Delegates from 33 European countries belonging to the Conventional Forces Europe Treaty Compliance came to Baumholder June 26 as part of a Vienna Document visit.
The Vienna Document provides all 56 of the signatory countries the opportunity to host an open house every five years. This year the 33 countries participating in the visit sent a total of 68 delegates to Baumholder.
This visit was not a CFE inspection where the visiting countries can look at what's behind any door wider than two meters, but rather an open house that provided the U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder an opportunity to showcase its people and services.
"Think of it in terms of a one-sided information exchange. The delegates are not providing information to Baumholder or the Army, or EUCOM for that matter. We're providing them with information," said Bruce Likens, a member of Baumholder's Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.
Baumholder was chosen because of its proximity to Spangdahlem Air Base. The delegates are required to visit an Air Force and Army, or ground troops, installation so Baumholder was the ideal choice. "This made it logistically more cost effective for the team," said Likens.
The delegates received briefings of the command, the garrison and of the major units assigned to Baumholder. This was followed by tours of numerous facilities that portray how Soldiers and Civilians live, work and play at an Army installation. "We showed them a multitude of DFMWR facilities, single Soldier barracks, Family quarters and a motor pool belonging to the 317th Maintenance Support Company. They were especially interested in our Army Community Service and the programs that ACS provides," said Likens.
Baumholder's training facilities were also a highlight for the visitors. "They were interested in what we have here for Soldiers to do their training and weapons firing. They really liked what they saw here on Baumholder, so it was what I call a win-win situation for us," said Likens.
Social Sharing