moving to germany?

[decay]

so i had high hopes for my new national guard unit in WA, but they're a bunch of shitbags and fuckups.

i'm planning on switching to active-duty and getting a station in germany written into my contract.

from the couple hours of research i've done on DoD installations in europe, i've narrowed down places-i-can-likely-get to germany, simply because we have the most bases there. belgium or netherlands would be nice, but they're small, so i'm not feeling too good about my chances there.

anyway, we have lots of bases in germany, and so far the install i'm leaning towards the most is stuttgart. it's one of the southernmost installs, so i'm likely to dig the weather, and it's where the porsche/benz factories are (bonus). also, easy transit to lots of other places in europe i'd like to go (such as ~3 hours to the 'ring). but i don't know everything yet, this is just what i've learned so far.

what i'd like in this thread is input from people who've been stationed in (for military types) or have lived in/been to (for civvy types) germany- what did you like and what sucked? positives and negatives of stuttgart vs. other places?

thanks in advance.

[AC Nico]

if you are a citizen of Germany you don't wanna live here.

- :

- Too many taxes on everything.
- a lot of unsozial people
- many insubordinate turkish people

+ :

- autobahn
- nurburgring


When you live in an army base it will be better. you have your own gas for cheap ;)

[decay]

ok, well obviously the road system is one of the things i'm grinning about. that's a given.

but since you live there- any other advice on a regional level? any plus/minus about then stuttgart area, vs any other you've been to?

[ptownTSI]

my aunt had friends live on a base in germany for 7 years, they still can't speak german! they didnt really go do much with locals.

[AC Nico]

ok, well obviously the road system is one of the things i'm grinning about. that's a given.

but since you live there- any other advice on a regional level? any plus/minus about then stuttgart area, vs any other you've been to?

the south is better (bavaria and baden wuertemberg), more and better economy.

[Julien]

When you look at belgium, holland and germany, it's pretty much a given that the weather will suck. It's a very wet climate with mild temperatures (I personally fucking hate it).
I've lived in Holland and Belgium:
Holland: They ALL speak EXCELLENT english, they are fairly nice in general but they are very very arrogant. The upper class/yuppies sincerely beleive holland is a global superpower. rofl.
Belgium: Less people speak english but there are alot of foreigners who live there (NATO/UN/etc). In Brussels the atmosphere is pretty laid back, people are freindly and seem to generally have less of a stick up their butt than the two aforementioned countries.
Your best bet: See if you can have a trial period of 6 months or a year. if the shoe fits, stay, if not gtfo.


HTH,
Julien

[decay]

redbull: i'm unlikely to get a station in either of those countries. but thankfully, i've gotten used to pacific-northwest weather, which i imagine is similar. so, good to know where not to go if i want a different climate :)

nico: good to know i'm on the right track. thanks.

[AC Nico]

i was one day in holland to pick up a car for the company where i worked. they are very friendly and helpfull... got a lot of problems there and they all helped me. i don't know any words netherlands but most of them speak a very good english. if those were arrogant i couldn't test but they have some very beautiful girls :up: :crazy:

[amdspitfire]

munich>rest of germany

weather always sucks but germany is an awesome country, great woman and wonderful food

[Skoobeesnak]

I am guessing they are stationed around Kaiserslautern. I was stationed there between '89 - '92 and since there were so many US Army and Air Force bases in the area nearly everyone spoke english. At one point I remember the statistic was 40% American in that area of course this was at the height of the cold war.

[mikeedler]

yeah, Stuttgart doesnt have any better weather, It sux ass there too. just as much rain as everywhere else here.

If I remember right, I think Stuttgart is downsizing heavily. Germany isnt bad, heck, I did 6 years in the army here, and now have been here for over 7 out of the Army.
and yes Nico, I have to buy the expensive ass german gas here to fill up my pickup.

I am in southern germany. In Bamberg, about 1 hour from Grafenwoehr- which is more or less going to be the center of the U.S. Army europe.

Stutgart is the home of the German rap scene!!! other than that, I think Benztown is pretty much the same as anyother here.

what is your MOS? that is what is going to decide where your going. and I am 90% sure you wont be able to pick your duty station here, you willl arive ath the 21st replacement(or whatever it is called now) and they will tell you there where your going.

[AC Nico]

and yes Nico, I have to buy the expensive ass german gas here to fill up my pickup.

you can't buy your gas in the base? i think thats cheaper or? do you still work for the army?

[mikeedler]

I work for the lokal BMW Autohaus. Been out of the army for 7 years.

[kommissar]

you can't buy your gas in the base? i think thats cheaper or? do you still work for the army?

Hah, you said "I think that's cheaper, or?" I remember German friends trying to speak English and doing the same thing, it's hilarious (plus the girls we were with in Germany thought it was cute, so keep it up).

[AC Nico]

I work for the lokal BMW Autohaus. Been out of the army for 7 years.

cool thats nice. as a mechanican?