and Micro wave foods will be available. Amuse ment machines and the bar will remain he said. Friday and saturday nights will Fea Ture disc jockeys and live entertainment. While the enlisted club May be shrink ing the Community club is expanding Jones said. Kitchen and club equipment salvaged from the now closed Pede Barracks in Wertheim will go to Giebel Stadt. The renovation project Calls for sex. Pan diag the Community club into three parts entertainment Center with dance floor and djs a fast food dining room and a separate Fine dining area he said
