Bindlach

"Always Ready" salute.
Just something to add, perhaps it jogs a few memories.
In December of 83 I got my orders from Fort Sill that I would be finishing out my next 20 months in Europe, of course I had put in for CA or Hawaii. But Europe would be an adventure. (Army knew best) I would leave Jan 17th never forget the date
I wore more Dress Green very proud, heard a few positive comments in the civilian airports, proud PFC a few medals, ribbons etc that civilians had very little clue what they were for, or my favorite comment medal expert hand-grenade I was leaving sunny CA probably in the 60 degrees a little "chilly."

Jet lag later the sun was coming in through the jet window my watch read something close to 0200. welcome to time changes.

Frankfurt: processing I just wanted to sleep, standing out side in Dress Green my thin socks and clothes could not keep me warm, must be a cold spell. Finally into a tent to process, Bindlach was the assignment, good enough for me. They said that it was close. The heizung worked on the van, my German word heizung.
I got in the van to transport and some Sargent was having a tirade about going to some place called the "Rock" said that he had been there before. That place sounded isolated. "whew" good thing I was I was going to Bindlach.
Home is where you make it, it took some time but soon I was calling the barracks home "How Battery".

The cold spell stayed until... you were there..
"Graff" was Graff.
I was a mechanic but assigned paint detail for the base, a crew of about 4 painted all the vehicles on base, for replacing the digital squares with the camo swirl.

After the painting was completed months later, I was in the "How" tool room. and tool truck in the field.
My close buddies Steve Edmundson medic ( Delta Co. and HQ) James Taylor, Tony Lucio, Steve medic for "How" and the regular squad that I would talk with Sargent Lemon was squared away.
I left September 1985.. Left a PFC I was told that the moment that I signed to extend I would become an E-4,
bonuses were being offered to become a tanker. Who knows what might have happened but I got out.

When I got back home to a small farm town I had a difficult time sleeping at night, very quiet, I had a queen bed but would get up and move to the guest room with a cot and then be OK, no alerts no stress took me week of doing this routine to adjust.
In 1992 I went back for a VACATION. "can't go home again" The wall was down "East" German civilians were now living in my old room. That was ok. I went to Dresden and drank a beer with a previous "East German" soldier The world was changing.

This may not be news to others but it was to me. General Tommy Franks has a history with 1/2 ACR.
I just finished a book "American Soldier" General Tommy Franks.
He was stationed at Ft Sill then 1/2 ACR Bayreuth, he mentions in his book, "Graff" the countryside, the cold, Bayreuth, Bindalch etc. Interesting read.
Thanks for letting me vent, and reminisce.
PFC Frank Collins
I have worn my Dress Green jacket to veteran parades and I sometimes get an Always Ready.