Base Name:
*Vogelweh Housing, ROB, Ramstein
Base Location:
*Kaiserslautern, Germany
How long have you been here? (give years please, ex. 2003-present)
*2008- present/2010
What is housing like? On-post? (waiting list, conditions, etc.) Off-post? Any areas to stay away from? Average price to rent or buy?
* We live on post in Vogelweh Housing. I really do NOT like the housing b/c for one it is stair well housing and you have to go up 6 flights of stairs just to get to the 3rd floor (and there are 4 floors!) This makes it really hard for when you go grocery shopping and having to lug all that up those stairs. Also you have people who are no considerate to be mindful of their neighbors and be quiet. As for as the house it is an apartment. We got lucky enough to have one of the apartments with really large bedrooms. Our living room is a nice size too, but you have to put your table in your living room. The living room also doesn’t give much option for a set up. You have hard wood floors through out the house except in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room which is this tile that has a gritty material to it and it gets hard to clean unless you get the right stuff! They also have duplex’s but only for higher enlisted or people with 3+ children. They are currently in the process of building more duplex’s to rid of the stairwell housing!
Rate the PX & Commissary.
* We just got a new mall built in Ramstein which has the BX in it. It just sucks they shut ours down here on Vogelweh, and we have to travel to Ramstein to get things. However, they are in the process of making the shoppette more like the “one stop shop”. As far as the Ramstein BX they sell things on a “general’s salary”. Clothes are EXPENSIVE! I really like the commissary on Vogelweh, it’s hardly ever crowded which is nice to me. Ramstein’s is super crowded and the isles are not big, but to each it’s own!
Activities on base?
*The only activities for adults on Vogelweh would really be the two bars we have. The Irish Pub aka Armstong’s has a virtual bowling alley, pool tables, and casino slots. The Kazabra Club hosts a lot of bingo, which might sound lame, but it is actually really fun and exciting while you’re playing! It’s sometimes expensive though! As far as doing things with the kids, they have several parks throughout housing which is really nice. They also have a bowling alley, and a really small theater that only plays one show and doesn’t play often at all! Ramstein has a movie theater which plays the newer movies, but it doesn’t accommodate many people so you have to be in line an hour prior to a movie starting to get a ticket!
Active Spouses Club?
*I am not active with the spouses club over here.
Things to do in area?
*Of course site seeing! There are so many castles and historic things to see. The good thing is they aren’t that far. Paris is only 4 hours away! The culture of Germany is great!
School System?
*My daughter isn’t in school yet, but from what I have heard apparently they aren’t able to accommodate all children into the school so some have to be sent off post. Since this is generally an air force base, air force gets first pick. Not too thrilled about that!
Any colleges in area?
*University of Maryland, and Central Texas
Jobs? (on post and off)
*Off post, I don’t know of any unless you speak fluent German. On post jobs are hard to find b/c 70% goes to the local nationals which leaves it hard for the spouses!
Favorite aspect of this base/surrounding city?
*The culture and experience is great!
Least favorite aspect?
*The COLD weather! I am from Georgia, and my husband is from Florida so we really enjoy warm weather and sun shine. Which you don’t get a whole lot of in Germany… most of the time it is over cast! And the unit my husband is in!!!!
Local websites? (base, chamber, newspaper, schools, etc.)
*KMCC paper, Stars and Stripes, www.ramsteinyardsales.com (to get really great stuff for cheap)
Any other tips?
*Be prepared for a lot of long hours working, going to the field, and being deployed to unusual locations if your spouse gets stationed at ROB 5-7 ADA. The only good thing about 5-7 is they don’t get deployed down range, but they are gone all the time anyway. Definitely make sure you get out there and meet people, it makes it easier to be so far away from family b/c these people really become your family over here. Get out and explore, there are so many things to do that really only cost the gas to get there! Things can get expensive over here with the exchange rate which sucks, so expect that!
My husband is considering joining the army which would mean that we would need to move. Do you know if there are real estate listings that make it easy to move into off base housing? I’m just concerned that we would need to find a good place to live and wouldn’t be able to get a good location or deal.