Quantcast

Jennifer H. Svan

Soldiers and families living on U.S. Army bases in Germany will stop receiving free American Forces Network television services as of Sept. 27, 2020.<br>U.S. Army
Soldiers and families living on U.S. Army bases in Germany will stop receiving free American Forces Network television services as of Sept. 27, 2020.<br>U.S. Army

Free AFN TV ends at Army housing in Germany this weekend

The end of the automatic AFN programming, which includes college and professional sports as well as popular stateside shows, comes after the Army in Europe decided earlier this year not to renew a contract for the service in Germany, officials said.

Click photo for caption and to enlarge

 

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron rests on the flight line at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, May 8, 2020. USAFE-AFAFRICA commander Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian said Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, that moving Spangdahlem's 480th Fighter Squadron from Germany to Aviano Air Base, Italy, could take some time.<br>Alex Miller/U.S. Air Force
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron rests on the flight line at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, May 8, 2020. USAFE-AFAFRICA commander Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian said Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, that moving Spangdahlem's 480th Fighter Squadron from Germany to Aviano Air Base, Italy, could take some time.<br>Alex Miller/U.S. Air Force

Spangdahlem's F-16s aren't leaving Germany for Italy just yet

No date has been set for the last remaining U.S. fighter squadron in Germany to move to Italy, said Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, the leader of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa.

Grafenwoehr Elementary School on Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr, Germany, is seen September 14, 2020. The school was one of three DODEA-Europe schools in Bavaria, along with the elementary and middle schools at Netzaberg, where coronavirus cases were confirmed in September.<br>Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes
Grafenwoehr Elementary School on Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr, Germany, is seen September 14, 2020. The school was one of three DODEA-Europe schools in Bavaria, along with the elementary and middle schools at Netzaberg, where coronavirus cases were confirmed in September.<br>Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes

Students test positive for coronavirus at DODEA schools in Bavaria

Cases were confirmed at Grafenwoehr Elementary School on Tower Barracks and the elementary and middle schools at Netzaberg, Col. Christopher Danbeck told the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria community in a video message posted on the garrison’s Facebook page last week.

Col. Douglas Levien, 21st Theater Sustainment Command deputy commander, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Howard place a wreath during 9/11 remembrance ceremony hosted by the 21st TSC in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Sept. 11, 2020.<br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES
Col. Douglas Levien, 21st Theater Sustainment Command deputy commander, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Howard place a wreath during 9/11 remembrance ceremony hosted by the 21st TSC in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Sept. 11, 2020.<br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES

At 9/11 ceremony in Germany, Army colonel remembers the day 'the hometown was struck'

“It’s a very personal day, not only a personal day if you’re an American, but even more so if you’re a New Yorker because the hometown was struck,” Col. Douglas Levien said at a 9/11 remembrance ceremony in Germany.

<br>Stars and Stripes
<br>Stars and Stripes

Dozens of service members to be reimbursed by Florida company that towed their vehicles

Another Florida towing company is on the hook for illegally towing, selling and scrapping U.S. service members’ vehicles while they were deployed.

DODEA students mill around after school in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in this file photo. A report by the DODEA inspector general found more than 500 incidents of serious misconduct involving students, including sexual assaults, went unreported.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
DODEA students mill around after school in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in this file photo. A report by the DODEA inspector general found more than 500 incidents of serious misconduct involving students, including sexual assaults, went unreported.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

DODEA schools fail to report serious incidents involving students, including sexual assault, IG report says

Hundreds of serious incidents involving students at Defense Department schools, including alleged sexual assaults and threats of physical violence, have gone unreported because of policies that allow principals to decide whether to report them, a report by the DOD Inspector General has said.

<br>Pepi Stojanovski/Unsplash
<br>Pepi Stojanovski/Unsplash

Military personnel can’t opt out of government’s payroll tax deferral

Many servicemembers, including all enlisted personnel, will see a temporary increase in their paychecks this month through the end of the year, followed by a fall in January, when they are likely to have to start repaying the money.

Paris, home to the Eiffel Tower, is in France's Ile-de-France region, which Germany's public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, has designated a high-risk zone for coronavirus. The 21st Theater Sustainment Command uses host nation references like the RKI to determine if an area is at risk for the virus and if approval should be granted for unofficial travel.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
Paris, home to the Eiffel Tower, is in France's Ile-de-France region, which Germany's public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, has designated a high-risk zone for coronavirus. The 21st Theater Sustainment Command uses host nation references like the RKI to determine if an area is at risk for the virus and if approval should be granted for unofficial travel.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

21st TSC soldiers in Europe have more flexibility for leave following a rule change

Service members assigned to the Army’s 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Europe no longer need a two-star’s approval for leisure travel to coronavirus risk areas.

Staff Sgt. Dustin Traylor of the 51st Fighter Wing uses a computer to fill out a customs form inside the post office at Osan Air Base, South Korea, on June 16, 2020. After months of delays, the requirement to use electronic custom forms at military post offices overseas was implemented Thursday, Sept. 3.<br>Matthew Keeler/Stars and Stripes
Staff Sgt. Dustin Traylor of the 51st Fighter Wing uses a computer to fill out a customs form inside the post office at Osan Air Base, South Korea, on June 16, 2020. After months of delays, the requirement to use electronic custom forms at military post offices overseas was implemented Thursday, Sept. 3.<br>Matthew Keeler/Stars and Stripes

Overseas military post offices stop accepting handwritten customs forms after months of delays

The Postal Service began transitioning to electronic customs forms in March due to international regulations but had granted military post offices an extension.

Two more students at Defense Department schools in the Kaiserslautern area have tested positive for the coronavirus, including one from Sembach Elementary School, officials said on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
Two more students at Defense Department schools in the Kaiserslautern area have tested positive for the coronavirus, including one from Sembach Elementary School, officials said on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

Two new coronavirus cases among Kaiserslautern area students but schools stay open

The two new school cases were closely linked to a Kaiserslautern Middle School student who tested positive for the virus last week, said a Department of Defense Education Activity-Europe spokesman.

Kaiserslautern Middle School was closed on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 for cleaning after a student tested positive for the coronavirus, school officials said.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
Kaiserslautern Middle School was closed on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 for cleaning after a student tested positive for the coronavirus, school officials said.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

Student’s positive coronavirus test shuts down DODEA school in Kaiserslautern for a day

Kaiserslautern Middle School was closed Friday after a student there became the first at a Defense Department school in Europe to test positive for the coronavirus in the new school year, officials said.

Lt. Col. Christine Mau, 33rd Operations Group deputy commander, puts on her helmet before taking her first flight in the F-35A on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 2015. The Air Force is offering at least $100,000 in prize money to inventors who develop systems that allow female pilots to relieve themselves in flight.<br>Marleah Robertson/U.S. Air Force
Lt. Col. Christine Mau, 33rd Operations Group deputy commander, puts on her helmet before taking her first flight in the F-35A on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 2015. The Air Force is offering at least $100,000 in prize money to inventors who develop systems that allow female pilots to relieve themselves in flight.<br>Marleah Robertson/U.S. Air Force

Air Force offers cash for better system allowing female pilots to relieve themselves in flight

The Air Force is offering at least $100,000 to whomever comes up with a way for female pilots to answer the call of nature while strapped into the cockpit of a jet.

A student walks to class on the first day of school at Vogelweh Elementary School, Germany, Aug. 24, 2020. <br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
A student walks to class on the first day of school at Vogelweh Elementary School, Germany, Aug. 24, 2020. <br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

Amid coronavirus pandemic, students' first day at DODEA's overseas schools looked different

The first day of school on U.S. military bases took on the trappings of a pandemic Monday as children bustled off to class in masks or logged on to meet their teachers from home.

Six UH-60L Black Hawks and two CH-47F Chinooks launch a mission from Multinational Base Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, in Jan. 2013. Beginning in October, soldiers selecting a career in aviation will be required to serve at least 10 years after graduating from flight training.<br>U.S. Army
Six UH-60L Black Hawks and two CH-47F Chinooks launch a mission from Multinational Base Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, in Jan. 2013. Beginning in October, soldiers selecting a career in aviation will be required to serve at least 10 years after graduating from flight training.<br>U.S. Army

Army raising service commitment for future aviators to 10 years

The decade of service obligation kicks in after graduation from flight training and does not apply to personnel currently in training, Army officials said.

The U.S. Department of Justice is suing a Florida towing company that failed to get a court order before selling the car of a U.S. Marine while she was assigned overseas.<br>
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing a Florida towing company that failed to get a court order before selling the car of a U.S. Marine while she was assigned overseas.<br>

Florida towing company sued for selling Marine’s car while she was deployed to Okinawa

A Florida towing company that sold a Marine’s car while she was serving overseas is being sued by the Justice Department for violating her civil rights.

Parents wish their children a good day as they arrive for the first day of school at Vogelweh Elementary School, Aug. 26, 2019. This year, students and staff members must wear masks when a 6-foot social distance can't be maintained.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
Parents wish their children a good day as they arrive for the first day of school at Vogelweh Elementary School, Aug. 26, 2019. This year, students and staff members must wear masks when a 6-foot social distance can't be maintained.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

No tag at recess: DODEA schools are ready for a coronavirus learning experience

From mandatory face masks to one-way traffic in crowded hallways, the coronavirus has ensured a vastly different back-to-school experience for thousands of children of U.S. military and government workers in Europe when classes begin next Monday.

As a part of Mental Health Awareness Month 2020, Maj. Michael Barlow, 614th Combat Training Squadron, shared his personal journey with mental health to inspire those who have not yet sought help. A Pentagon Inspector General report this week on mental health found the services did not consistently meet outpatient mental health access-to-care standards for military members and their families. <br>Aubree Owens/U.S. Air Force
As a part of Mental Health Awareness Month 2020, Maj. Michael Barlow, 614th Combat Training Squadron, shared his personal journey with mental health to inspire those who have not yet sought help. A Pentagon Inspector General report this week on mental health found the services did not consistently meet outpatient mental health access-to-care standards for military members and their families. <br>Aubree Owens/U.S. Air Force

Pentagon watchdog finds military mental health system is not meeting the needs of troops and families

The DOD Inspector General found patients seeking outpatient mental health treatment often experienced delays or never obtained care at all due to inconsistencies in standards, inadequate staffing, outdated provider information and other shortcomings in the military’s health system.

Omelets are a hearty breakfast choice at ZeitLos Cafe and Bistro in Rodenbach, Germany. The vegetable omelet comes with tomatoes, bell pepper and cheese.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
Omelets are a hearty breakfast choice at ZeitLos Cafe and Bistro in Rodenbach, Germany. The vegetable omelet comes with tomatoes, bell pepper and cheese.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

Tuck in for the rare treat of a hearty breakfast at ZeitLos in Rodenbach

ZeitLos cafe and bistro in the small village of Rodenbach near Ramstein Air Base may very well be the “perfect little hideaway,” to quote a phrase from one of the restaurant’s Facebook reviews.

A Russian air force Open Skies Tupolev Tu-154M RF-85655 lands at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in August 2019. The plane flew over two U.S. Air Force bases in Germany on Aug. 12, 2020, USAFE confirmed, in line with the terms of the Open Skies Treaty, an agreement the U.S. wants to leave.<br>Heather Redman/U.S. Air Force
A Russian air force Open Skies Tupolev Tu-154M RF-85655 lands at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in August 2019. The plane flew over two U.S. Air Force bases in Germany on Aug. 12, 2020, USAFE confirmed, in line with the terms of the Open Skies Treaty, an agreement the U.S. wants to leave.<br>Heather Redman/U.S. Air Force

Russia makes Open Skies treaty flight over US military bases in Germany

A Russian surveillance plane flew over Ramstein Air Base on Wednesday on its second Open Skies treaty flight this year through German airspace, military officials said.

Samantha Sanchez observes second graders in her Spanish class at Vogelweh Elementary School in Kaiserslautern, Germany in February 2019. Department of Defense Education Activity schools have given parents the option of sending their children back to the classroom or continuing to study remotely during the fall semester.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
Samantha Sanchez observes second graders in her Spanish class at Vogelweh Elementary School in Kaiserslautern, Germany in February 2019. Department of Defense Education Activity schools have given parents the option of sending their children back to the classroom or continuing to study remotely during the fall semester.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

Overseas DODEA students more likely to opt for classroom learning than stateside counterparts amid pandemic

About one in four students enrolled at the Pentagon’s schools in the United States will attend class virtually this fall, more than twice as many as at schools overseas, officials said Monday.

Outgoing 86th Airlift Wing commander Brig. Gen. Mark R. August, left, and incoming commander Brig. Gen. Joshua Olsen chuckle during a speech by 3rd Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Ronald Reed, at the 86th's change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7. 2020. At center is Chief Master Sgt. Tommy Childers with the unit guidon. <br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES
Outgoing 86th Airlift Wing commander Brig. Gen. Mark R. August, left, and incoming commander Brig. Gen. Joshua Olsen chuckle during a speech by 3rd Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Ronald Reed, at the 86th's change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7. 2020. At center is Chief Master Sgt. Tommy Childers with the unit guidon. <br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES

Ramstein ushers in new commander at socially-distanced ceremony

The largest U.S. Air Force wing in Europe welcomed a new commander Friday at a ceremony where public health guidance trumped tradition.

On Aug. 2, 2020, Staff Sgt. Corey Drake of Ramstein Air Base (left inset) and Senior Airman Ezekiel Lopez (right inset) ran to the aid of a 2-year-old girl who nearly drowned in the Bostalsee reservoir in Germany. <br>Stars and Stripes, left and background; Ezekiel Lopez.
On Aug. 2, 2020, Staff Sgt. Corey Drake of Ramstein Air Base (left inset) and Senior Airman Ezekiel Lopez (right inset) ran to the aid of a 2-year-old girl who nearly drowned in the Bostalsee reservoir in Germany. <br>Stars and Stripes, left and background; Ezekiel Lopez.

Airmen save toddler from drowning in German lake

A two-year-old girl owes her life to the quick reactions of two U.S. airmen who saved her from drowning last weekend in a popular recreational lake in southwest Germany.

Kendal Morgenweck, a student at Hohenfels Elementary School, Germany, does her daily online assignments at home in March 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown. The parents of about 9,000 DODEA students have opted to have their children attend school virtually for the first semester of the 2020-21 school year.<br>Garrick W. Morgenweck/U.S. Army
Kendal Morgenweck, a student at Hohenfels Elementary School, Germany, does her daily online assignments at home in March 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown. The parents of about 9,000 DODEA students have opted to have their children attend school virtually for the first semester of the 2020-21 school year.<br>Garrick W. Morgenweck/U.S. Army

About 9,000 DODEA students worldwide will attend school virtually this fall

Around one in seven students in Defense Department schools worldwide will attend school virtually for at least the fall semester, school officials said Tuesday. Students enrolled in virtual school in the fall will be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities at school.

A medic at the clinic in Wiesbaden, Germany swabs a patient for coronavirus testing, June 12, 2020. Public health officials are expanding testing for the virus and screening personnel as they arrive in Europe. Quarantines will be mandatory for new arrivals from high-risk areas regardless of test results, following a spike in the number of infections, military officials said.<br>Marcy Sanchez/DOD
A medic at the clinic in Wiesbaden, Germany swabs a patient for coronavirus testing, June 12, 2020. Public health officials are expanding testing for the virus and screening personnel as they arrive in Europe. Quarantines will be mandatory for new arrivals from high-risk areas regardless of test results, following a spike in the number of infections, military officials said.<br>Marcy Sanchez/DOD

Military in Europe mandates virus quarantine for troops arriving from US, with no exceptions

Troops coming to Europe from the U.S. have to quarantine for 14 days and can no longer test out of it, military officials said Friday as they moved to contain a “significant spike” in coronavirus infections among incoming forces.

Hikers rest and enjoy the panaromic view at the ''wine rest with a view'' in Moelsheim, a quaint wine village along the Zellertalweg trail in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
Hikers rest and enjoy the panaromic view at the ''wine rest with a view'' in Moelsheim, a quaint wine village along the Zellertalweg trail in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

Benches along Germany’s Zellertalweg invite you to rest, enjoy wine country

Lying on a wooden bench in a park with a panoramic view of the Rhine valley, I closed my eyes and dozed off.

Students salute the flag during the national anthem on the first day of school at Vogelweh Elementary School, in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in August 2019. The Department of Defense Education Activity plans to open all schools as scheduled for the 2020-21 school year, as long as local health conditions are favorable.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
Students salute the flag during the national anthem on the first day of school at Vogelweh Elementary School, in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in August 2019. The Department of Defense Education Activity plans to open all schools as scheduled for the 2020-21 school year, as long as local health conditions are favorable.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

DODEA plans to reopen classrooms at all schools in fall, but with virtual option

The anticipated return to school for some 69,000 students and 8,700 educators worldwide comes after months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A roadside memorial of flowers and candles was created for a German teenager killed in a car crash with a Ramstein Air Base airman, near Weilerbach, Germany in February 2019. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
A roadside memorial of flowers and candles was created for a German teenager killed in a car crash with a Ramstein Air Base airman, near Weilerbach, Germany in February 2019. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

Ramstein airman found guilty in 2019 road death of German teen

Military jurors stripped Tolman D. Roman Bahena, 21, of two ranks — from airman first class to airman basic — and ordered him to perform three months of hard labor without confinement.

A service member donates blood at a drive at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in 2018. The Food and Drug Administration has loosened restrictions on who can give blood, making potentially thousands more troops, veterans and retirees who have lived in Europe eligible to donate.<br>Stars and Stripes
A service member donates blood at a drive at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in 2018. The Food and Drug Administration has loosened restrictions on who can give blood, making potentially thousands more troops, veterans and retirees who have lived in Europe eligible to donate.<br>Stars and Stripes

Thousands more eligible to give blood to Pentagon’s program as donor restrictions are relaxed

Troops, veterans and military retirees who’ve lived in Europe for an extended period once again may give blood to the Defense Department’s program after donor restrictions were relaxed to boost supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Airmen assigned to the 313th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron transfer a coronavirus patient following the first operational use of the Negatively Pressurized Conex to transport 12 patients aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 1, 2020.<br>John R. Wright/U.S. Air Force
Airmen assigned to the 313th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron transfer a coronavirus patient following the first operational use of the Negatively Pressurized Conex to transport 12 patients aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 1, 2020.<br>John R. Wright/U.S. Air Force

Air Force moves coronavirus patients in steel shipping containers on cargo aircraft

The Air Force more than tripled its capacity to transport coronavirus patients after customizing a steel shipping container for medical use aboard its cargo planes.

An airman raises his head as he has his neck and face inspected during a shaving waiver course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., in March 2018. The Air Force surgeon general has authorized a five-year shaving waiver for airmen and Space Force personnel who have been diagnosed with razor bumps.<br>Colville McFee/U.S. Air Force
An airman raises his head as he has his neck and face inspected during a shaving waiver course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., in March 2018. The Air Force surgeon general has authorized a five-year shaving waiver for airmen and Space Force personnel who have been diagnosed with razor bumps.<br>Colville McFee/U.S. Air Force

Air Force cuts service members with razor bumps a break, extends shaving waiver

Airmen and Space Force personnel with razor bumps no longer need to apply for a shaving waiver every year after Air Force officials extended the exemption from regular shaving for those with the painful condition.

Spc. Thomas Ashworth, a medical technician, uses a nasal swab to test a patient for the coronavirus at the COVID-19 clinic at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, in March 2020. A new coronavirus infection was reported in the U.S. military community in the Kaiserslautern area over the weekend, the first new case among defense personnel in more than a month.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
Spc. Thomas Ashworth, a medical technician, uses a nasal swab to test a patient for the coronavirus at the COVID-19 clinic at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, in March 2020. A new coronavirus infection was reported in the U.S. military community in the Kaiserslautern area over the weekend, the first new case among defense personnel in more than a month.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

American in Kaiserslautern tests positive for coronavirus as total active cases in area fall

A member of the U.S. military community in Kaiserslautern has tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first confirmed case among defense personnel in the area in more than a month.

The 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 558th AMXS paint team, at Robins Air Force Base, Ga, collaborated June 17, 2020, to stencil the name of 48th Fighter Wing pilot 1st Lt. Kenneth ''Kage'' Allen on one of three F-15 aircraft that just completed its programmed depot maintenance and is slated to return to RAF Lakenheath, England. Allen was piloting an F-15C Eagle during a training mission when his plane crashed into the North Sea June 15.<br>Courtesy photo
The 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 558th AMXS paint team, at Robins Air Force Base, Ga, collaborated June 17, 2020, to stencil the name of 48th Fighter Wing pilot 1st Lt. Kenneth ''Kage'' Allen on one of three F-15 aircraft that just completed its programmed depot maintenance and is slated to return to RAF Lakenheath, England. Allen was piloting an F-15C Eagle during a training mission when his plane crashed into the North Sea June 15.<br>Courtesy photo

Name of Air Force pilot who died in North Sea crash is stenciled on two F-15s

Air Force maintainers on both sides of the Atlantic have honored the memory of 1st Lt. Kenneth “Kage” Allen, who died this week when his F-15C crashed in the North Sea, by temporarily stenciling his name on two fighter jets.

A cafe in the Montmartre district of Paris in pre-coronavirus, social distancing days. Personnel assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland Pfalz may travel internationally but only to about 25 countries in Europe, a new general order from 21st TSC says.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
A cafe in the Montmartre district of Paris in pre-coronavirus, social distancing days. Personnel assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland Pfalz may travel internationally but only to about 25 countries in Europe, a new general order from 21st TSC says.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

New general order allows international travel for Army personnel in Rheinland-Pfalz

Some Army personnel in Germany can once again travel internationally after a general order issued Friday by the 21st Theater Sustainment Command lifted more coronavirus restrictions.

Oak processionary moth caterpillars pose health risks to humans and pets. They are easy to identify because by the long black stripe down the back of their yellowish-white body covered in gray hairs.<br>
Oak processionary moth caterpillars pose health risks to humans and pets. They are easy to identify because by the long black stripe down the back of their yellowish-white body covered in gray hairs.<br>

Watch for toxic caterpillars and more ticks in Europe, Army public health says

A hairy, toxic caterpillar frequently found in forests and a rising tick population have Defense Department health commands in Europe warning families to take precautions while outdoors in the months ahead.

A photo of the late Air Force Maj. Rodolfo Rodriguez is displayed during a road dedication ceremony in his name on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Strip
A photo of the late Air Force Maj. Rodolfo Rodriguez is displayed during a road dedication ceremony in his name on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Strip

Ramstein honors airman killed in 2008 attack while on secret mission in Pakistan

On Sept. 20, 2008, Air Force Maj. Rodolfo Rodriguez was outside the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, when a dump truck rammed the hotel’s security gate and caught fire.

Airman Jared Chapa lifts dumbbells on the incline bench press on Monday, June 8, 2020, at the Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The main gym on Ramstein reopened to service members for the first time Monday since closing its doors in March due to the coronavirus.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
Airman Jared Chapa lifts dumbbells on the incline bench press on Monday, June 8, 2020, at the Southside Fitness Center on Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The main gym on Ramstein reopened to service members for the first time Monday since closing its doors in March due to the coronavirus.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

Workouts by appointment: Military gyms reopen for some in Germany

The open doors at one of the military’s largest overseas bases come as gyms throughout Europe slowly reopen with strict safety and hygiene rules.