WIESBADEN, Germany (Oct. 30, 2009) - Headquarters, 5th Signal Command officially said hello to their new Hessen home on Wiesbaden Army Airfield during a colors uncasing ceremony Oct. 30 in the WAAF Fitness Center.
5th Signal, commanded by Brig. Gen. Jeffrey G. Smith, Jr., cased their colors Oct. 16 on Funari Barracks in Mannheim signifying the headquarters' official departure from the Baden-Wuertemburg city after a 13-year stay. Smith has said on many occasions that he looks forward to building a fruitful relationship with the Hessen community while at the same time maintain the relationships already established in Baden-Wuertemburg and Rheinland-Pfalz.
"I loved Mannheim," said Smith during the ceremony. "But myself, the Soldiers, civilians and Families of 5th Signal are falling in love with Wiesbaden and its surrounding communities."
The command is conducting a phased move of approximately 125 Soldiers and civilians and approximately 250 Family members to WAAF through 2009. Portions of the headquarters and general staff will remain in Mannheim until renovations on 5th Signal's slated headquarters building on WAAF is completed sometime in 2010.
The move is part of the Army's overall transformation process to consolidate key units on WAAF to improve operational capability, improve force protection posture and save on operational costs by moving units onto a few main operating bases.
"We (5th Signal) are part of a larger picture and a broader vision that has the best defense posture for our nation at heart, supporting warfighters across the globe," said Smith.
5th Signal's 2nd Signal Brigade headquarters will also move with approximately 45 Soldiers and 30 civilians from Mannheim to WAAF sometime in 2010.
5th Signal Command, with approximately 3300 Soldiers, civilians and contractors, is responsible for the majority of communications support to U.S. Army forces in Europe. The command was activated July 1, 1974 and was located on Taukkunen Barracks in the city of Worms until 1996 when 5th Signal then moved to Mannheim's Funari Barracks.
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