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The Installation Management Activity-Europe’s formal ceremony held
Thursday in Heidelberg officially marked the end of the 415th Base
Support Battalion and the beginning of the U.S. Army Garrison
Kaiserslautern.
“This change is an overall strategy to standardize the organizational
structure of IMA-E so that Soldiers and their families will see
consistency in worldwide service delivery across Army installations,”
said Russell Hall, IMA-E regional director.
As a part of the Army transformation, IMA-E was directed last year to
organize all area support groups and BSBs into U.S. Army garrisons in
accordance with standard garrison organization.
The SGO supports the Army’s goal to standardize the organizational
structure that operates installations and provides services to its
communities, explained Mr. Hall.
“There’ll be absolutely no changes to our customer service,” said Lt.
Col. Erik Daiga, USAGK commander. “We still stand for excellence and
courtesy.”
Customer service is the most visible part of the garrison’s mission to enhance the readiness and quality of life within the KMC.
This translates to three child development centers, three chapels and
chaplain programs, three libraries, Army Community Service’s classes
and support groups, four Army clubs, four gyms and fitness centers and
sports and fitness programs, and many other community services open to
the entire KMC.
In addition to standardizing the garrison structure itself, the SGO is
aimed at establishing and maintaining common levels of support for
personnel across the Army.
“Common levels of support are important to Soldiers and Army families
because it ensures them that no matter where they’re stationed around
the globe, they can count on the same high quality Army services,” said
Colonel Daiga.
Based at Pulaski Barracks, USAGK provides command and control, base
operations support, force protection, reception, staging and onward
movement in support of contingency operations.
It also acts as a power-projection platform, deploying and redeploying
Army units, which it has done for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi
Freedom since 1992.
Thursday’s ceremony transformed 11 BSBs, nine ASGs and two area support
teams, and established a new one in Brussels for a total of 21
garrisons in Europe.
