BAUMHOLDER, Germany — The brochures showcasing winery tours, outdoor adventure and big-city entertainment were spread out for the soldiers to peruse.
All the accoutrements of life in the Pacific Northwest were on display Wednesday as families from the 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment gathered for an update on the unit’s upcoming move to Fort Lewis, Wash.
“There’s going to be some challenges associated with the move, but it’s going to be a great place to live,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Matsel, commander of the Idar-Oberstein-based battalion.
About 65 percent of the unit’s roughly 400 soldiers will make the move to Fort Lewis in the months ahead and the remaining soldiers will be reassigned to various other outfits.
Battalion families turned out to the family readiness meeting to hear the latest about the move, for which preparations are well under way. The rocket-firing unit has turned in all of its launchers and will spend the next several weeks loading up some 1,600 pieces of equipment.
“I’m ready to go home,” said Pfc. John Leroy, who has been stationed at the unit’s Strassburg Kaserne for two years. “I miss the States and I’m definitely looking forward to the move.”
By June, most 1-94 soldiers will be gone. By August, Strassburg Kaserne will be empty.
Pfc. Farid Ashmon said he’s ready to trade in greater Baumholder for the more cosmopolitan Seattle area.
“There’s going to be a lot more to do,” he said.
The move, announced in September, is part of the Army’s ongoing transformation.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Matsel gave families a snapshot of the Fort Lewis area and some tips about school districts and neighborhoods.
“Fort Lewis, if you don’t know, is busting at the seams,” said Matsel, who recently returned from a fact-finding trip.
The base is experiencing rapid growth and there is a flurry of new construction. The result: Base housing is about 98 percent occupied.
“The chances of living on post are slim to none,” said Matsel, who told families that housing allowances are keeping up with rent costs.
While most soldiers know where they’re headed next, some are still waiting for word.
Not everyone is so eager to leave Germany. Army spouse Tina Garrett said she’s hoping her husband is assigned to another unit in Germany instead of a return to the States.
“We just got here, so I’d like to stay a little longer. I have family here,” she said.
The unit’s most recent deployment was a three-month training mission last year in Romania, where 1-94 soldiers partnered with Romanian and Bulgarian infantrymen as part of Task Force Deep Steel. Called Proof of Principle, the 2007 exercise was aimed at testing Romania’s viability as a future training hub for U.S. forces.
In June, 1-94 will hold a restationing ceremony, signaling the end of the Army’s presence in Idar-Oberstein.
“We’re going to pack up from here, drop there (Fort Lewis) and keep moving on,” Matsel said.
