USAF bases in Europe

[sksvlad]

My USAF daughter is compiling a wish list of USAF bases where she may be stationed in the future. Some are in Europe, several in UK, a couple in Germany and Aviano in Italy. I am trying to help her in choosing. May someone familiar with locations voice pros and cons for those particular locations? For instance, Ramstein vs Spangdahlem? I know nothing about both. Would one of them be more preferable vs another? In Britain she has 3 or 4 choices and I never even heard the names. Grateful aforehand.

 

[Millsman]

The two main USAF bases in the UK are RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. Mildenhall mainly deals with Transport / Tankers / Bombers and RAF Lakenheath Tactical Fighter Wings. Both are large complex bases with US Shopping centres and golf courses on site. B52s sometimes use RAF Fairford but I don't know if there is a permanent USAF presence there. There are a number of other RAF bases used by USAF mainly for electronic spook stuff like RAF Menwith Hill. There are also Admin bases without runways. If she wants to be near the metal, it's Lakenheath or Mildenhall.

 

[Fusse2004]

It would be best if she stayed in the USA! If your head of state continues to swing the club like this, there will soon be no US location in Europe. I know your largest location in Germany, Rammstein, very well. A huge modern facility, it is the hub of the US armed forces in Europe. But as I said, if Trump:banghead: thinks everything has to move to Poland then have fun.

 

[pzgr40]

Believe it or not.....a nato airfield was opened beside my house just yesterday

 

[Fusse2004]

from the USA?

 

[Taber10]

It would be best if she stayed in the USA!.

Vlad, I considered my tours in Europe to be one of the greatest benefits of my 30 years in the USAF. She should grab the opportunity while she can. Of course, in my case, I spent way too much time evaluating the advantages of beer: German, UK, Belgian, etc. over "Bud Lite" etc. The physical distance between LKN and Mildenhall makes that nearly a wash. The point made for UK also applies to Germany, at least it did: Ramstein focuses on "Heavies"--transports, tankers, etc. and Spang was more focused on fighters. Of course, Spang is twice the size it was during much of the cold war. I know there will be dissenting opinions, but while I enjoyed the auto racing more in the UK, you are somewhat isolated in the UK. Yes, travel to the continent is possible, but not as easy as travel within the EU. While stationed in Stuttgart, I was able to travel widely into France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, etc. In the UK you found travel to Wales, Ireland, Scotland easy but you could not as easy travel to the Continent. OF COURSE, in all cases, I chose the JOB not the location. My job in the UK--I COMMANDED an EOD Flight at RAF Upper Heyford (now closed) and in Stuttgart, I "flew" a "Big Grey Desk!" You can't compare command of troops to sitting in any staff job. Good luck to your daughter in her AF service.

 

[Slick]

Hey Vlad
Considering the politics as they are, I would advise her to hold out for one of the new bases in Poland. My daughter's recent year long assignment in the EU included extensive travel to multiple countries. With that, and pretty much without exception, many discussions with the locals evolved into the politics of the day. The media/press in the EU mirrors the US in that they cannot hide their disdain for President Trump, and "reporting" suffers accordingly. Luckily, for her, she was mandated to keep her mouth shut (diplomatic rules and all) about such topics and avoided any comments along those lines.
With regards to Poland and her multiple trips there, she found the locals happier with things as they are and was treated as a mini rock star wherever she went. She was based out of Frankfurt and really enjoyed her stay there, but said if she ever goes back, it would be to Warsaw or Krakow, hands down.
I was privileged to have spent a two year tour to the Med back in the '70s. Homebased in Italy but rarely spent time there, my fave places were France and Spain. Not sure as the USAF has many billets open in either of those countries. Lots of things have changed since then, but I suspect they'd still be good assignments.
Two cents worth.

 

[sksvlad]

Thanks everyone. I realise this is more like a dream list. My other daughter in the Navy never got anything on the list. But I guess dreaming is good. I am helping her thinking of myself too. In case this virus goes away and the travel normalises. There are many locations on the list, mostly in US. How is McGuire AFB? It is right next to us!!!

 

[sksvlad]

Rick, sorry, no Poland on the list. The list is for intel positions only.

 

[Slick]

Lived 2 years at McGuire. Air Force brat. 3807A Bowling Blvd. Did a goolgle maps search a while back. It's still there! I was 9/10 years old. All I remember is lots of pine trees.
Roger on the Poland option. Maybe that will change.

 

[M8owner]

Wherever she goes, she can ship us all great masses of wonderful ordnance items through the military postal system and get around all European customs! Woo hoo!

 

[Bellifortis]

Hi @ sksvlad,
if you would have asked your question 50 years ago, I would have straight away answered "Heidelberg". A beautiful old city where you breath history and which as a university town was open to foreigners. I think that most americans stationed there in the 70s will have very fond memories of their time there. But, times have changed.The garrison there has closed down long ago. In the 70s GI's were rich people. A $ was 3,5 DM. Now a $ is only 0,9 Euros. I don't think that US servicemen/woman have 4 times as much salary today as in 1970. So they won't be able to throw around their $ as lavishly. When I pass US installations on the highways they are surrounded by barbed wire and look from outside like concentration camps. In the 70s everything was much more open. In these Corona ravished times people are discouraged to mingle. I think that especially service personnel will mostly not be allowed to leave their camp. I would advise your daughter to look for a station near the sea in Italy where there may be the chance to go out into the countryside and the beaches. So even in these difficult times she may enjoy herself there.
Regards,
Bellifortis.

 

[Taber10]

I agree with much of what Bellifortis posted; Heidelberg was a wonderful place when I visited many times in the '80s. However, it was always--'40s until closing after the Wall came down--US Army including Headquarters US ARMY Europe (USAREUR). Vlad is looking for USAF locations in Europe. USAREUR has been moved to Stuttgart I believe, where US European Command and US Africa Command are located. The days of airmen bringing home an inexpensive Mercedes due to the once favorable exchange rate are long gone, but in general US service personnel are MUCH better paid than in the '70s.

 

[Slick]

I was assured there would be no math requirements here on BOCN, but here goes. . .

Per Bellifortis's and Taber10's comments about "rich" American servicemen, I did a little research on pay scales and inflation and came up with the following:

In 1973, as an E3(SN in Navy talk) my base pay was $333.00/month. Equivalent/adjusted 2020 pay - $2064.13
Current enlisted E3 pay scale shows (w/2 yrs or less service) - $2043.73

Taber's "MUCH better paid" comment maybe ain't so. Sorry bro. I was just curious and, well, I had nothing else better to do.

Now, I admit, none of this has anything to do with ordnance, but I WAS a lean, mean, fighting machine/button pusher/paint chipper, so, sorta related.

 

[sksvlad]

Rick, it is a coincidence, my daughter just entered USAF as E3, due to her college degree. Thanks for telling me her compensation.

 

[Bellifortis]

Hi @slick,
just over 2000,-$ a month is a very good pay in Europe, especially when you consider that service personnel have their health insurance taken care of by the service. The rooming on base is free, all purchases at the PX are dutyfree. If you have 1800,-Euros free money in your pocket every month, that would be very good pay. But, is that right ? Are there no further deductions ? Generally seen livingcosts in Europe are very similar to the US. Recently an old friend of mine had to move to a caretaking facility in Michigan, because he was no longer able to take care of himself. I checked the rates for caretaking-homes in Michigan and found that it costs about 4500,-$ a month. Thats about the same as here. Excuse me for these posts that have nothing to do with ammo.
Bellifortis.

I was assured there would be no math requirements here on BOCN, but here goes. . .

Per Bellifortis's and Taber10's comments about "rich" American servicemen, I did a little research on pay scales and inflation and came up with the following:

In 1973, as an E3(SN in Navy talk) my base pay was $333.00/month. Equivalent/adjusted 2020 pay - $2064.13
Current enlisted E3 pay scale shows (w/2 yrs or less service) - $2043.73

Taber's "MUCH better paid" comment maybe ain't so. Sorry bro. I was just curious and, well, I had nothing else better to do.

Now, I admit, none of this has anything to with ordnance, but I WAS a lean, mean, fighting machine/button pusher/paint chipper, so, sorta related.

 

[Slick]

Hey Bellifortis
After some taxes, realistically, figure $1500/month take home. Gross pay maybe $12/hr. Entry level, but better than minimum wage here in the States. One could get by if housing, med and food were covered. Would have to budget for extraneous fun, gettin' around, trips to the orphanage*. . .

* to clarify for the humorless - an old, mil-spec joke referencing bars and/or dens of iniquity

 

[Bellifortis]

Hi @Slick,
a 1973 base pay of 333,-$ sounds too low to me. The Vietnam war was still going and I don't think that anybody would take the chance of getting killed for 333,-$ a month. But, then you calculate that in 2020 $ as "equivalent adjusted" as 2064,-$. Does that mean, that the 1973 $ was 6,3 times more valuable then todays $ ? Please be so nice as to explain your calcualtion.
Regards,
Bellifortis.

I was assured there would be no math requirements here on BOCN, but here goes. . .

Per Bellifortis's and Taber10's comments about "rich" American servicemen, I did a little research on pay scales and inflation and came up with the following:

In 1973, as an E3(SN in Navy talk) my base pay was $333.00/month. Equivalent/adjusted 2020 pay - $2064.13
Current enlisted E3 pay scale shows (w/2 yrs or less service) - $2043.73

Taber's "MUCH better paid" comment maybe ain't so. Sorry bro. I was just curious and, well, I had nothing else better to do.

Now, I admit, none of this has anything to with ordnance, but I WAS a lean, mean, fighting machine/button pusher/paint chipper, so, sorta related.

 

[Slick]

Prior to my enlistment (MAR '72), the military pay was doubled across the board. It was, in fact, $333. Believable or not. My last pay as an E5(MAR '76) was all of $565. Believable or not. That's what it was. As a reference, my prior to the military civilian job pay was $1.85/hr. That's equal to $74/week. So I got a little pay raise joining the Navy.
The conversion to 2020 equivalent was via a program on the computer. There are a number of them where you input the year and amount and it adjusts that number based on their inflation calculations.

Just found this:
https://www.federalpay.org/military/history