GRAFENWÖHR, Germany -- Two Army heavy brigades based in Germany will return to the United States as part of the new defense posture in Europe, the Department of Defense confirmed Thursday.The move will send the 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, based out of Grafenwöhr and Schweinfurt, and the Baumholder-based 170th Infantry Brigade, back to the States.
Yet the expectation that one, or possibly both, brigades might leave Grafenwöhr has generated hand-wringing in neighboring German communities, where economies depend heavily on the garrison.
And cheers in US communities where they would very much like to benefit from money spent by those same units.
| I remember the Germans being very upset in the mid-nineties as the reality of the oh-so-desired downsize hit (literally) home. If I recall correctly, our house rented for about 50% less to the next tenant after we left the Frankfurt area, and the owner subsequently sold what had been intended to be their retirement home -- they were from Zurich, so to them German house prices actually had looked like a reasonable investment. |