• MP Front Desk & Fire Dept. Phone Numbers - The on-post phone numbers to the MP Front Desk and Garrison Fire Department are temporarily down. In the event of an emergency, please use these numbers instead: MP Front Desk: 0162-270-8751; Garrison Fire Department: 0980-295-8635
• Emergency Work Orders - The DPW Emergency Work Order phone number (09641-70-587-115) is currently down. For emergency work orders, call 0162-271-1490. After-hours work order emergencies are defined as work required to repair a problem endangering life, safety or health.
• Scheduled E-Checks - Scheduled electrical safety tests this week at Katterbach. More...
• Inbound, outbound traffic at Katterbach-Bismarck rerouted - Effective immediately, inbound and outbound traffic at Katterbach and Bismarck Kasernes is rerouted following a May 29 accident that damaged the crossover traffic light. Katterbach South Gate (High School Gate) closed until further notice. More...
• USAG Ansbach-wide scheduled power outages - Garrison public works crews must shut power off across USAG Ansbach installations to conduct annual maintenance on transformer stations. Dates & Locations...
• Weekly IMCOM Sampler - Here’s what’s happening at U.S. Army Garrisons around the world. More…
• Eye on AMC - What’s happening within the U.S. Army Materiel Command—IMCOM’s senior command. More…

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• July 18: Windy 25 Memorial Ceremony & 5K, 12th CAB HQ, 8:30 a.m. More...
• July 19: Outdoor Recreation skydiving trip. More...
• July 22: 7th Engineer Brigade Change of Command, 10 a.m.
• July 22: Pub Night at Terrace Playhouse, 6 p.m. More...
• July 23: Volunteer Orientation & VMIS Training, 12:30 p.m. More...
• July 24: German Hunting Course informational meeting with Ansbach ODR. More...
• July 24: Biergarten at the Von Steuben. More...
• July 25: ACS 60th Birthday. More...
• July 26: Outdoor Recreation Klettersteig (Via Ferrata). More...
• July 30: Unaccompanied Housing Town Hall, Sadowski Theater, Bismarck, 1:30 p.m.
• July 31: Ansbach Hospital Maternity Tour with ACS. More...
• July 31: Biergarten at the Von Steuben. More...
• Aug. 1: Nuremberg by Rail with ACS. More...
• Aug. 5-8: Vacation Bible School for kids 5-12 (kindergarten-5th grade). More...
• Aug. 7: Biergarten at the Von Steuben. More...
• Aug. 8: Shopping on the Economy with ACS. More...
• Aug. 9: Local Stand-Up Paddle Boarding (SUP), 9 a.m. More...
• Aug. 14: Biergarten at the Von Steuben. More...
• Aug. 16-17: Outdoor Recreation trip to Prague. More...
• Aug. 28-Sept. 1: Outdoor Recreation trip to Vienna and Budapest. More...

• July 4-20: Kiliani Volksfest Wurzburg. More...
• July 18-27: Kinderzeche Dinkelsbühl. More…
• Aug. 1-3: Bardentreffen Nuremberg open air music festival. More...
• Aug. 2-3: Brauereifest Reichelshofen, local brewery festival. More...
• Aug. 8-10: Weinturm Open Air Music Festival Bad Windsheim. More...
• Aug. 15-17: Open Air Immeldorf rock and hippie concert about 15 minutes from Ansbach. More...

German Defense Minister Pistorius Travels to Washington

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is visiting Washington for high-level discussions with his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, focusing on NATO military cooperation and continued support for Ukraine. The visit coincides with U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement to sell Patriot air defense systems to European allies, including Germany, for delivery to Ukraine—a move that could solidify Germany's commitment to purchasing and transferring these systems. Other topics on the agenda include the future of the 38,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany, the potential deployment of U.S. medium-range missiles, and Germany's acquisition of 35 F-35 fighter jets for NATO's nuclear deterrence. Pistorius's brief visit underscores the urgency of these defense and geopolitical matters amidst evolving NATO and U.S.-EU relations. (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, July 14, 2025)

Disturbing flight noise at an eagle’s nest

Efforts to conserve ospreys, a species on the "Red List" of endangered animals, have been successful in the Ansbach district of Bavaria, where forestry employees have created a protected breeding ground near Aurach since 2019. This area, left unmanaged to avoid disturbing the birds, has seen 14 young ospreys hatch over seven years, with the latest fledglings beginning their flight training under parental care. However, disturbances from aircraft noise, including emergency rescue and military helicopter flyovers, have alarmed the sensitive osprey family, prompting forest manager Florian Vogel to seek intervention from authorities. The US Army responded by temporarily closing the training area and committing to measures to avoid future disturbances, highlighting the delicate balance between conservation and human activity. (Fraenkische Landeszeitung, July 14, 2025)

New Negotiations for US Armed Forces

The civilian employees of the US Army here in Hohenfels are looking to Berlin today with eager anticipation. There, the union ver.di is once again negotiating with the employers, the so-called stationed forces, which include the US Army, French, British, and Canadians. This is already the fourth round of collective bargaining. So far, the armed forces have only offered a 1.7 percent wage increase. ver.di is demanding a higher sock amount of €320, followed by a three percent wage increase. (Radio Charivari, July 14, 2025)

Carpenter brings history of training Ukrainians to bear on multifaceted HQ in Wiesbaden

Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter has assumed command of the newly merged 56th Multi-Domain Command in Wiesbaden, Germany, which combines the former 56th Artillery Command and 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force. This restructured headquarters is at the forefront of modern warfare, coordinating artillery, intelligence, and electronic warfare. Gen. Christopher Donahue praised outgoing commander Maj. Gen. John Rafferty for driving the Army’s transformation in Europe and highlighted Carpenter’s deep experience training over 10,000 Ukrainian troops at Grafenwoehr. Carpenter emphasized the importance of readiness and the unforgiving nature of war during the change of command ceremony. (Stars and Stripes, July 10, 2025)

State Parliament Passes Store closing hours Law: New Rules Starting in August

Bavaria’s State Parliament has passed a new store closing law, effective August 1, that retains the state’s strict 8 p.m. weekday closing time—unique in Germany—but introduces more flexible rules. The law allows municipalities to extend store hours until midnight on up to eight working days and permits individual stores to do so on four additional days with only a municipal notification. Small, staff-free digital micro-supermarkets may operate around the clock on Sundays, and tourist areas can have stores open on up to 40 Sundays and holidays with relaxed regulations. Despite these changes, the law upholds strict Sunday and holiday protections, emphasizing worker rights over economic expansion. (br24.de, July 11, 2025)

Refugee Number Halved: A Success for the New Federal Government?

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann announced a significant drop in asylum applications in Bavaria—down by half in the first five months of the year—while deportations and voluntary departures increased, resulting in more people leaving than arriving. He credits stricter border controls and the introduction of payment cards for the decline, calling it evidence of a successful “migration turnaround.” However, critics including the Green Party and the Bavarian Refugee Council argue that the decline is part of a broader European trend and influenced by prior federal policies, such as expanded labor migration options. While Herrmann acknowledges that refugee numbers fluctuate in waves, he remains cautiously optimistic that consistent enforcement will maintain manageable arrival levels. (br24.de, July 11, 2025)

30 years of the MP3

The MP3 format, officially named on July 14, 1995, by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Erlangen, revolutionized music consumption by enabling high-quality audio compression that made music easy to transmit and store digitally. Originating from research dating back to 1982, MP3 was designed to reduce file sizes by removing inaudible audio data, a concept pioneered by Karlheinz Brandenburg and his team. Despite initial technical hurdles, including struggles with Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” MP3 eventually became the global audio standard, thanks in part to a software leak in 1997 and the rise of file-sharing platforms like Napster. While this disrupted the music industry, it also paved the way for legal digital distribution through platforms like iTunes and Spotify. Though Fraunhofer earned hundreds of millions in royalties, commercial companies like Apple reaped the largest profits. MP3’s legacy continues through its successor AAC, used widely in streaming, video calls, and modern devices. (Nuernberger Nachrichten, July 11, 2025)

German Polizei and U.S. military police: Working together against crime

In West Middle Franconia, joint patrols between U.S. Military Police (MP) and German police are becoming increasingly common to strengthen cooperation, improve mutual understanding, and enhance effectiveness in incidents involving U.S. personnel. Larry Helmick, MP Training Director at Ansbach-Katterbach, recently joined German officer Patrick Thürauf on patrol to learn about local procedures and terrain, while also sharing insights into American approaches. These patrols not only aid in criminal investigations and emergency response but also help bridge cultural and operational differences. Though primarily responsible for law enforcement on U.S. bases, MPs benefit from learning local shortcuts and practices during such partnerships, which have a long history dating back to times of closer U.S. troop presence in the area. (Nuernberger Nachrichten, July 8, 2025)

Members of the US garrison participate in Rococo

For the first time, ten members of the U.S. Army Garrison in Ansbach—comprising soldiers, civilian employees, and students—are participating in the annual Ansbach Rococo Festival, portraying members of the Margrave’s court. The collaboration began after a successful visit by the local heritage association to Katterbach Barracks on U.S. Independence Day in 2024, where Rococo performers appeared alongside helicopters. Now, the Americans are returning the gesture, rehearsing under the guidance of local dance trainers and outfitted in period costumes from the U.S. Army’s European theater costume warehouse. Despite weather setbacks and limited experience, the participants are embracing the opportunity, celebrating a cultural exchange that reflects both European aristocratic history and American Revolutionary origins. (Fraenkische Landeszeitung, July 4, 2025)

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