This June I’ll be transitioning out of command, and up front I want to say it’s been an honor and a blessing to be your garrison commander. It seems just like yesterday when Meghan and I arrived in Stuttgart, settling into our Army-branded stairwell home. Our kiddos were making friends at the awesome DODEA schools here, while I made sure that the commissaries were well stocked with tatertots ( you may have seen a few of my posts on social media!). Life was pretty easy as a U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart resident. Then I took command in May of 2021, trading in my patrol cap for a Kevlar-coated mayor’s hat. In those first weeks we kicked off vaccine drives for our local nationals, our spouses, and our kids. I still remember lines stretching half-way across of Patch for one of the vaccination drives for teens. Of course the community’s first question was how can we make those lines shorter (and we did). Transition is hard, the post-COVID world presented new challenges. Our community of 28,000 expected more, the pandemic was no longer an excuse. They wanted 24/7 access at the gym, better dog parks, better housing and more events. I am proud to say our garrison team delivered on every front. (But please don’t ask me about parking.)
When we tapped the keg at the Swabian American Biergarten in fall of 2021, it was the event in town. When we opened our bazaars, they broke sales records. When we launched fireworks over Husky Field, we let everyone know the garrison was back. But this garrison isn’t an island, not only do we have great mission partners who are leading the charge across two continents, we’re a part of Stuttgart, Boeblingen, Filderstadt, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, and Kornwestheim. In the past two years we’ve truly moved from a partnership to a friendship — a feeling of community I don’t believe has existed since pre 9/11. All of us shared gluhwein at the Christmas Market, yelled Prost! at the Volksfest, and dashed for candy at the Fasching parade. We’re excited to bring the local community on post this year for the 4th of July! Life was easy as a resident in Stuttgart and now after two years in command I know why. There is no better team holding the fort than the men and women here at U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart. They will continue to succeed long after I’m gone. To the Stuttgart Military Community, I’m incredibly humbled to have been your garrison commander.
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Photo by Simon Duxare why I’m glad I live here!
2 4 5 & 6 8 & 9 10 11
From the Commander At the Patch Library Chaplain’s Corner: Benevolent Detachment Practices
USAG Stuttgart, welcomes new Command Sgt. Major New recruits spark excitement at Stuttgart Firehouse
The 49 Euro Ticket is here!
12 13 14 & 15 16 & 17 18 & 19
Team Galeano
New running track among upgrades of USAG Stuttgart fitness facilities
Marines bring the sweat to JBS Schönaich
Portrait of Jamie Ruffini, Child and Youth Services Coordinator for U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart
From the historian A Brief History of Panzer Kaserne
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AFN Stuttgart dance the day away with Stuttgart seniors
22 & 23 24 & 25
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4th of July
Independece Day Celebration with Family, Friends & Neighbors
Festivals in Focus
Q & A with housing’s new Community Specialist
The Big Question: What is an act of kindness someone has shown you?
A woman lays a visitation stone on a Jewish headstone at U.S. Army Airfield on Yom HaShoah -- Holocaust Remembrance Day. In 2005 thirty-four Jewish remains, believed to be Holocaust victims, were found during a construction project on the U.S. airfield. Photo by Marcus Fichtl
Cover image: Jamie Ruffini, USAG Stuttgart’s CYS Coordinator poses in her office. Photo by Balmina Sehra
Summer is the perfect time to relax and lose yourself in a great book. The Patch Library has an extensive collection of titles that are sure to satisfy any reading preference, including recent additions to the catalog that are listed below.
Whether you’re looking for thrilling novels, heartwarming picture books for small children, or informative non-fiction books about engineering or geopolitics, there’s something for everyone on this list. So kick back, grab a book, and let the adventures begin!
Every Dog in the Neighborhood
By Philip C. Stead, Illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Louis wants a dog, but his Grandma insists, “There are enough dogs in the neighborhood already.” But how many dogs are in the neighborhood? Surely a sternly worded letter to City Hall will clear this up. When it turns out that City Hall doesn’t keep an official count of this essential demographic, Louis and his Grandma do their civic duty and take matters into their own hands. Together they meet all sorts of dogs with hilarious names and personalities. When they’re done, Louis’s grandmother is sure he’s missed one particularly lovable dog, a mutt named Baklava in need of a new home.
What’s Gotten Into You: The Story of Your Body’s Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night’s Dinner
By Dan Levitt
What’s Gotten Into You is an engaging and ambitious work of popular science that takes readers on a journey through the awe-inspiring story of the elements that make up the human body. The book describes how these building blocks of life traveled billions of miles and across billions of years to create us. It explores the fascinating story of our atoms’ long strange journey from the Big Bang to the creation of stars, through the assembly of Planet Earth, and the formation of life as we know it. Through vivid storytelling, Levitt reveals the extraordinary insights of scientists and their discoveries into the composition of life, ultimately revealing the mystery of our existence.
From skyscrapers that reach astonishing heights to bridges that span deep and wide rivers, the world is filled with awe-inspiring structures. But how do they work?
Meet the extraordinary people who challenged
our beliefs about what’s possible, pioneering remarkable inventions. Discover the ingenious methods engineers have come up with to enable us to build underground, underwater, on ice, and even in space.
With text written by award-winning structural engineer Roma Agrawal and detailed full-color illustrations by Katie Hickey, this book for curious kids provides unique and illuminating perspectives of the world’s most incredible constructions.
By Dan Yaccarino
A dad and three children rebuild their fraying bonds after being confined to their home together for too long by a storm. No one knew where the strange storm came from, or why it lasted so long. The family at the center of this timely story has to hunker down together, with no going outside - and that’s hard when there’s absolutely nothing to do, and everyone’s getting on everyone else’s nerves. One night, when the storm takes a scary turn that leaves them all in the dark, the fractured family finds a way to reconnect and face whatever the future brings, together.
By Lane Clarke
High school junior Michie struggles to define her identity as she prepares scholarship essays for college. Her estranged relationship with her mother makes this task particularly challenging. However, Michie’s life becomes more complicated when she meets Derek, a talented and charming basketball player who takes an interest in her. As Michie navigates her scholarship deadlines, her complicated family history, and her growing feelings for Derek, she begins to discover who she wants to become in the future. The swoon of Nicola Yoon meets the emotional punch of Elizabeth Acevedo in this breakout debut novel that answers big questions about identity, family, and love.
My Father’s House is set in September 1943, as Nazi forces occupy Rome and hunger and rumors
run rampant. Diplomats, refugees, and escaped Allied prisoners seek refuge in Vatican City, the world’s smallest state. A small band of unlikely friends, led by an Irish priest, risks their lives to help those seeking refuge from the Gestapo boss Paul Hauptmann’s terror. Based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who risked his life to smuggle thousands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of occupied Italy, the book is a story of love, faith, and sacrifice, which explores what it means to be truly human in the most extreme circumstances.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill follows Ilana Lopez, a biracial Jewish girl, as she visits her aunt in Prague to learn about the life of an artist. However, when she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery, she meets Benjamin, a ghost who died over a century ago. As she restores Benjamin’s grave, Ilana discovers the enchanted side of Prague and falls in love with Benjamin. But she also attracts the attention of Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, who offers her magic to pursue her passion for the violin. Ilana must decide whether to save Benjamin or succumb to Wassermann’s tempting offer. With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.
Summaries and covers courtesy of Goodreads and/or publishers
Graphic by David Prado Perucha/Shutterstock.com
Hi, my name is Ryan and I am a recovering iPhone addict! I joined the military in 2007, about the time a new technology called a “smartphone” was presented to the world. Before long, everyone was “drinking the juice” (or biting the apple) and purchasing what was called, “the iPhone.” I quickly bought one myself and even convinced my technology adverse wife to trade her Sprint flip phone for a fancy new iPhone 2. It is not a stretch to say that smartphones are not just part of our lives, but have the ability to drastically change it. In October 2010, Instagram was available in the App store with 25,000 downloads on opening day. By Christmas, over 1,000,000 users were posting their fancy foods, fortune, fun, and (insta) fame. A personal take-away: my depression and anger were in direct proportion to the amount of time I spent perusing the web - I was comparing others' highlight reels with my behind-the-scenes.
In my experience, comparison robs us of our joy, and pride kills anything it touches. One of the unfortunate risks of social media is that it has the ability to fuel both comparison and pride, and with detrimental effects. Those effects include physical, such as blue light affecting sleep hygiene and attention deficit due to increased screen time. Studies have shown a connection with getting a text buzz and/or “like” with getting a shot of dopamine - the same effect of drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or gambling. And it isn't always about dopamine, but about the expectation and hope we have that drives us to see more (#FOMO). There are also relational effects of disconnection; at the dinner table, in the car, in the stroller, even during church services. Research has shown that such activity impacts brain development and the ability to interact with others. Smart devices are not making us smarter; oh quite the contrary.
In the last issue of the Stuttgart Citizen (Vol. 52, No. 1), my good friend Chaplain Eric Bryan gave a challenge: “Leave your phone at home for a day and discover what freedom feels like.” He also challenged us to look up and be present
(paraphrase mine). Here are just four ways I’m reinforcing that exhortation:
1. I bought a 30 Euro “dumb phone” (my New Year’s resolution to be iPhone free in 2023).
2. I am re-reading smart books that promote presence and freedom.
a) Get Your Life Back by John Eldridge
b) The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
3. I volunteer every week in the USAG Stuttgart community.
4. Last but not least, I begin and end each day with “benevolent detachment” prayer and journaling (with my wife).
I realize giving up a smartphone is difficult. Like some drug/alcohol detox programs, cold-turkey may not be the answer. If that’s the case, I recommend starting off by buying the dumb phone and putting your SIM card in it whenever you are around people (i.e., eating out, visiting friends/family, parties, etc). As time goes on, you may find it increasingly easier to separate from the device. Treat your phone like a newborn baby; put it to bed early and allow it to sleep in. My phone got 18 hrs of sleep the other day. Or treat it like a hockey player and put it in a penalty box during dinner or gatherings. Weaning is key.
John Mark Comer recommends turning your smartphone into a dumb phone. This means deleting apps/social media so that it is only the essentials (i.e., calling, weather, and navigation). This will take some sophisticated planning in order to stay on top of emails and tasks. You will not have a choice but to be laser focused and intentional with your time behind an actual computer. Stay the course and you will soon find out the juice is worth the squeeze. Before you know it, you will be smartphone free in 2023.
See BENEVOLENT, Page 6
BENEVOLENT from Page 5
There are several ways to handle the long commutes afforded to us by crowded autobahns and never ending German road construction. Every day I bike 9 miles total (Patch to Kelley), which means I have at least 40 minutes a day to listen to audible books (well worth the membership) or even better, simply enjoy the scenery; both are beneficial. Whether you are riding a bus, driving a car, or biking to work, the two books I mentioned earlier are ones I highly recommend for anyone in need of a good “reset” on the mundane life tethered to smart devices. An ancient Hebrew Proverb says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction” (Proverbs 19:20).
A recent Mayo Clinic study shows that volunteering improves physical and mental health, provides a sense of purpose, and nurtures relationships. Three things that have been stifled with the advent of smart devices. Volunteering with Child Youth Sports Wrestling gives me an opportunity to invest in our future leaders and model what right looks like. This is critical for a generation that never experienced a world without smartphones and social media. I’m teaching them wrestling on several levels. Volunteering at Patch Chapel is refreshing to my soul. To see young and old, regardless of rank or designator worshiping side by side is a glimpse of heaven on earth. Volunteering affords us an opportunity to give, which is more blessed than receiving.
In his 2020 book, Get Your Life Back, best-selling author, John Eldridge talks about “benevolent detachment,” which is the means we can (and should) get our lives back. Benevolent detachment is “…getting untangled, stepping out of the quagmire; it means peeling apart the Velcro by which this person, relationship, crisis, or global issue has attached itself to you. Or you to it. Detachment means getting some healthy distance. Social media overloads our empathy. So I use the word “benevolent” in referring to this necessary kind of detachment because we’re not talking about cynicism or resignation. Benevolent means kindness. It means something done in love.”
Eldridge goes on to quote Matthew 11:28-30, explaining that Jesus invites us all into a way of living where we are genuinely comfortable turning things over to him: ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away
with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’
The “benevolent detachment” prayer is simple: “Jesus, I give everyone and everything to you.” However, I don’t want you to think living this out is simple! Although my wife and I strive to begin and end every day with this prayer, life often throws us a curveball. And we are okay with that. Every day is a new day, so we try again and again. God extends grace and mercy to us, and we extend it to each other and ourselves.
This is not going to be a quick fix nor is it going to be an easy battle. As most of us know, freedom is never free, and it comes with much sacrifice. Trying harder is not always the answer. Be gracious and kind to yourself and to others. You are going to need it. The ongoing ethic of confession and repentance amid gospelcentered (i.e., good news) community are the keys to success from my perspective. With no judgment and tons of grace, let us walk together on this journey and encourage one another. I’d like to invite you to visit our humble little community at Patch Chapel, Sundays at 1100. I’d love to personally connect with you over a cup of tea or coffee and talk about the Journey to freedom through being more present with each other!
U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart welcomed a new enlisted leader while bidding farewell to the previous Command Sgt. Major in a ceremony March 20 at Panzer Kaserne.
Those attending the Change of Responsibility ceremony witnessed Command Sgt. Major Denice Malave take the unit flag after Command Sgt. Major Billy Norman relinquished them. USAG Stuttgart Commander Col. Matthew Ziglar presided over the event, which was attended by guests from garrisons across Europe and local host nation dignitaries.
Malave joins the garrison from Fort Stewart where she was the senior enlisted advisor for the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade. Malave said she is ready to take over yet another vital role in her career, especially during women’s history month.
“I am truly excited to have reached this level of responsibility in the army,” said Malave. “ I never thought I would make it and I am glad the army has instilled some trust and confidence in me to continue to serve the people, the soldiers, and the organization.”
Malave welcomes the opportunity to work at the garrison level and has made it her top priority to build relationships.
“We tend to kind of build relationships within our own footprint but I think there are other entities that we depend on,” she said. “I think that we can do a better job or improve the relationships out there to better support not only the garrison but all the other tenant unions and the organization as a whole.”
Command Sgt. Major Norman, was presented with awards for his dedication and hard work during his 27-month term in Stuttgart. During a heartfelt speech given by Ziglar, Norman was praised in a speech called “Billy cares”, an anecdote to his compassionate nature and willingness to help improve the lives of the USAG Stuttgart community.
Smiling faces and proud family members patiently listened to every single new firefighter’s name as they joined the garrison’s ranks. It was the first major graduation event the USAG Stuttgart Fire Department in many years as they welcomed 11 new recruits, April 17.
It’s a big win for the garrison, which has alway been challenged with a tough hiring market, not only fighting for candidates against local cities, but competing with companies like Mercedes and Porsche.
So this year the garrison offered another incentive – free training.
“Since we were limited to only hiring volunteer firefighters we decided to do the training ourselves,” said the USAG Stuttgart Fire Chief Michael Ambacher.
That incentive turned out to not only be a success for the fire station, prompting the unprecedented ceremony but a success for the new recruits.
“Since I was already a volunteer firefighter this wasn’t completely new to me but it was a different experience, it’s a new world,” said new recruit Torben Petersen.
Unlike the four weekend-long volunteer firefighter training, the garrison did an intensive training over four weeks, “We quadrupled the time that it takes, which means more evolutions and more training,” said Ambacher.
For Fotios Chochlakas, a former security guard at Stuttgart, the training included incentive was life changing. “I am from Greece and this was always my dream job but I didn’t have the opportunity to train when I was a security guard.”
Recruits like Peterson and Malena Jörg come from various different backgrounds but had the urge to do something else with their life, so this opportunity was exactly what they had been waiting for.
“I finished my commercial apprenticeship and realized that I needed something different,” said Jörg. “I had been a volunteer firefighter for a few years and really enjoyed it ,which is why I thought to myself that I should apply here.”
Although the recruits may have had different careers in their previous lives, one thing they have in common is the fact that they take great pride in what they do.
“It is my honor that I get to work for the USAG Stuttgart Fire Department, I hope that I can save someone one day, ”Chochlakas said.
Public transit agencies across Germany are taking customer orders for a new public transit ticket which offers nationwide validity at a lower cost than any existing transit subscription for the Stuttgart area alone.
The Deutschlandticket, which begins May 1, offers unlimited use of local trains and buses throughout Germany at a price of €49 per month, charged as a subscription which is cancellable on a monthly basis. It was developed by the German federal and state governments as an enduring follow-up to the highly popular but temporary “9-Euro-Ticket” offered from June-August 2022.
The ticket – which is only offered in “paperless” form via smartphone or chip card – is valid for all types of local and regional public transit, including buses, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, and non-long distance trains (with prefixes RB, RE, IRE, and MEX) across the country. This also includes the ‘Zacke’ (rack railway) and Seilbahn (historic cable car) in Stuttgart, both of which are operated by the city’s transit company (SSB), and ferries operated by the local transit company in cities such as Berlin and Hamburg.
They are not valid for travel on long distance trains (with prefixes ICE, IC, EC, or the Flixtrain) or long distance buses (such as Flixbus). One exception is trains running on the Stuttgart-SingenKonstanz route, which also stop in Böblingen and Sindelfingen.
Day tickets still available
Two special day tickets sold by DB offer the Deutschlandticket’s flexibility without its commitment.
The Baden-Württemberg ticket applies to regional transit, not IC or ICE trains, and your usage must begin after 9 a.m. on weekdays; it is valid all day on weekends and German holidays. This ticket is perfect for day trips on regional trains and the S-Bahn/local transit for solo travel or with a group of friends within Baden-Württemberg (going outside the VVS service area). Make sure your train will arrive before the ticket expires.
The Quer-durchs-Land (across the country) ticket offers unlimited regional train travel for one day throughout Germany. Like the BW Ticket, it can be good for up to five people. This type of ticket also does not include travel on true “long distance” trains like the ICE –traveling to Berlin on this ticket from Stuttgart, for example, would take 10-11 hours and multiple changes.
The Deutschlandticket and JugendTicketBW are not available from ticket machines, but can bepurchasedonline/viamobileapp,atDBtravel centers, and VVS and SSB customer centers in the Stuttgart region. The Baden-Württemberg ticket and Querdurchs-Land can be purchased through the DB Navigator mobile app or from station ticket machines and sales desks.
If you need ideas on putting your ticket to good use, visit the “Things to Do” menu in the USAG Stuttgart mobile app and tap “Stuttgart Area Day Trips” for a selection of nearby destinations reachable using local and regional public transit (i.e., the types allowed using any of the tickets described on this page) in two hours or less.
Trains on this route are labeled as both IC and RE, so tickets for local and regional transit are valid here.
The Deutschlandticket is normally tied to an individual but can be offered as a ‘TicketPlus’ for an additional monthly charge. A ‘TicketPlus’ offers perks valid only within the VVS (Stuttgart region public transit) service area such as transferability to another person and the ability to take children or a companion with you at certain times for free.
While there is no age restriction on the Deutschlandticket, children under 6 travel for free in Deutsche Bahn (DB) trains and in Stuttgart regional transit, so they do not need their own tickets. Children aged 6-14 require their own tickets.
A new type of youth subscription, called the JugendTicketBW, was introduced in March 2023, at a cost of €365 per person, per year.
The ticket can be purchased for children and young people aged 20 and younger with only proof of age, but is valid only within the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is available initially as a one-year subscription but can be canceled on a monthly basis after that period. The ticket is also available to people up to age 26 who remain students, trainees, or fall into another qualifying category.
There’s something in the water at the Galeano residence and Stuttgart needs more of it.
The family swept the top awards at the garrison’s annual volunteer recognition ceremony with father Lt. Col. Rick Galeano named Military Volunteer of Year; mother, Katrin Galeano as Spouse Volunteer of the Year; and daughter, Anna Galeano as Youth Volunteer of the Year.
They are three of the garrison’s 452 registered volunteers who in total gave more than 36,000 hours of service to the community.
Rick said to see his entire family on stage was “surreal and humbling.” “We wouldn’t be in the position without other volunteers.”
A den leader for Cub Scout Pack 44 and scoutmaster for Troop 44, he was recognized for growing the local program including bringing on Stuttgart’s first female scoutleader. An organization he said relies on volunteer.
“The first thing I ask everyone is if they want to help volunteer with us,” he laughed.
“Stuttgart’s the definition of synergy,” said Katrin. As president of the Stuttgart High School Music Boosters, her team raised more than $10,000 to fund local music programs and scholarships. Not only was she recognized as Stuttgart’s top spouse, the SHS Music Boosters were recognized as the top team.
What’s the special sauce to Galeano family volunteerism? Rick claims it was catalyzed by the pandemic.
“It was hard being locked down,” Rick said about his time living in the Stuttgart Military Community in 2020. “I think we got tired of staring at each other in the house. We needed to get outside and see people again.”
His daughter, Anna, who won the Youth prize for her work breaking down financial barriers to music and honor societies at Stuttgart High School, disagreed. She was born with the need to volunteer.
“Ever since I remember, volunteering has been a part of my life,” she said.
Anna recounted when she was a Kindergartner handing out water while her family built homes for veterans in the hot El Paso, Texas desert. There’s even a moment (with documented proof) where she scaled one of the roofs with a staple gun in hand. But it’s also small moments like rearranging books at the library with her mom and laying wreaths that have forged her volunteering ethos.
Katrina couldn’t help but agree with her daughter’s diagnosis of the Galeano volunteering trait. Twenty years ago, her life changed with one simple sentence: “Hey Kat, can you help out?” Rick was about to deploy and a fellow spouse asked her to volunteer.
“I immediately had this sense of belongingness,” she said. Ever since, the Galeano’s first order of business at a new duty station is asking where they can volunteer. They urge every family to give a volunteering a try.
“I encourage everyone to volunteer, everyone brings a unique experience – volunteerism builds our communities,” said Rick.
“You won’t regret it!”
“Ever since I remember, volunteering has been a part of my life,” Anna Galeano said.Story & photo by Marcus Fichtl
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs
“This was a target of opportunity, to do it correctly, and only have one period of inconvenience,” said Terry Walker, Chief of Engineering in DPW.
When the work is done in late 2023, Hamilton says people should expect a phenomenal running surface and a well-lit field. “They’re going to upgrade the whole thing,” said Hamilton. “It’s going to be one of those surfaces that people will WANT to do PT on.
“We received approval for $400,000 worth of new cardio equipment,” said Hamilton. “The goal is to replace just about every piece of cardio equipment we have in inventory.”
Hamilton says the replacement equipment may take the better part of six months or a year before it’s all installed. He says the equipment is being built in the United States and then has to be shipped over and installed.
The final piece of news on the fitness front is an expansion of the facility at Kelley Barracks. Plans call for the project to start later in 2023. The impact to the building should be minimal as the project calls for new construction to be added to the existing facility.
“We’re hoping to add new functional fitness space
By John H. Campbell USAG Stuttgart Public AffairsWhen John Hamilton, the Community Recreation Officer for U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart was in the region on a previous assignment, he took notice of the condition of the running surface at Husky Field on Patch Barracks.
“It was poor, at best, when I was here a decade ago,” said Hamilton. “Now, it’s poor times ten.”
Not for much longer, the garrison plans to replace the running track and install new LED lights over the next year. Work is expected to get underway in the coming weeks.
“Right after spring sports season is over, we will start working on Husky Field,” said Corinna Fritz, Project Engineer in the garrison’s Directorate of Public Works (DPW). “Throughout the period of construction, the field will be closed to the public.”
The original plan was to only upgrade the lighting at Husky Field, but planners found an opportunity and the funding to replace the track as well.
We’re very excited.”
Hamilton says work continues on the Patch Fitness Center next door to Husky Field. The project recently entered Phase 2 of the renovation, which means a lot of equipment has been relocated in the facility.
“A good 70 percent of our fitness facility is shut down because they’re installation the new HVAC and fire suppression system,” said Hamilton. “We’ve had to move equipment. Unfortunately, we can’t move it all to the basketball court. We’re trying to consolidate and offer as much variety as we can to customers on Patch Barracks.”
Additionally, Hamilton says work will begin soon to replace cardio equipment in ALL of the garrison’s fitness facilities.
to be able to allow people to train and offer more equipment than we currently have at Kelley,” said Hamilton.
Members of the military community will have the opportunity to showcase their fitness ability (or run for fun) on May 13 at the “Rock the 80’s” 5k fun run to be held at Patch Barracks.
“We have a very avid running population,” said Hamilton. “A lot of installations with younger demographics also have runs, but you don’t see the same type of zest for that type of event as you do here in Stuttgart.”
For more information on fitness programs and facilities in the region visit the USAG Stuttgart Family and MWR website at stuttgart.armymwr.com.
When Jamie Ruffini came to work on top of Patch Barracks’ brand new School Age Center last March, Stuttgart’s Child and Youth Coordinator expected another normal workday, but instead, to her surprise, her office-space was filled to the brim with her closest friends and colleagues. They were finally ready to spill a big secret. She had just won one of Installation Management Command - Europe’s biggest prizes – The Norman H. Marcus Award.
The Norman H. Marcus Award recognizes a person’s achievement for creating a long-lasting effect on the community. Each year IMCOM-E presents the award to one person who has contributed long-lasting effects on Family and MWR programs.
“It was a huge honor and it means a lot to me as I’ve spent most of my career here in Europe,” said Ruffini.
Ruffini always knew she wanted to work with children, although originally she had planned to become a pediatric nurse, her university offered a renowned early childhood program, and she decided to take the plunge.
“I switched my majors,” she said.
After college she took a job as a preschool teacher in Kansas City, but as the daughter of a Marine she soon found herself gravitating toward the military. And before she knew it, she was on a plane to Katterbach Kaserne in Ansbach, Germany.
Mostly staying in Europe, Ruffini’s career quickly progressed, her jobs included Training & Curriculum Specialist, CDC Director, and her current position in Stuttgart as the CYS Coordinator where she’s led the garrison’s program since 2014.
Pictures of children from all kinds of different backgrounds decorate the wall behind her desk. A pastiche of her 25-year-long career.
“I wanted to represent the diversity of military children, a lot of these are snapshots that I have taken over the years,” she said.
Although it was the children that had originally inspired her at her work every day, that motivation was later reenergized by the opportunity to help her colleagues become better at their jobs.
“I enjoyed working with adults, training them, and helping them develop professionally,” Ruffini said.
When she was presented the award by Garrison Commander, Col. Matt Ziglar, he explained how the frame of the award was made out of wood from Belleau Wood, a famed World War I battle site where U.S. Marines fought. This made the award more personal and meaningful for Ruffini as her father was a retired Marine Colonel.
She remembers visiting Belleau Wood just Northeast of Paris, a hallowed site for Marines as it’s considered the Corps’ first large-scale engagement and one of the few Marine battles in Europe.
Ruffini visited the sites with her friends, what stuck with her were the young Marines who would take the water from the memorial fountain and ceremoniously wet their faces with it.
“It was very touching,” she said.
Working with CYS differs a lot from working similar jobs in the private sector. Ruffini has had many different jobs during her career, having to wear many different hats - including a hard hat.
“I have done a lot of work with construction, something I never thought I would do,” she said, explaining all the regulatory work every new CYS facility has to adhere to. “But it’s not just the construction part that I would tell someone to stay with CYS, but more the fact that there is such a variety of opportunities.”
Having an office on top of a building full of children and hearing them play all day, may not be the ideal location for many, but to Ruffini it’s been the drumbeat to her long career.
“It’s the background noise that keeps me going and reminds me why we’re all here,” she said.
“I
the diversity of military children, a lot of these are snapshots that I have taken,” Jamie Ruffini said.
JamieRuffini in her office above the School Aged Center.
Nestled near the suburban town of Böblingen on the outskirts of Stuttgart lies historic Panzer Kaserne. It is one of only a handful of local installations still serving the U.S. military from the more than 40 that were in operation at the height of the Cold War. The post occupies a portion of the Schönbuch Forest, a thriving woodland once filled with deer and wild boar and now a popular site for daily hikers and cyclists. In the now 85 years of the kaserne’s existence, it has hosted a variety of organizations and served as home to thousands of military service members and their families.
The German Army purchased 620 hectares of local forest from Böblingen in 1936 and began clearing the land to build a garrison for an armored tank, or panzer, regiment. The site was somewhat remote at the time and had no water or electrical lines nor even a direct road to it. Construction of the kaserne also was delayed by a lack of cement and other building materials that the German military needed to build other installations in the Stuttgart region, such as today’s Patch and Kelley Barracks. Nevertheless, by early April 1938 work on the post was officially complete. It formally opened for operations on 9 April when the troops and tanks of PanzerRegiment 8 were greeted by local residents and made their way from the nearby rail line that still runs through Böblingen to occupy their new home. The garrison was officially christened as Hindenburg and Ludendorff Kaserne in memory of the two generals who commanded the Imperial Germany Army during the final offensives of World War I.
Given that armored warfare was considered a cutting-edge military capability at the time, the troops and facilities at the kaserne were well-resourced and provisioned. This included a large firing range and training area that are still in operation today.
Following a period of intensive preparation, PanzerRegiment 8 would deploy from its Böblingen home to participate in many of the early campaigns at the start of World War II, such as Poland in September 1939 and France in May 1940. Later, in April 1941 the unit transferred to North Africa where it served in the famed Deutsche Afrika Korps led by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, a native son of Württemberg. However, by 1943 the tide of war already was tilting against Germany as the United States joined the conflict in earnest. Emblematic of the change in fortune, the remnants of the once vaunted Panzer-Regiment 8, having run out of fuel and provisions, surrendered to the American 1st Armored Division on 9 May 1943 in Tunisia. Back at the Böblingen kaserne, replacements were reorganized as Panzer-Battalion 8 and trained for combat against the Soviet Army on the Eastern Front, where it served until spring 1945.
Elements of the French First Army were the initial Allied contingent to occupy the post at the end of the war. In July 1945, most of the Stuttgart region, to include Böblingen, was incorporated into the American occupation zone, and an artillery battalion of the 100th Infantry Division were the first U.S. troops assigned to the post. In the immediate aftermath of the war, the kaserne
also briefly served as a temporary camp for Displaced Persons (DPs), but primarily, it hosted units of the U.S. Constabulary that was responsible for carrying out occupation duties in the area. Its name was changed in this period as well, initially referred to as simply the Böblingen Kaserne, but then later formally renamed as Panzer Kaserne because of its original affiliation with armored units.
During the transition from occupation to a new focus on the emerging Cold War, the U.S. Army began
transforming the post into a garrison usable for its own purposes, which included support facilities for families who would soon be joining their service members overseas. A post theater and gas station were constructed in the late 1940s, which were followed by the chapel and original gym facilities in 1950. The next year the U.S. Army began construction of family housing units for approximately 950 residents, leading locals to often refer to that area of the post as “Little America.”
As was the case with almost every American installation at this time, family housing construction was a crucial opportunity to employ local German businesses and workers as part of the larger European economic recovery program known as the Marshall Plan. The former Officers Kasino, or Club, located along Waldburgstrasse served as the original Panzer Hotel until 2000, when it closed and became known as the “Firehouse” where the garrison fire department is currently located. Many more changes have taken place over the past several decades that have transformed the post into the Panzer Kaserne we know today. In February 2007, a new Exchange and associated shopping mall opened, which were followed by a new hotel in 2010 and the new Stuttgart High School and Elementary School in 2016. More changes, like a new commissary are expected to come for this vital support hub of the wider U.S. military community.
Operationally, Panzer Kaserne has hosted a variety of organizations in the decades it has served the U.S. military. Early in the Cold War, communications units like the 301st Signal Group and later the 160th Signal Group, supported the headquarters of the U.S. Seventh Army at Patch Barracks and VII Corps at Kelley Barracks. In early 1967, the Special Operations Task Force-Europe, later known as Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR), briefly took up residence at the post before moving to Patch Barracks just a year later. They were soon followed by Army combat units consisting of infantry and armor battalions of the 1st Infantry Division throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Following their successful deployments in support of Operations DESERT STORM and DESERT SHIELD in 1990-1991, these units were redeployed back to the United States as part of the post-Cold War drawdowns taking place across Europe. Their facilities on Panzer were taken over by elements of the 10th Special Forces Group, who moved from their longtime home at Bad Tölz in Bavaria. Shortly afterwards in 1993, the kaserne welcomed a new tenant, Fleet Marine Forces Europe, which later became Marine Corps Forces Europe (MARFOREUR). Over a decade later as U.S. Africa Command was being established at Kelley in 2007-2008, the 6th Area Support Group that was responsible for managing the various installations around Stuttgart moved to Panzer and was renamed the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart.
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“Witnessing the gratitude from those we served food to, and the blessings bestowed upon us, filled me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Terence Deleon Guerrero, a mass communications specialist assigned to AFN Stuttgart. “It serves as a reminder that giving of not just our resources, but our time, is a noble gesture that sets an admirable example for our entire community to emulate.”
This outreach endeavor carried historical meaning, since it signified the onset of a groundbreaking collaboration between the Marines, AFN and USAG Stuttgart, and the support organization 'Stille Not'. Notably, the latter was founded by Nopper.
The event served as a testament to the abiding camaraderie between the two nations and paved the way for more cooperative ventures, all while adhering to the Department of Defense's guiding tenets of "taking care of people" and "strengthening solidarity and unity with our allies and partners."
By Sgt. Daniel Wyatt AFN StuttgartDisk jockeys from American Forces Network Stuttgart traded their turn tables for dancing shoes as they teamed up with United States Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and Stuttgart’s First Lady, Gudrun Nopper to spend Easter with the less fortunate at the city’s Biergarten im Schlossgarten, Apr. 3.
“We extended an invitation to underprivileged senior members of the community for an afternoon of music and delectable treats,” said Nopper. ”Attendees shared their delight in watching the U.S. military dancing with people, expressing that it warmed their heart as it embodied the essence of such events; bringing together a sense of family.”
The occasion presented a unique opportunity for the troops to offer their unwavering support to the Stuttgart community. Additionally, it served as a moment of introspection and reflection as they recognized their fortunate circumstances.
Fostering a sense of community and building strong connections with our friends in Stuttgart is of paramount importance in cultivating unity and solidarity,” said Master Sgt. Andrew Wentworth, acting first sergeant, assigned to HQ MARFOREUR/AF “Our engagement with the locals not only provides them with an opportunity to interact with us, but it also helps them to see that we take immense pride in being here to offer assistance, and we relish the opportunity to do so."
Sgt. Zachery Schoen, AFN Stuttgart’s Chief Engineer, dances with a local Stuttgart resident.
The Independence Day celebration is a momentous event for Americans, especially while living in Germany; service members, retirees, civilians, and their families and friends come together for a day of unity, patriotism, and recognition for the sacrifices made to uphold the freedoms that Americans enjoy today. This year, the Independence Day
Celebration in USAG Stuttgart will take place at Panzer Kaserne on the 4th of July. The event promises to be a day filled with excitement and fun for all.
The celebration is set to be one of the biggest and most enjoyable yet. The military community will have access to entertainment, food, and games throughout the day, and for the first time in many years, the German community is invited to join in the festivities. It is a chance to come together
with our host nation, neighbors, and friends to celebrate this special occasion.
The festivities kick off at 4 p.m. with DJ Fletcher stirring up the crowd to the rhythm of the music while guests enjoy various food and drinks from a wide selection of food trucks. The food options are diverse, with American, French, Korean, Greek, Indian, Italian, Turkish and German cuisine, as well as a candy truck for those with a sweet tooth. Four drink stations will
ensure everyone stays refreshed with nonalcoholic beverages and German & American beer. The main musical act will start at 8:30 p.m. and is guaranteed to get the crowd dancing. The highlight of the event will be the fireworks display illuminating the sky around 10:30 p.m. Festivities conclude after the fireworks.
Enjoy inflatables and tons of other activities by purchasing your wristbands during the pre-sale at select MWR facilities. On the day of the event, wristbands will also be available for purchase and provide access to all inflatables, a small carousel, a Kinder bull, water boats, inflatable water balls, a jumbo racing slide, water tables, a ninja challenge, bungee trampolines, a rock wall, slackline, air-jump, trampoline, bull riding, arts and crafts, and carnival games with prizes.
Overall, the Independence Day Celebration on Panzer Kaserne is set to be an unforgettable event, with an excellent lineup of entertainment, food, and activities for people of all ages. So, mark your calendars and come celebrate the Fourth of July in style!
For updated information, visit stuttgart.armymwr.com.
The Stuttgart region loves its festivals, but when it comes to frequency and diversity, there’s no time quite like the summer. From music festivals to showcases of food and world culture, the options are endless. Our rundown divides a wide selection of events into three general categories with some degree of overlap.
Consider using public transit to get to these events due to busy or closed roads and limited nearby parking. Apps such as VVS Mobil, SSB Move, and DB Navigator offer customized door-to-door public transit routing and the ability to buy tickets on your mobile device.
Credit cards are increasingly accepted at vendor booths, but it’s still a good idea to have enough cash to cover intended purchases.
Aside from the largest events, most informational websites are only in German, so using a free translation app or browser extension will help to make most things roughly understandable. While many activities will, of course, also be in German, don’t feel intimidated — dancing, music, fireworks, and food transcend languages.
This list is provided solely for informational/ cultural awareness purposes; inclusion of an event does not imply endorsement.
Most local towns and villages host at least one marquee street festival in the summertime, as do most districts of Stuttgart. These events typically feature live music or DJs and stages for artistic performances along with activities for children. They are open access and have no admission fee, with a wide selection of food, drinks, and other products available for sale from vendors. When they take place in a town center over a Sunday, the day is often (but not always) designated as a special “Shopping Sunday,” with nearby stores open for business.
• Stuttgart-Vaihingen, home to Patch Barracks, kicks off the spring/summer season with its Vaihinger Frühling (May 6-7) at the Vaihingen Marktplatz.
• The half-century old Backnang Street Festival (June 23-26) brings six musical stages to the streets and alleyways of this historic town northeast of Stuttgart.
• The Heusteigviertel in Stuttgart-Süd, full of neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau architecture, holds its bustling fest from June 23-25.
• Böblingen’s City Festival (June 30-July 2) centers around Schlossberg, with a flea market along Bahnhofstraße.
• July marks the busiest month for neighborhood festivals in Stuttgart. Highlights include the Marienplatzfest (June 29-July 2), featuring a robust live music program which later turns to a silent disco; Westallee (July 7-9), StuttgartWest’s “alternative” festival; and Bohnenviertelfest (July 20-22), whose neighborhood takes its name from the practice of its poorer residents growing beans in their gardens hundreds of years ago. The Henkersfest (or ‘Hangman’s Fest’), which takes place at the city’s Middle Ages execution site of Wilhelmsplatz in Stuttgart-Mitte has not confirmed dates as of press time but typically takes place in mid-to-late July.
• Also close by, the Nürtingen Neckarfest transforms the city’s riverfront into a cultural hub from July 7-8 while SchoWo, or Schorndorf Week (July 14-18), offers more than 100 activities over five days across the birth city of pioneering engineer and industrialist Gottlieb Daimler.
• The Sindelfinger Schlemmermarkt (gourmet market) takes place at the city’s Marktplatz from May 18-21.
• The Afrika Festival (July 7-9) returns to Erwin-SchöttlePlatz for the first time in three years with food, fashion shows, concerts, an African market, and more.
• The 34th Hamburg Fish Market at Karlsplatz (July 6-16) helps fill the fish-sized void in landlocked Stuttgart’s culinary scene for ten days each year – but vendors also have plenty of other options available (including sweets and desserts), and its party atmosphere attracts visitors from far and wide.
• The Summer Festival of Cultures (July 11-16), with its stage set up prominently on Marktplatz, is southern Germany’s largest world music festival and celebrates Stuttgart’s diversity with an eclectic array of musical and other performances. Food stalls run by local clubs dish out numerous types of homemade food, ranging from Kurdish and Eritrean to Peruvian and Hungarian.
• The Wine and Pretzel Fest in Bad Cannstatt’s old town, which prides itself on being the area’s first street/city festival, is usually held in late July.
• Esslingen’s Estival, on the market square from August 4 to 16, has a full entertainment program but highlights its culinary offerings as ‘regional and international, traditional and reinvented.”
• The Stuttgarter Weindorf (Wine Village), from August 30 to Sept. 10, converts Schillerplatz, Marktplatz, and the street between them into a sea of quaint pop-up stalls and restaurants showcasing wine from local vineyards and the best of regional cuisine.
• The Ludwigsburg Festival runs from May 11 through July 22, presenting numerous artistic and musical performances in venues scattered throughout the city and its sprawling palace complex.
• The courtyard of the Neues Schloss hosts the main stage of the Jazz Open Stuttgart (July 13-23), which has gradually become as “open” as it is “jazz.” Tickets range from €25 - 275; this year’s headliners include Branford Marsalis, Deep Purple, Parov Stelar, and Joss Stone.
• Killesberg Park holds its annual ‘Lichterfest’ (Festival of Lights), with light shows and fireworks, July 15.
• From June 16 - July 7, the Musikfest Stuttgart is mostly, but not exclusively, classical-focused, with concerts ranging from orchestral and choral to jazz with Arabic verse.
• On the Saturday of Ballet in the Park (July 22-23), the world-renowned Stuttgart Ballet simulcasts a live performance from the Opera House to a giant screen set up in the lawn opposite for a crowd seated on their own blankets or soft chairs; Sunday features pieces by talented members of its training school.
• Christopher Street Day is Stuttgart’s LGBTQ+ Pride celebration, with a parade through the city center on July 29 and a street festival July 29-30 between Marktplatz and Schillerplatz.
• Flammende Sterne, held in Ostfildern’s Scharnhauser Park August 25-27, is an international fireworks competition where invited teams wow audiences with impressive displays synchronized to music. The event also includes laser light shows, street art, and a festival market with abundant food and drinks.
• Individual planning, Germany wide and Benelux etc.
• Use your LQA, OHA and other allowances for your own home
• Mortgages available to service members, DoD civilians, contractors
• Also to EU/ UN / NATO employees, non-German tax-payers and expatriates
• More than 20 years of experience
9 single family homes for TLA 300 apartments
Fully furnished with all amenities English
Theresa Hollivay is USAG Stuttgart’s new Housing Community Specialist. She’s also the contracting representative officer for the housing referral and the program. In a nutshell her job is to bridge communication between the housing office and residents. We recently asked her to take us through her normal business day, what she likes most about her new duties and how she deals with tough days.
Editor’s Note: The conversation has been lightly edited.
How long have you been in Germany?
This month will make it a year, but I have only taken over my new duties since this January.
What are your new duties as a Housing Manager Specialist?
I reach out to the specialists and the building coordinators, making sure the information on our bulletin boards are correct. We assist with work orders, service orders, and anything else a resident or building would need. Plus you can always reach out to me and since my number is everywhere, my phone is ringing all the time (laughs).
What do you like most about your new position?
Being able to help our customers, and making sure that they get all of the information that they need, especially for the incoming people as the process can be very overwhelming. I tell them the do’s
and the don’ts. No matter what, we’re gonna find you an answer or a solution.
Sowhat does a normal day look like in your job?
My door stays open, I try to help everyone and make sure that they’re happy. I try to give them something to make them smile.
What inspires you during tough times in your job?
That it’s gonna be better. When I get nervous I just start laughing. Most people don’t understand that but it’s my got to release. It changes the tempo in the room. It’s my way of diffusing or trying to make a conversation better.
I also take a walk whenever I feel overwhelmed. Then I come back to the office and leave everything at the front door, walking in as a new me. In housing, you’re dealing with a lot of stressed people and sometimes a friendly face helps them along.
Was it always your goal to get to where you are now?
Yes, my goal was to be able to come to Germany
for a bit before I retire and then go back to the states. My mother and mother in law were so mad at me when I told them I was going to Germany, but I reassured them that it was only going to be for three years.
What is it about Germany that made you want to come here?
I’ve been here before… in 1987. The wall was still up. My husband was a drill sergeant and I came over here as his dependent. Now he is retired and takes care of me whilst I go to work. (chuckles)
What advice would you give to your younger self?
To start earlier, I wish I would have done something like this much earlier in my life. I’ll probably do this for the next seven years before I retire.
Any advice you would like to give to people who may be in-processing?
Make sure that you give us your correct e-mail address, this makes communication between the customer and the housing office much easier. Watch out for grease, make sure that you are cleaning your filters above your stove every three months.
At H&R Block, we stand behind our work. If we make a mistake, we will pay any additional interest and penalties. Plus, if the IRS should call you in for an audit, we will explain your audit notice and the documentation you need to provide, at no extra cost. We have experts on hand year around to help you. All prior years can be done as well.
I tell them every time I go there how much I appreciate that they’re like that.
Sue, contractor: I was in line once and didn’t have any cash on me. I didn’t know that this place didn’t take credit cards. The person behind me just gave me five Euros and even when I told her I would give her my address she would not take it. She just told me to pay it forward, which I do every time I can now.
Israel, support services specialist:
My supervisor told me in my first week that I was doing a good job. I was really surprised and felt that it was so thoughtful to encourage me. I really liked that and really didn’t expect it.
Mike, sales person:
I got a lot of help whilst PCS’ing here from a friend, giving me all the tips and making my transition here much easier.
Miriam, stay at home mum:
I actually have two. Once my car broke down and I didn’t have a vehicle to get to work. My German neighbor took off work just to drive me to the base which was incredibly sweet. Another time was when we had just moved into our new home. We had boxes everywhere and one of our neighbors came by and brought us food they had made. I really didn’t expect that at all.
Emma, housewife:
Boris, electrician: I had a friend take me in when I had nowhere to go. He supported me and helped me get my job.
My friend sent me a very sweet text telling me how much she appreciates me being in her life just like that. It made my day.
James, retired: I was having a bad day and told my wife on the phone. When I came home a few hours later I had discovered that she had made my favorite cake.
