Wiesbaden hosts town hall meeting for Heidelberg

HEIDELBERG, Germany--To alleviate the concerns and questions surrounding the V Corps move to Wiesbaden this summer, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden staff hosted a town hall meeting April 27 at the Patrick Henry Village theater in Heidelberg. About 80 Soldiers and their families have been identified as among the first to move, said Dr. Robert Kandler, USAG Wiesbaden deputy commander. One of the general concerns of the transformation was space available in Wiesbaden and its surrounding communities. "When Wiesbaden was being looked at for being the new home of V Corps, this was definitely one of the main concerns. We have verified Wiesbaden is large enough to accommodate its growing population," said Kandler. The garrison is currently large enough to support about 7,500 military and civilians, said Roger Gerber, director, Transformation Stationing Management Office in Wiesbaden. The consolidation has been in the works for about three years and includes a new access control point and a parking structure to be completed this fall. Plans include discussion with the state of Hessen and city of Wiesbaden officials for a traffic circle to help ease the flow of traffic at the B455 intersection to the installation. Some of the buildings within the community are being renovated, said Gerber. A few of them will remain, but others, like the old movie theater on Wiesbaden Army Airfield, will become temporary operations buildings until the new Command and Battle Center is completed next year. On the rebuild list are the Hainerberg elementary and middle schools, said Frank E. Roehl, Department of Defense Dependents Schools Europe Heidelberg District superintendent. The high school will receive upgrades also. The current schools not only have plenty of room for incoming children, they are excitedly awaiting their arrival for the 2011-12 school year that begins Aug. 29, Roehl said. The new schools, though more modern, will not necessarily be any larger than the current ones, he added. Roehl said he recognizes the stress of being the new kid. At least one new student orientation will be held for children starting school in Wiesbaden this fall with a date to be determined. In addition, Roehl stressed parents of special-needs children should contact their current resources to make sure they are accommodated and the transition runs smoothly. David Holt, from the Directorate of Public Works housing office added that in specific situations, exceptions to policy from USAG Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg Housing may be permitted for families who wish to remain in Heidelberg. "As in every situation, we deal with everyone individually, but those who elect to remain in the Heidelberg footprint and commute will have their housing records maintained at USAG Baden-WAfA1/4rttemberg Housing," added Holt. The Wiesbaden team will assist in the coordination to complete door-to-door moves. Upon receipt of Wiesbaden orders, the servicemember or civilian should contact the Wiesbaden Housing office. The online Automated Housing Referral Network (www.ahrn.com) should be ready to service the Wiesbaden community sometime this month, Holt said. Other topics covered during the town hall meeting included the capabilities of the health, dental and veterinary clinics and the Exchange. The health clinic mainly focuses on primary care visits due to its size, with servicemembers being the first priority, followed by family members. The clinic is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with extended hours on Tuesdays. Patients have access to bilingual liaisons 24/7, said Lt. Col. Tony Tidwell. The dental clinic is open 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, but in the case of an emergency like a tooth abscess, Soldiers should contact the Military Police station during off-duty times and the on-call surgeon and staff will accommodate those emergencies, said Larry Jackson, readiness and wellness coordinator. Jackson emphasized that since there is a surgeon on duty at all hours, servicemembers will not be reimbursed should they visit a dentist on the economy. All inbound animals must be registered at the veterinary clinic within 14 days of arrival, and dog owners should take note of Hessen's dog policy, which includes a more extensive list of dangerous dogs than Baden-WAfA1/4rrtemberg's, Kandler said. The Exchange has shopping facilities in the Hainerberg Housing Area,at Wiesbaden Army Airfield and Mainz-Kastel Station with more to come. An Exchange shopping mall is being designed and construction will begin next year at Hainerberg.