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WIESBADEN, Germany — They say first impressions are the truest, and members of the U.S. military’s Frankfurt Gateway Reception Center at the Frankfurt Airport take that saying to heart.
“Our motto is world-class reception, and that’s what we strive to provide through excellent customer service,” said 1st Lt. Jacqueline Wood, executive officer for the reception center, which is part of 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s Human Resources Sustainment Center-Europe.
When Soldiers and families come through the arrival gates at Frankfurt Airport, signs and liaison NCOs are on hand to make sure they are greeted and helped on their way to their destinations.
A team of 30 Soldiers and civilians work together to accomplish this mission at the Frankfurt Airport. With offices located in the Sheraton Hotel, Gateway Reception Center staff members are constantly on the move between the two airline terminals meeting arriving flights (about 42 daily), checking on those in the dedicated waiting areas in Terminal 1 and in the center, providing welcome briefings and arranging for any special circumstances such as overnight accommodations in the event of inclement weather or delayed transportation.
“We go above and beyond our duties to make sure Soldiers and families are taken care of from the moment they arrive until they make it to their final destination,” said Sgt. Maj. Mike Fuller. “We try to do everything we can to make this the best first impression for Soldiers and families new to Europe.”
Roughly 800 Soldiers a month pass through the reception facility with that number surging to between 1,100 and 1,400 during peak times. Along with those Soldiers come thousands of bags, family members and pets.
Once the servicemember arrives at the airport, in the interest of safety and fiscal responsibility, they are required to use the sponsorship buses. The only exceptions are those servicemembers in the grades E9, chief warrant officer 5, O5 and above who may be released to their sponsors.
“A lot of times you get people who are really upset because they drove all the way from Bamberg or Grafenwöhr to pick up people, only to find that they are required to take the sponsorship bus,” Lieutenant Wood said. “Really, the buses are the safest way to go, and sponsors could be doing something a lot more productive for their unit back at their installation. Plus the buses cut down on fuel and vehicle use.”
The reception experts are also there to offer advice to travelers, such as not traveling in uniform for force protection reasons and making sure that they don’t arrive at the airport on weekends or holidays.
Operations Specialist Richard Williams said ID cardholders can use the free sponsorship busses on a space available basis when traveling on leave to get to and from flights.
For more information about the reception center, send an e-mail to FrankfurtReceptionCenter@eur.army.mil or call 334-6915 or 069-69597-3815.
