WIESBADEN, Germany - Education, safety, housing and job opportunities were among the many topics addressed by a team from Fort Bliss, Texas, during a visit to Wiesbaden May 19-20.
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The team, led by Maj. Gen. Howard Bromberg, Fort Bliss commander, brought members of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, Fort Bliss School Liaison Office, Housing and other agencies to describe the massive transformation occurring on and around the west Texas installation in anticipation of the move of 1st Armored Division Headquarters from Wiesbaden to Fort Bliss in 2011.
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Bromberg, Command Sgt. Maj. David S. Davenport and school liaison officer Mary Avila joined Wiesbaden garrison leaders at Wiesbaden Middle School May 19 to recognize younger community members "who also serve." After handing out armbands to the Wiesbaden Middle and High School students to honor family member support of their service member parents who deploy, Bromberg took questions from students who may be headed to Fort Bliss in the future.
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"If your parents get orders, we look forward to seeing you in Fort Bliss," said the general, fielding questions ranging from "How safe is El Paso'" to "What kinds of high school sports are available'" and "What kinds of special events are there in El Paso'"
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Reassuring the students that El Paso is the second safest metropolitan city of its size in the United States and that there are plenty of opportunities for sports, special events and other opportunities, Bromberg thanked the youths for "being such great kids."
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During a town hall in the Flyers Theater that evening, Maj. Gen. Terry Wolff, 1st AD commander, and members of his staff joined the Fort Bliss team via video tele-conference from Iraq to address spouses' concerns about the planned move to Fort Bliss. Wolff led off the town hall by thanking families for their support and saying, "All of the Soldiers who work for U.S. Division-Center are really doing a great job out here. We are thrilled with the work they are doing."
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Like U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, Fort Bliss is in the middle of a massive construction effort that is transforming the installation which is "slightly bigger than the state of Rhode Island," said Bromberg. New housing, medical facilities, shopping areas, restaurants, schools and infrastructure are all part of the Department of Defense and city's efforts to prepare for the continued influx of units and individuals into Fort Bliss, said Bromberg and members of his team.
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"This is the largest transformation project for DoD since World War II," he said, explaining that of the $5 billion in construction planned, about $3 billion worth have been completed.
"We have everything in terms of Army family support that you would expect an Army installation to have," Bromberg said, adding that construction and renovations are ongoing "to meet the needs of a growing post."
"We've prepared for years for this and we look forward to you coming here," said Gus Rodriguez, board chairman with the El Paso Chamber of Commerce.
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Davenport, Fort Bliss's command sergeant major, who served for six years in Germany and is married to a German spouse, described how he was unsure what to expect when transferring to Fort Bliss. But after getting to know the installation, he said he found it a great place to live and serve. "Coming from Germany and coming to El Paso, I've never received such a warm welcome as I did in El Paso. ... We're more than prepared to receive you, and it's a great place to be a Soldier."
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The population of Fort Bliss is currently at about 25,000 Soldiers and is expected to grow by another 10,000 by next summer, said Bromberg.
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Attendees at the town hall asked questions about the quality of schools in the area, housing availability, crime in the area, medical care and special education programs.
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The Fort Bliss representatives reassured the spouses that both the city and military installation are prepared to meet their needs. With nine school districts and a wide range of on- and off-post housing, they said, incoming families should be able to find everything to meet their needs.
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People interested in more information about the area were advised to visit www.elpaso.org. The website offers statistics, links and details on education and recreation opportunities.
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Those seeking employment in the area were referred to www.elpasojobregister.com to post their resumes securely online.
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Members of the team also advised families seeking housing to visit ftblissfamilyhousing.com as soon as they get orders for Fort Bliss.
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For more information on Fort Bliss, visit https://www.bliss.army.mil.
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