British Army troops leaving Germany after 70 years

[Gabriel92]

@Steve781 @waz @mike2000 is back
Anything to say about this ?
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5 Rifles are expected to start moving from Germany to Salisbury Plain in the summer

After 70 years, British troops are leaving Germany in one of the biggest moves undertaken by the Army in decades.

Six regional hubs in England will host 39,000 troops and their families by 2020, as part of a wider defence shake-up, with a further 4,000 in Edinburgh and Leuchars.

Former defence secretary Philip Hammond described it as the "end of an era", but with some of the largest numbers yet to be repatriated since the scheme began in 2010, what will the impact be on communities in England as well as those families leaving German bases behind?

"There are families that know nothing other than the support structures in Germany," said Col Neil Page.

"Most of the army trickles people through [Germany], but in some regiments, once you're in a unit you're likely to stay there."

Col Page is a member of the Army Basing Team, which is responsible for bringing 20,000 troops and their families home by the end of the decade, in a move designed to save money and improve operational capabilities.

"There's lots of families involved and we have to make sure there's health, and education provision in there," he said.

The 5 Rifles Company is set to start moving from Paderborn to Bulford on Salisbury Plain in the summer.

Sgt Russell Potter, of the battalion, and his wife Stefanie said there would be a "little bit of disappointment" in leaving Germany, but many families would treat it as "an adventure".

"You've got all your friends. It's not like you're moving places where you're not going to know anyone," Mrs Potter said.

With so many troops moving back to the UK though the challenge is not only one for the army.
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Troop relocation

• Some 10,000 troops have already returned from Germany since 2010
• Thousands more soldiers are being moved within the UK
• The wider project will see four bases close across the UK, with partial closures at three others
• The government claims it will save £250m in operating costs.

In terms of scale, the only equivalent in recent years is the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Col Page said: "It's difficult to say which is more challenging. Afghanistan is an operational base, with a terrific amount of logistics and equipment, as well as troops.

"But in Germany it's quite different, because there's lots of families involved."

According to the government, bringing troops back from Germany is expected to save £240m a year in running costs.

But that could just be the tip of the financial iceberg.

In 2004, the 25,000 troops stationed in Germany were estimated to contribute 1.5 billion Euros a year to the economy, either through jobs, contractors or spend in local shops.

Staffordshire County Council believes such benefits will be felt in the UK, with the extra troops at Beacon Barracks expected to bring in an extra £90m to the wider West Midlands economy as well as 700 jobs.

British Army troops leaving Germany after 70 years - BBC News

 

[Steve781]

I agree with withdrawing from Germany which should have been done in 1990. Not so enthusiastic on the reasons for it: massive cuts in the budget.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

The only surprise about this is the time they took. I thought with the demise of Soviet Union BAOR would have become redundant in 1991. The interesting thing will be how the future deployment pans out over the next two decades.

The islamic/Muslim threat is just a red herring that gives the far right something to chew on. The Islamic radicals are just plain muppets and of no real threat to UK or for that matter USA or NATO.American schoolkids are frankly more potent then the jihadi wariors.

The real threat is China. The way the world works is there can only be one numero uno. USA has occupied that role with the rest sort of just tailing behind in it's wake. As China rises and moves into Africa/Middle East the heat from Red China is going to get felt in Malaga, Marseille, Naples, Athens when and if the day comes when Chinese Carrier groups start parking up in Marreketch, Algeirs, Tripoli, Alexandria or even Djibouti to position themselves to control the worlds sealanes.

That is the real threat. That is where NATO planners will focus. So I expect British forces to play their role in circumventing any Chinese moves near the European Littoral zone. I suspect Europe should suddenly get to recieve a surge of Eritreans, Djibotians, North Africans as the powers that be in Europe secure those zones as to pre empt the Chinese.

The NATO-Chinese power play is going to occupy the future headlines.

Edit: Correction it already is making headlines:- The greatest threat to America’s national security is hiding in plain sight: China is the real enemy

 

[mike2000 is back]

The only surprise about this is the time they took. I thought with the demise of Soviet Union BAOR would have become redundant in 1991. The interesting thing will be how the future deployment pans out over the next two decades.

The islamic/Muslim threat is just a red herring that gives the far right something to chew on. The Islamic radicals are just plain muppets and of no real threat to UK or for that matter USA or NATO.American schoolkids are frankly more potent then the jihadi wariors.

The real threat is China. The way the world works is there can only be one numero uno. USA has occupied that role with the rest sort of just tailing behind in it's wake. As China rises and moves into Africa/Middle East the heat from Red China is going to get felt in Malaga, Marseille, Naples, Athens when and if the day comes when Chinese Carrier groups start parking up in Marreketch, Algeirs, Tripoli, Alexandria or even Djibouti to position themselves to control the worlds sealanes.

That is the real threat. That is where NATO planners will focus. So I expect British forces to play their role in circumventing any Chinese moves near the European Littoral zone. I suspect Europe should suddenly get to recieve a surge of Eritreans, Djibotians, North Africans as the powers that be in Europe secure those zones as to pre empt the Chinese.

The NATO-Chinese power play is going to occupy the future headlines.

Edit: Correction it already is making headlines:- The greatest threat to America’s national security is hiding in plain sight: China is the real enemy

Agree that we should have withdrawn from Germany decades ago after the fall of the evil Soviet empire. there is no reason for us to keep troops in Germany at all. They should be stationed in the Balkans /Eastern Europe instead to deter any Russian aggression.

However I disagree that China is our main threat, we in Europe don't see China as a threat to be honest, Russia is still regarded (rightly) as our main threat as it has been for much of the past century, China doesn't really pose any real threat to us (especially militarily) . What military actions have China taken which threatens Europe? As far as I can remember nothing ever. Lool So forget this fear mongering, we don't consider China as a threat at all, reason we are always willing to cooperate with China on even the most sensitive of fields.

However, I agree China is a threat to the U. S and Japan, those two countries do see China (rightly) as their main threat, but we in Europe don't at all, ours is Russia, china is merely an economic competitor /rival not a threat per se.

 

[IND151]

I did not know they had soldiers in Germany even now.

 

[Saleem]

i wonder how the germans feel about this withdrawal?

 

[coffee_cup]

World should prepare itself for more Anglo-Saxon sponsored wars, so that the soldiers stay out of England.

The reports in state sponsored BBC and private media groups alike in the coming months & years will set the tone.

So keep tuned...

 

[IND151]

what you know else modi ?

I know many things, bu this doesnt mean I know everthing.

 

[Shan-e-ibrahim]

us is still there

 

[IND151]

tu tu serious ho gya re bhai

This is not Naswaristan.

You are elite members so its your duty to encouarge other members too have healthy, serious discussions on such threads.

I know you are light hearted and Mast Maula Person and to an extent I appreciate that. But I request you to not post OTs in threads like this thread.

 

[Gabriel92]

I agree with withdrawing from Germany which should have been done in 1990. Not so enthusiastic on the reasons for it: massive cuts in the budget.
Didn't France withdraw in the sixties or something?

The last French regiment based in Germany has been disbanded in 2014.
Now,it is Germany that has an unit based in France. (The 291th Jägerbataillon)

 

[Superboy]

The Reich will rise again. The German people shall have their place in the sun.

 

[waz]

An end of an era and the right move to be honest.

 

[UKBengali]

Agree that we should have withdrawn from Germany decades ago after the fall of the evil Soviet empire. there is no reason for us to keep troops in Germany at all. They should be stationed in the Balkans /Eastern Europe instead to deter any Russian aggression.

However I disagree that China is our main threat, we in Europe don't see China as a threat to be honest, Russia is still regarded (rightly) as our main threat as it has been for much of the past century, China doesn't really pose any real threat to us (especially militarily) . What military actions have China taken which threatens Europe? As far as I can remember nothing ever. Lool So forget this fear mongering, we don't consider China as a threat at all, reason we are always willing to cooperate with China on even the most sensitive of fields.

However, I agree China is a threat to the U. S and Japan, those two countries do see China (rightly) as their main threat, but we in Europe don't at all, ours is Russia, china is merely an economic competitor /rival not a threat per se.

Well some decades from China the Chinese military would become a credible military threat to EU. It will build many large nuclear powered aircraft carriers that could pose a threat to any country in the world bar the US, along with many SSNs and destroyers to go along with them.

The issue is that EU is unlikely to ever try to challenge China's core interests(which will mainly be on the Asian continent) and so the chances of there ever being a conflict between EU and China is close to nil.

 

[As is - where is]

Not a good move. Unless Russia invades the UK or something, they have nothing to do there... They'd be much more useful staying in Germany or (even better) moving to an Eastern European country. They're just doing this to cut military spending and lower the deficit.