McKiernan: U.S. likely to keep base in Baumholder

McKiernan: U.S. likely to keep base in Baumholder
By Nancy Montgomery, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, April 30, 2008

HEIDELBERG, Germany — Baumholder’s place as an enduring U.S. base is almost certainly assured, U.S. Army Europe’s outgoing commander said Tuesday.

Gen. David McKiernan said that keeping the U.S. presence there is part of a global basing plan the Pentagon soon will submit to the U.S. Congress.

McKiernan, who’s leaving USAREUR this week to become top commander in Afghanistan, said he hoped there would be an announcement within the next month.

Baumholder’s status has been an open question for some time as Army transformation has closed scores of Cold War bases throughout Germany.

McKiernan, who last year argued that keeping more U.S. troops in Germany than Army Transformation planned would better serve longtime alliances and national security, said that both USAREUR and the U.S. European Command had requested to keep Baumholder open.


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