What can you tell me about military life in Spangdahlem,Germany?

Question

My husband just found out yesterday that he got orders to Germany!!!!! We have been wanting to go there so bad, but now that we are I am a little nervous. WHat is it like there? Do and Don'ts etc. Anybody that has been stationed there please give us an idea of what to expect anything from Housing to shopping to travel just normal everyday things to just amazing things to do or places to see. OH and we have two children 7years and 9 months.. so Travel would kind of need to be kid friendly.

Thanks so much for your info.

Answer 1

Hi! We're AF too and just moved from Germany a few months ago after 4 years of living there. We were at Ramstein, which is about an hours drive from Spangdahlem.

"Spang" is in a really gorgeous, wooded section of Germany and compared to Ramstein is "out in the country" as Ramstein is pretty much within a city called Kaiserslautern. Spang is near the German city of Trier and that is a BEAUTIFUL place to visit...it has a ton of Roman history, a definite must see.

Spang has been going through a lot of construction ever since the closing of Rhein Main at the end of 2005. What does your  husband do? That will help answer some questions you have too. There are two areas of base housing, on Spang itself - which is undergoing a lot of construction, they're tearing down old apartments and building new ones, which I believe include some townhouses. Bitburg Annex has a larger BX, Commisarry, and movie theater, etc, and is just a few miles from Spang...many people from Spang live there, as you can be assigned housing either place. There is also "off base" military housing as well, that isn't in a gated community.  

There is a TON of travel to be done in Germany and at Spang you are literally minutes from the Belgian border.

I can answer a lot more of your question than I have room to here,so feel free to msg me.  Also there is a Yahoo Group for military in Germany...it's mainly people who are at Ramstein/KMC area, but I know several people who're at Spang who are on the board too. Here are the links:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kmcvisions...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ramstein_A...

I'm on both of the boards, and I know everyone will be more than happy to answer your questions! Congrats and good luck! I miss Germany! :)

Answer 2

Hi, I grew up in the area there.

I agree with what my pre answerers, told you.

There are some Malls but they would be a few hours drive away. In bigger Cities like Cologne and Hamburg....But shopping in Germany is more concentrated to the Downtown Main streets (usually closed to traffic) When you get there and want to do your Mall Type) shopping, try starting out in Trier's Main street. That is maybe a half hour away. There you can also do some sightseeing of old Roman buildings.

True, what the other answerer said about hunting and fishing. But if you are into hiking and walking. You are totally in the right area there. It is pretty with forests, farms, rolling hills, old buildings. And all trails are pretty well groomed.

As to the children. I have experienced, that for example in stores, clerks are much nicer to kids in the US. I have found some real grumpy ones in Germany.

I've got to say, I lived there for over 30 years, but I never got tired of the castles. In fact that is maybe what Imiss the most, the old buildings. The building I grew up in was 200 years old.

Well let's not get to sentimental  :-))

But I'd like to answer any more questions you might have.

When are you going?

Answer 3

The problem with stationing in Germany you might have is that U.S. soldiers and their families are usually stationed outside of town; this will be valid for Spangdahlem as well as for, say, Donauwörth. They're doing that for security reasons; whichever sense it may make. You'll find out aboutehe Dos and Donts pretty soon; there's only one thing I can say as a German who knew lots of army guys in his life: You're welcome. And if you ever have a problem, don't hesitate to ask in English. I know no German, really noone, who wouldn't help you out of trouble.

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@Zoe, well, yes, you're right. Better than posted to Iraq anyway, and people will be welcome in Germany. Most Germans don't like American foreign policy; but that doesn't mean they don't like Americans.

Answer 4

We're in the AF and in Germany now, but we're about 2 hours from Spang.  It depends what you like to do.  We were hunters and fishers, and found the requirements and restrictions of Germany prevented us doing what we wanted to do with the freedom and independence we did in the US.  If you like museums, churches and castles, you will be in heaven.  If you're looking for high adventure, it's a bit dull.  We first got here and did the castle tours, and now if we see another castle, we're going to puke (our kids are 9 and 13).  The stores are closed on Sunday (except the BX and on base stuff), so "going to the mall" is not an option (they don't have malls like we think of anyway).  Life is a bit more relaxed though, which takes some getting used to if you are thr typical "on overdrive" American family.  Things move more slowly.  Phone service and internet will take, oh, 3 maybe 4 weeks to establish at your house off base, and your utility bills will come in at a yet to be detected period (usually 3-4 bills per year).  So, a 600 Euro electric bill tends to shock you the first time (that's $900).  It all takes some getting used to, but in general, it's nice.  There are a lot of things to see, and Paris is just 4 hours away, which we really love.  With the dollar taking a nose dive, it IS getting expensive to do things on the economy.  Hence, we're getting ready to take the kids to the pool in Baubholder, which is free for military.  It's our BIG Sunday event!  Good luck, you'll like it, but like most of us, you will begin to miss home about 18 months in.

Answer 5

I think you'll like it.  Better than being posted to Iraq, right?  You will be at the centre of Europe and can travel as much as you like.