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Comment by Todd A. Mercer on January 15, 2016 at 4:57am

I'd like to think that as long as Cold Warriors who served there; remember their time in Bamberg, the comaraderie, the sense of purpose, the place itself, then it will live on.

But I admit, never a time goes by when I drive past locations where we had garrisons, or even where I heard the names of such places on AFN, a deep sense of loss and saddness --- normally fleetingly --- passes over me.  I have to remind myself that those places and units and soldiers are gone because we won the the stand-off with the Evil Empire.  At least, we thought we did at the time.  Recent events cast that belief into some doubt.  Western Europe would sure like if we still had some of that force structure over here again. 

Comment by Jeff Hamel on January 6, 2016 at 5:23pm

Very powerful when you can say you were so committed to being a soldier that the US Code clock ran out before your personal need to serve clock ran out. Lots of respect for that. Glad to hear you found a job that from the sounds of it keeps you very close to the military anyway. 

I am a bit jealous since I wasn't able to be there for the closing ceremony in Bamberg. I've also said many times that I wish I was a bit more aware of just how special Bamberg is/was while we were there. We all liked it when there but just think how much more we'd enjoy it knowing what we know now about the Bamberg/US Army connection.

 

Comment by Todd A. Mercer on January 6, 2016 at 5:10pm

Yes.  My retirement is coming up on 2 years ago now.  They had to kick me out at Mandatory Retirement Date.  I loved being a soldier, and would still be one today if it weren't for US Code.  Had a 115 day period of being out of work, but landed a GS job with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, (in our day, it was the 21st Theater Army Area Command or TAACOM) and things are going well.

Funny how things go full circle, isn't it?  You fly around on Blackhawks, then in school you study parts from that aircraft.    Like you, I'd get a kick out of that sort of connection.

As for the charter party plane: I will meet you when you land here, and look forward to the retro-debauchery.  lol

I went up to Bamberg in Sept 2014 for the closure ceremony.  It was very sad for me, and many others judging from the audience.  Many Bambergers were wiping away tears.  We had a special, wonderful, unique relationship with Bamberg that most of us didn't appreciate when we were there. I certainly didn't. But few other cities in Germany petitioned the US Government like Bamberg did to keep "it's" American garrison.  I still mourn the passing of that special place and time.  But no man can stop halt the march of time, can we?

Comment by Jeff Hamel on January 6, 2016 at 5:02pm

I just saw your comment about GE. I actually did some work with GE as a consultant with Belcan Engineering. Some of the work I did was on the Blackhawk turbines, the F16 engine and a couple of commercial engines. Most of my early work was related to stress, vibrations and thermal analysis which GE had a lot of need for ... and still do. 

Comment by Jeff Hamel on January 6, 2016 at 4:53pm

Wow... you just retired not too long ago!! Congrats on the long career and thanks for your service. Sounds like you got the full Germany experience among other places in Europe. 

Like you I have three kids.. two boys and a girl: 22, 20 and 16. I am still married and my wife probably needs the Medal of Honor for hanging in there. Left Germany and did one year with the 101st then left the Army for college. One of my favorite stories is that not long after getting into college I was co-oping and given my first true engineering task and I was handed this part to model using some engineering software to analyze it for the stress it experiences when in operation. Turns out the part was a turbine rotor for the engine that powers Blackhawks.. so I thought that was a bit cool that only a few years before that I was flying around in Blackhawks at Ft. Campbell. Guess I am a simple man.. doesnt take too much to excite me. 

A few years after that I got into software and was involved in a startup ( I was not one of the founders but was there at ground zero to see how these things are run ). Spend a decade coaching youth football waiting for my time to start my own software company which I am trying to do as we speak. Quit work about a year ago with a small amount of seed capital and jumped off the cliff head first to get this company off the ground. :)

I keep telling a few guys from my time in Bamberg that my master plan is to launch this company and then blow it all on one big reunion for all of us Bamberg. I'll have your seat reserved on our charter party plane. 

Comment by Todd A. Mercer on January 6, 2016 at 4:41pm

And, how are things with you?  After your Aeronautical Engineering degree (congrats, by the way), did you work for GE Jet Engines there in the Dayton/Cincinnati area, or something else?

Comment by Todd A. Mercer on January 6, 2016 at 4:38pm

BTW, I have no recollection of CPT Jennings' wife name.  Last I knew, he was retired (MAJ, prior service in USAF) and working for KBR in our contingency locations.

Comment by Todd A. Mercer on January 6, 2016 at 4:34pm

No worries.  Things for me are going great.  I had a great Active Army career, retired in Feb 2014, and now work as an Army Civilian.  I work in Kaiserslautern for the 21st Theater Sustainment Command.  I had 3 other Active Duty tours in Germany after Bamberg; a tour in Bosnia and another in Italy. I ended up spending the majority of my Active Duty career in Europe.  My goal when coming in way back when, was to serve at least half my career overseas.  I didn't intend for it to be mostly in Europe, but it is what it is.

I've got a great wife (far better than I deserve), and 3 great kids: 21, 10, 8. I've been very fortunate.  

And you?

Comment by Jeff Hamel on January 6, 2016 at 4:28pm

Rude of me.. didnt even ask how things are with you these days. Hope all is going well. 

Comment by Jeff Hamel on January 6, 2016 at 4:25pm

Will do... send your request and I will accept it. At this point I dont have a lot of confidence that I even remember his wife's' name 100%. 

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