European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 19, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                June 2007 stars and stripes Page 3 stars and stripes German workers look Over the new fitness Center at the Wiesbaden army Airfield in May the million facility spans Square Wiesbaden welcomes move with open arms blueprint includes new Headquarters housing units and a 164room and last year a fit Ness Complex and a child develop ment Center opened for a ton of work still but if things unfold As currently Wiesbaden army air Field will supplant Heidelberg in about five years As the Center of Gravity for army units and personnel based in we think Wiesbaden is the right place to relocate army head Mark her commander of 1st armoured said last fall while serv ing As army Europe Point Man on Hertling said some visiting members of Congress have questioned the though More out of astonishment Over the army decision to vacate historic Heidel Berg after More than 60 see Wiesbaden on Page 4 Rii Hitaf makeover in Europe local towns hit when bases leave five years the defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent marching orders to Marine James l telling him that the european command needed an overhaul to meet the unique challenges of the 21st Jones started in called for the moving of thou Sands of troops from Europe Back to the United mov ing troops into Eastern Europe and setting up Forward operating Sites in but Jones successor army Bantz Craddock is questioning whether pulling troops out of Europe during this time of War is a prudent stars and stripes reviews the status of the military transformation in Europe in a series of stories that look at the present and Day 1 Neucom leaders address transformation issues Day 2 a look at troop strength through the years today How the military closes its bases Day 4 stateside bases get ready for influx of troops Day 5 air Navy also getting new look Day 6 the Impact of politics on transformation by Kevin Dougherty stars and stripes Germany in Early two army officials from Hanau drove to Budinger to speak with vice mayor Manfred Given the Bond that exists be tween the City and the 1st squad 1st cavalry Hix didst give the office Call much thought at least not until the pair stated they had some bad news to pass by they the unit would be leaving town for it was kind of difficult for them to Tell Hix said last while it was known Budinger  be one of the enduring Sites in most civil ians As Well As thought the unit would stick around for a couple More but transformation is regulated within the parameters of a defined process but subject to As the War in Budinger got the Early on the other Home of the 2nd 1st a Mored appears to have gotten a at least for the process of closing a base begins behind closed re mors within a Community May swirl about for if not but military officials Are Loath to discuss the particulars until the hammered out in is blessed by the department of when a facility is identified for initial notification occurs at the Federal level of the Host a that not Only involves the but the state depart ment As the next step is to inform local such As shortly there the affected military Community and units receive Fol Lowed a Day or two later by a pub Lic some local communities Welcome the news other communities take it especially when there is going to be a significant economic Budinger residents Learned of the closure of Armstrong bar Racks just As Fasching celebrations were in full Matthew the Squadron was attending one such function this february when he was approached by one elderly then when you have older gentle men coming up to you with tears in their its a big Mck Enna As the army in particular closes More the process itself has become fairly once you get the tactical unit it takes nine months to a year to literally do All the turnover and exchanges and All that other said army Mark who served As army Europe Point Man on transformation until recently Tak ing Over As 1st and the 1st infantry for departed last and soldiers have been slowly filter ing out of by the end of this Only a caretaker Force will remain to prep the facilities for the actual return to the German Federal Over the past couple of see closing on Page 4 closing a base the process of closing a base begins behind closed As rumours often the information works its Way Down from the highest Levels of 1 initial notification occurs at the Federal level of the Host 2 local officials Are 3 the affected military Community and units receive 4 a Day or two a Public announcement is Michael and stripes the Gate to Harvey Barracks in is chained and padlocked shut after the american military officially turned the Post Over to the local government in