Pfc. Jacob Kuna, of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, tests the new equipment at the renovated Mountaineer Gym in Baumholder, Germany. About 14,000 pounds of new weights were delivered on Thursday. (John Vandiver / S&S)
Pfc. Jacob Kuna, of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, tests the new equipment at the renovated Mountaineer Gym in Baumholder, Germany. About 14,000 pounds of new weights were delivered on Thursday. (John Vandiver / S&S)
The new equipment at Baumholder, Germany's Mountaineer Gym occupies space that was once a basketball court. Since the post already has one indoor gymnasium, the decision was made to provide more fitness equipment for soldiers. (John Vandiver / S&S)
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — For the rough and tumble soldiers of Baumholder, the local weight room never really measured up.
Indeed, the cramped space filled with old equipment hardly seemed fitting for a brigade of hard-charging infantrymen. But with Thursday’s delivery of 14,000 pounds of weights, the finishing touches on a large renovation of the
Mountaineer Gym are nearly complete.
“It’s about time we got something new in Baumholder,” said Pfc. Jacob Kuna, of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, after a workout on the new equipment.
The gym at Baumholder’s Hall of Champions also was recently outfitted with new weights and cardio machines, diversifying the post’s fitness facilities.
Meanwhile, a host of multimillion-dollar improvement projects are in the works at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder.
But as the money pours in, a question jumps out: Is this a signal that Baumholder — supposedly scheduled to shut down around 2012 — will be around a whole lot longer?
It would be a mistake to draw such conclusions, according to garrison officials. Still, people here are hopeful that Baumholder will be pulled from the list of closing bases and be recognized as an “enduring” community.
“At the moment we are in a good mood that we will stay,” said Friedrike Schummel, acting chief of building and grounds for the garrison’s public works department.
Public works projects abound, she noted.
Among the initiatives being planned is a $3 million improvement to the Hall of Champions Gym, which houses the old weight room. Though the money hasn’t been allocated for the project — which hinges on whether Baumholder receives “enduring” status — $500,000 already has been set aside for the design, according to Baumholder public works.
Then there are the fully funded projects: $7 million in improvements to barracks, which will happen while the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division is deployed.Roughly $19 million in improvements to numerous headquarters buildings and the post’s airfield hangar.$2 million for the renovation of three motor pools.In addition, about $4.5 million in various maintenance projects are under way.
“It’s a lot this year,” Schummel acknowledged.
At the Mountaineer Gym, soldiers now are able to hit the treadmill while watching one of the new flat-screen TVs positioned around the facility.
“We’ve got about 50 cardio and 24 Nautilus machines. We’ve got 30 to 40 free-weight machines,” said Danny Smith, manager of the Mountaineer Gym. “Everybody seems to like it. When the soldiers come in here, they’re like ‘Wow.’ ”
Kuna and Pfc. Nathan Kline, a fellow 2-6 HHC Scout solider, said the variety of equipment provides a more complete workout.
“It’s really nice. The old weight room is too small,” Kline said.
One thing is still missing, though, according to the soldiers.
“We need some hot aerobic instructors,” Kuna said.
Aerobic instructors aside, there’s still a little work left to do at the Mountaineer.
“New lockers are coming,” Schummel said.
