German officials bring Christmas cheer to Marines in CMA

By Ignacio "Iggy"December 19, 2014

Thanks for the cookies
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City Mayor and deputies wait outside the CMA
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Cookies delivered to CMA
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U.S. Marines at Baumholder's Controlled Monitoring Area who will be spending Christmas away from their home and families were treated to some local German hospitality Dec. 17 when Guenther Jung, Baumholder city mayor, and Christian Flohr and Michael Roehrig, the city deputy mayors, presented them with boxes of home made Christmas cookies and tangerines.

Military members returning from Operation United Assistance in West Africa spend 21 days in the CMA to ensure they have not been infected with the Ebola virus.

"We are doing this to bring a little bit of Christmas to them while they are here in Baumholder," said Jung.

The cookies were prepared by Gabi Zahler, the mayor's secretary, and other volunteers.

The mayor made this gesture to express their solidarity with the U.S. military community and its efforts in ensuring the safety of the military members while in observation.

The work put in by German and American employees of the military community to create the monitoring area not only secures the safety of those in the monitoring area but also of the local community, explained the mayor.

"This is an excellent example of the strong and healthy relationship that exists between Germans and Americans here in Baumholder. Nurturing this solidarity helps create an environment of friendship and cooperation, now and in the years ahead," said Jung.