CHIÈVRES, Belgium -- The year 2020 was a singularly momentous year, a year that presented severe challenges to nations and communities across the globe. And although community members at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux were obliged to physically distance themselves from one another, the garrison team worked closely together to overcome the challenges it faced.
As our communities across Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany move into a new year, ready to meet the unexpected, to persevere through and eventually overcome ongoing difficulties, and to excel wherever possible, it is time to reflect upon the accomplishments and victories achieved.
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The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people lived around the world in 2020; USAG Benelux was no exception. The garrison community members met the threat of the rapidly spreading virus through a commonsense approach, applying the three Ws: washing hands, wearing masks and watching distance.
Community members kept apprised of updated host nation guidance in its three-nation community at the garrison’s website (link here).
To tackle the problems attendant with preventing an airborne virus, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux set up several task forces in March, including four to directly help prevent the spread of the virus on post. Each of the four different task forces had a different function and role in prevention and reaction, but their cumulative efforts result in a greater reduction of the possibility of spreading COVID-19. Task Force Screen screened visitors to the garrison, Task Force Clean cleaned commonly touched surfaces, Task Force Trace traced the contacts of people who are lab-confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19, and Task Force Quarantine / Isolate quarantines probable COVID-19 carriers and isolates confirmed COVID-19 patients.
Another, Task Force Cabin Fever, leveraged the garrison’s online presence to provide resources to its community members, sharing videos of physical fitness training sessions, story time for children, interactive music and dancing events courtesy of the SHAPE International Band, and further resources for Families and community members who were spending more time at home.
The Logistics Readiness Center – Benelux (LRC), a mission partner of the garrison, formed Task Force Logistics to work through the sudden change of demands and the new requirements for international shipments.
Task Force Personnel, headed by the Directorate of Human Resources, sought to disentangle many of the difficulties faced by service members, civilians and their Family members during in- and out-processing, whom a Department of Defense-wide stop-movement order caught in late March. DHR also helped coordinate and establish an interactive newcomer’s section of the website so quarantining Family members could take care of many of their briefings during their initial 14 days at the garrison.
Daumerie Caserne, at one time the garrison’s headquarters, also found new use when the Directorate of Public Works worked together with the Army medical community to convert the former chapel into a medical holding facility. This feat they accomplished in 30 days.
Community members also joined the effort, providing volunteer hours to keep the Commissaries stocked during an increase in demand.
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Despite other challenges, the garrison team continued to fulfill its mission as a garrison, namely to “provide integrated Base Operations to diverse, multi-national, geographically dispersed communities to enable readiness and resiliency in support of a ‘Strong Europe.’”
In February, the garrison supported DEFENDER-Europe 20, the largest deployment of U.S.-based forces to Europe for an exercise in the last 25 years. The initial draw of military equipment took place at the garrison’s Army Prepositioned Stock Site 2 Zutendaal in the Limburg province of Belgium.
Five Soldiers from Chièvres Air Base, Brunssum Site, Brussels Site and APS-2 Dülmen participated in the USAG Benelux Best Warrior Competition held Feb. 24 and 25 at Chièvres Air Base. Cpl. Jacob M. Bussey, military police at Brussels, was selected as the USAG Benelux Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and Spc. Benjamin T. Ford, military police at Brunssum, was selected as the USAG Benelux Soldier of the Year. Both went to USAG Stuttgart to compete for the IMCOM-E NCO and Soldier of the year.
In an effort to meet the needs of its community members, the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation opened the HUB at the Brunssum Site. The HUB, a 38,750-square foot facility houses in its open-concept space a restaurant, spaces to hold Family board game nights, an indoor playground for small children, a suite of virtual reality computer systems, and an artificial turf on which to play lawn games or watch a film on the Army’s largest television screen.
As part of changes in the tri-border community, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service opened a new Troop Store mini-mall, and the Defense Commissary Agency opened a new commissary at the Brunssum Site.
Chièvres Air Base also underwent changes, including the installation of new traffic patterns and more to transform the installation into a “community of choice.”
And leadership changed. U.S. Army Garrison Benelux team held a change of command at Chièvres Air Base in July to welcome Col. James Yastrzemsky as garrison commander and to bid farewell to Col. Sean Kuester.
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Even while keeping in line with restrictions on public gatherings, the garrison and its community members were still able to take part in important events and observations honoring the values the U.S. holds dear, the traditions integral to host nation communities, and the history that helps define who the community members, U.S. and host nation alike.
U.S. Army Garrison Benelux celebrated Black History Month, also known as African-American History Month, with an observance Feb. 28 at SHAPE, Belgium. Each year, February is the month dedicated to events honoring the history and contributions of African Americans. The theme for this year’s event was “Honoring the past, securing the future.”
In keeping with a local tradition, garrison community members played crossage (a game with mallets and balls similar to croquet) in the streets of the town of Chièvres.
Over Memorial Day, although in-person ceremonies were limited, community members were still able to participate online, paying tribute to those who gave their lives, their courage, their legacy and their service so we can live in a free world.
The garrison command team helped commemorate the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Chimay, Belgium.
As restrictions lifted, at three of its locations in two of its host nations, the garrison observed the 19th anniversary of 9/11 with a “We Remember” event and a run and walk.
Although it was not an observance, community members visited Daumerie Caserne to pick apples at the beginning of autumn.
Service members, civilian employees and Family members also came together at the different garrison sites to beautify their installation.
A commemoration Dec. 11 and 12 in Bastogne of the 76th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the deadliest battles and most decisive Allied victories of World War II, focused on the heroic actions of nurses.
For the winter holiday season, personnel with Army Community Services across the garrison organized the Make a Connection Campaign to link volunteers with geographically isolated service members. The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation also organized the multifaceted Winterfest to provide members of the garrison Family that sense of community typical of most holiday seasons.
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Several community members also stood out during the year within the community.
Victoria Geehreng, a junior at the Brussels American High School, competed in an oratorical scholarship contest at Ansbach, Germany. As the winner of the contest, she advanced to the national level, which had been set to take place in Indianapolis in April.
Vanessa Banks-Gonzales, an experienced acute care nurse practitioner and spouse of Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Gonzales III, volunteered at the Maastricht University Hospital in the Netherlands, when a surge of medical personnel was needed to meet the demands of COVID-19 intensive care units.
Eric Gardner earned recognition as the Adjutant General Corps spouse of the year. Eric, who is married to Lt. Col. Gretchen Gardner, AFNorth commander, distinguished himself through his volunteerism, commitment to his home communities, and his philanthropic efforts, according to his award endorsement packet.
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These stories provide a glimpse into the efforts and actions of the garrison, its mission partners and its community members.
And as the 2021 begins, the garrison will strive to provide consistent, quality services that serve as a force multiplier for supported organizations and communities as a valued alliance partner within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a “Strong Europe.”
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