SCHWEINFURT, Germany -- The entertainment scene here on Ledward Barracks just got a shot in the arm. A state of the art multipurpose facility geared toward single Soldiers opened with a bang Jan. 13. The new center, known as the Warrior Zone, includes a bar with a food menu, a lounge with flat screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, computer stations, pool tables, video games and other amenities aimed at taking the edge off of the demands of life in the Army.
Aca,!A"The Warrior Zone provides the Soldier with convenient and financially attractive alternatives to leaving post as well as a safe spot to return to after visits in the local community,Aca,!A? said Silvia Joiner, the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and RecreationAca,!a,,cs advisor for the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program in Schweinfurt.
More than 1,700 Soldiers work on Ledward, which also houses roughly 50 percent of SchweinfurtAca,!a,,cs single troops who live on post. Conn BarracksAca,!"about a 20-minute shuttle ride away and home to the other half of the single SoldiersAca,!"sports the hangout currently most frequented by single Soldiers. For Soldiers living in barracks on Ledward, the grand opening of the Warrior Zone couldnAca,!a,,ct come at a better time.
Aca,!A"I will definitely use this facility,Aca,!A? said Pfc. Chris Blocton, a Ledward-housed Soldier from Selma, Alabama. Aca,!A"All my friends are here and we need a place to hang out together. Plus weAca,!a,,cre still close to home.Aca,!A?
The Warrior Zone replaces RhorAca,!a,,cs diner but will continue to employ that facilityAca,!a,,cs staff and extensive menu, including appetizers, pizzas, burgers, salads and adult beverages.
Project planning began more than nine months ago, according to Michael Duday, director of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Nearly $383,000 was invested into the building renovation, which included the installation of new floors, furniture, gaming towers, computer stations and the remodeling of a bar and kitchen area. Aca,!A"This is about you, for you,Aca,!A? said Duday to a crowd of more than a hundred people gathered at the opening.
The idea of the Warrior Zone was conceived as a result of Soldier surveys conducted across the Army, according to Dave Luellwitz, SchweinfurtAca,!a,,cs business and recreation division chief. Ten BOSS focus groups from both stateside and outside the continental U.S. representing all ranks developed the Aca,!A"Warrior ZoneAca,!A? concept in an effort to deliver recreation services and programs to single Soldiers.
Aca,!A"The new Warrior Zone gives us another location to get in touch with Soldiers,Aca,!A? said SchweinfurtAca,!a,,cs BOSS president, Spc. Thomas Earl Evans, Jr. Aca,!A"It gives them a chance to get out of their barracks. It also serves as a staging point to meet Soldiers to plan BOSS events.Aca,!A? The facility will cater to community-wide events, host live entertainment as well as facilitate special interest groups, classes, competitions and other activities.
The Warrior Zone and all its amenities will come at no cost except for food and beverages which fall under the "pay-as-you-go" category. The target audience is single and unaccompanied Soldiers, but will be open to all military personnel. Service members may sponsor one adult guest, 18 years of age or older, said Joiner.
Aimed at providing similar entertainment to off-post sports bars and other establishments, the Warrior Zone will be open Sunday through Thursday and on American holidays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
For more on BOSS events and details on the new Warrior Zone, visit www.teamschweinfurt.com.
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