Kaiserslautern Military Community

Kaiserslautern Military Community is a community of Americans living in and around Kaiserslautern, Germany supporting United States Armed Forces and NATO installations, such as the Ramstein Air Base, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Kapaun Air Station, Vogelweh Housing Area, Pulaski Barracks, Kleber Kaserne, Daenner Kaserne, Panzer Kaserne, Sembach Kaserne, Miesau Army Depot, and Rhine Ordnance Barracks. With around 57,000 people, including military service members, Department of Defense civilians and contractors as well as their families, the KMC is the largest U.S. military community outside of the United States.

Facilities

A combined Base Exchange (BX) and Post Exchange (PX) located on Ramstein Air Base makes it the largest AAFES shopping-facility in Europe - the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center (KMCC). This has become the biggest attraction for service members and their families. Several well-stocked libraries, several American restaurants (including a Chili's and Romano's Macaroni Grill), and other facilities provide services exclusively for holders of DOD ID cards.

569th United States Forces Police Squadron

The 569th United States Forces Police Squadron, based in Vogelweh Military Complex, Germany, is an Air Force Security Forces squadron. The mission of the 569th USFPS is to provide airtight security for its Protection Level resources while delivering the highest degree of Air Provost (Law Enforcement & Police Services) duties and Force Protection integrity to the Kaiserslautern Military Community with approximately 157,000 people.

History of the 569 USFPS:

In 1972, the Ramstein wing commander found himself responsible for more than 750 sq miles of German country side, more than 1,000 military facilities, 1,100 military housing units, two elementary schools, a middle school and a large American high school all located "outside the wire." In addition, the Air Force wing commander also found himself playing host to a substantial Army garrison, which decided to remain in Kaiserslautern after the transfer. On August 1,1976, Lt Col Bob Sullivan assumed command of the Kaiserslautern Army military community MP station and because of its joint operation status it was renamed "U.S. Forces Police Station Kaiserslautern." It wasn't until a new wing commander, who recognized the grave responsibility to the community, arrived and things began to change. Ramstein reconstituted under the unlikely name of "Detachment 1, 86th Tactical Fighter Wing. This arrangement lasted for some years until "in-house" political considerations brought the unit back to Ramstein as part of the 86th Security Police Group. Day-to-day operations at the police station consisted of a number of jointly operated sections including Operations, Investigations, Pass and ID, Traffic, and Vehicle Registration. The patrol section consisted of seven dedicated units who used the call sign "Metro." The name is still used today.

In years before the fall of the Berlin wall, the lines of authority in Germany were considerably different than they are today. The 70s still were the time of the "Four Powers" and Germany was divided into sectors controlled by the governments of England,France, Russia, and the United States. The Kaiserslautern military community was smack in the middle of the French sector and many functions of the USFPS required coordination with and sometime approval of the French Gendarmerie whose Headquarters was located in Baden Baden. A particular requirement was the apprehension and disposition of Russian "observers" who tended to get too close to allied military installations. Russians had a particular fondness for sending tractor-trailer trucks toward Paris on the autobahn, which paralleled Ramstein AB. The standing joke at the time was that the electrons being sucked off the base by the equipment on those trucks would make your hair stand on end. USFPS's job was to intercept the trucks and observe with them as they passed through our community. On occasion, diligent Russians would leave the autobahns to "get a better look" as a result, some interesting chases ensued.

When USFPS was formed, one of the first priorities was to design and have approved a distinctive emblem to signify the unique position of this one of kind organization in the Air Force. The design, finally approved by the Institute of Heraldry and the Air Force, was truly a one of a kind emblem. A six pointed "sheriff's star" signifying the station's community-wide responsibilities and heraldic beasts taken from the coats of arms of the German counties and cities located within Kaiserslautern military community. Nonetheless, the tradition carries on as they are supplemented in this mission by German civilian police called ZP's (Zivil Polizei), and by the 92d Military Police Company.

The 569th is the last "Security Police" squadron in the Air Force. All members are recognized by their Security Police ("SP") brassard. The 569 USFPS executes the Air Force’s largest law enforcement mission, covering 1.1K square miles and providing police services to over 57,000 DoD personnel and their dependents, all while deploying and redeploying members to 15 different locations worldwide.

Schools

Kaiserslautern Military Community includes DoDDS schools: Kaiserslautern Elementary, Middle, and High School, Vogelweh Elementary, Ramstein Elementary, Intermediate, Middle, and High School, Landstuhl Elementary Middle School, and Sembach Elementary, and Middle School.

See also

• Husterhoeh Kaserne

External links

• globalsecurity.org KMC entry
• Kaiserslautern American Military Newspaper
• Kaiserslautern German-American Community Office
• Ramstein AB
• U.S. Army Kaiserslautern Homepage