Army chief assessing programs for families at European bases

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Gen. George Casey Jr., Army chief of staff, shakes hands with Sgt. Nathan Akridge prior to a re-enlistment ceremony at Caserma Ederle, Italy. Casey, making his second trip to Europe since assuming his duties earlier this year, helped re-enlist three soldiers in Vicenza. He was set to leave for Germany later in the day.


Army chief assessing programs for families at European bases
By Kent Harris, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, October 24, 2007


VICENZA, Italy — The Army’s senior military leader said Tuesday that he believes keeping troops and their families stationed overseas is “critically important” to his service’s future.

Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army chief of staff, said the service has millions of dollars invested in facilities around Europe. So it makes sense, financially, to stay. But he said the military’s ability to influence people is as important as its successes on the battlefield. And troops and their families living in various countries allows the local population to get to know Americans as well as giving troops a chance to experience other cultures and interact with military counterparts.

Casey served multiple tours in Europe. He was based in Vicenza in 1973. Later, he served in various capacities in the 1st Armored Division in Germany and was chief of staff of V Corps in Heidelberg.

He didn’t address U.S. Army Europe’s reported interest in keeping more brigades in Europe than originally anticipated in places such as Baumholder or Schweinfurt.

Casey said he was making his second trip to Europe since taking over his current job in April. Vicenza was the first stop, followed by installations in Germany.

“I came here for two reasons,” he said. “One: I haven’t been here in a while. Two: They’ve got the (173rd Airborne) Brigade deployed and I wanted to see how the families are doing.”


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49733