ILLESHEIM, Germany (December 7, 2023) – In late October, U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Ansbach welcomed the 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Combat Aviation Brigade (601st ASB) for their nine-month rotation from Fort Riley, Kansas at Storck Barracks.
Members of the “Hellions” Battalion and the "Demon" Brigade arrived in Illesheim, ready to assume their duties as the newest rotational unit at the kaserne in Middle Franconia. Just prior to the Transfer of Authority from the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, the troops assembled at the Bunch Fitness Center for multiple in-processing briefings and gained valuable guidance for their deployment in Germany.
“The welcome brief for the new Regionally Aligned Forces (RAF) stationed at Storck Barracks builds a mutual trust and understanding for all Soldiers to understand how each garrison agency supports the individual Soldier, NCO, Officer and Battalion during their deployment,” said Marcell Wright, Storck Site Operations Lead. “This also allows the Soldier to build relationships with garrison agencies and partners while also building confidence knowing that they will be supported while performing their assigned tasks.”
During the in-processing briefs, more than 20 garrison facilities and support organizations introduced their services and briefed the audience on how they will support the troops during their stay in Germany.
“The RAF welcome briefs presented to our Soldiers was a great introduction to the USAG Ansbach area,” stated Lt. Col. Andrew Eggers, commander of the 601st ASB.
The 601st ASB Soldiers also had the opportunity to address more specific questions or needs directly to the subject matter experts after the briefing at the individual welcome tables. Among the garrison attendees were representatives from the garrison's Anti-Terrorism and Operations Security teams, the Army Substance Abuse Program, Army Community Service, the Education Center, the Directorate of Public Works and other garrison support organizations like the USO and Department of Defense Community Bank.
During this brief the Military Personnel Division (MPD) also discussed important tips and tricks for the abundant travel opportunities throughout Europe, including an important reminder regarding crossing borders.
“Remember, a valid tourist passport is required for all leisure travel outside of Germany,” the chief of MPD, Gary Beatty, enthusiastically informed the Soldiers. Beatty also pointed out that “orders and CAC Cards only allow the Soldiers to be in Germany, but it is not sufficient to explain to Border Control or Police their presence in another country.”
While the Ansbach-based team had previous opportunities to welcome the “Big Red One” to Storck Barracks during their rotations in the past, these briefings are crucial for each new RAF unit rotation. As available services may change or expand over time. the individual needs of the Soldiers are also constantly evolving and changing.
“The event equipped our Soldiers with the tools and resources necessary to reduce many of the stressors that come with a deployment and allow us to continue building a strong relationship between the Rotational Aviation Forces and the wonderful community around us,” added Lt. Col. Eggers.
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The U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach military community is located in the Franconian region of Bavaria and is spread across six sites and nine kasernes dispersed around the city of Ansbach and the village of Illesheim. Today, Ansbach is home to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, the community's largest tenant unit, as well as the 7th Engineer Brigade, 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment. The garrison takes pride in supporting more than 10,000 Soldiers, civilians, family members, and retirees working and living in the Ansbach area.
For more news from U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach, visit: https://www.army.mil/FranconianNews or https://www.facebook.com/usagansbachcommunity/
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