USAREUR NEWS RELEASE 970213-2

February 13, 1997

USAREUR UNITS MOVES

HEIDELBERG, GE -- The Headquarters United States Army, Europe, in conjunction with base closures announced today by the Secretary of Defense, has decided to move the 66th Military Intelligence Group from Augsburg area kasernes to the Darmstadt area. USAREUR has also decided to move three units from Ayers Kaserne in Kirchgoens to Giessen or Ray Barracks in Friedberg, and to move an engineer battalion from Friedberg to Giessen. The five units affected by this announcement and their new duty stations are: the 66th Military Intelligence Group, which will move from Augsburg to the Darmstadt area; the 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry and Headquarters, Headquarters Company of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, which will move from Ayers Kaserne in Kirchgoens to Ray Barracks in Friedberg; and 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Field Artillery, which will move from Ayers Kaserne in Kirchgoens to Giessen. The 23rd Engineer Battalion will move from Ray Barracks in Friedberg to Giessen. These moves will enable all 1st Brigade Maneuver Battalions to be stationed together and as close as possible to the Friedberg local training area. The rest of the brigade will be quartered a short distance away. The engineers will be occupying significantly newer living and working facilities in Giessen.

The decision to move these units was based on the Army's continuing effort to realign forces to be more flexible, effective and efficient while providing the soldier with a quality environment in which to live and work. These moves will allow USAREUR to better use decreasing dollars without affecting training or readiness.

This action affects approximately 2900 soldiers. We expect to start these moves in the second quarter of FY97.