GRAFENWOEHR, Germany (April 5, 2010) -- Within the next few months, members of Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, will leave their current location in Schweinfurt to join their parent 172nd Infantry Brigade at main post Grafenwoehr.
Single Soldiers and families without children will begin moving in early May. Additional Soldiers and families will continue to move through the spring and following the completion of the school year.
"Though the moving is extremely difficult, the brigade is extremely excited to welcome Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, to Grafenwoehr," said Lt. Col. Jamie Gough, brigade deputy commanding officer.
To help make the move and transition easier for everyone, the brigade and the task force have made arrangements for town hall meetings, tours of Grafenwoehr and a one-stop shop for out-processing and in-processing both posts.
"We are trying to make this transition as easy as possible on the Soldiers and their families," said Lt. Col. Steve Miska, commander, Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment.
Good communication has been the key to the move so far, said Miska while addressing the first town hall meeting with Soldiers and spouses. To keep communication flowing, the town hall was the perfect venue for Soldiers and their spouses to gain more information about the upcoming move.
Soldiers and spouses addressed questions and concerns such as where to live, where to preregister for schools and whether there are enough jobs for spouses, during the town hall meeting.
Representatives from United States Army Garrison Grafenwoehr briefed the task force about what is available in the community. Representatives included a school liaison, morale, welfare and recreation, housing and religious support.
"I'm pretty excited about moving to Grafenwoehr," said Sgt. Josef Merritt, cavalry scout, Headquarters Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment. "My wife is originally from the Vilseck area, so it makes moving there much more appealing".
Aside from the town hall meetings, accompanied and unaccompanied Soldiers were given the opportunity to tour Grafenwoher.
"I'm really happy to move here," said Pfc. Fletcher Bowman, a fire support specialist with Headquarters Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment. "I'm most excited about moving to a new town, having new traveling opportunities, being on a bigger post and having better barracks".
On this tour, Soldiers were shown key areas in the Grafenwoehr area such as the USO, Morale, welfare and recreation center, the education Center, the aid station, the post exchange, the commissary, the dining facility, housing, the brigade and company areas. The tour is another way to familiarize the Soldiers with the post before they move to Grafenwoehr later this month, explained Miska.
"There are a lot of positive aspects about this move," said Miska. "By moving, we are consolidating inside the brigade, we also are minimizing the amount of out-of-place Soldiers who work in Grafenwoehr already, but commute back and forth to Schweinfurt. This move will eliminate that strain on our Soldiers and their families".
Spc. Bethany L. Little writes for the 172nd Infantry Brigade Public Affairs section
U.S. Army
