-
PCS to Stuttgart
Take a tour of Stuttgart on YouTube!PCS, or "Permanent Change of Station" to Stuttgart, Germany. I had to reenlist for it, but it was well worth it. I wasn't too happy about my job there (working night shift inside a vault), however, the city more than compensated for it. There, I completely immersed myself in the city, learning how the train system works, where all of the desireable and undesirable areas are located, and how much everything costs. Stuttgart can be very expensive if you're not paying attention. -
Period: to
Patch Barracks, Stuttgart
From 5 May 2001 to 13 September 2001, I was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. -
Rock am Ring Concert
Official SiteThe Rock am Ring concert is a 3-day nonstop concert featuring literally hundreds of bands on multiple stages. It is so large that it is divided up between neighboring towns, one hosting Rock am Ring, and the other, Rock im Park. Guns and Roses canceled as usual, I lost a shoe in the mosh pit, was almost killed by the Polizei, had a 3-day diet of German beer, and lost my camera - along with it many of my pictures. It was one of the best times I'd ever had. -
Sommerfest Der Kulturer in Stuttgart
For someone who was brand new, this was pretty impressive. But, as far as fests go, this one was very quiet and relaxed. Most fests usually consist of intense partying, drinking, and stumbling around. -
September 11 Attacks
The following day, a large group of Germans came to our main gate to pay their respects for the victims, bringing flowers and candles. They felt that they too, had been attacked - after all, it was the collapse of the World Trade Center that had also caused German casualites. -
PCS to Bad Aibling
Another YouTube Video!With Stuttgart in the rearview mirror, I found myself racing down the Autobahn to a tiny Bavarian town nestled in the Alps. It would be here that I spend the rest of my assignment. It was perhaps the best assignment one can get in the U.S. military. -
Period: to
Bad Aibling
From 13 September 2001 to 11 October 2003, I was detached to Bad Aibling, keeping my unit in Stuttgart; making routine trips back every few months to do paperwork and standard qualifications. -
Assembly of the Crew
One doesn't have near as good a time overseas alone. It was in Bad Aibling where I met Courtney Hayes and Elizabeth Podest - the 3 of us composing of "the crew". Everywhere we went, we went there with each other. From here on out, all of my experiences in Germany (and elsewhere) had them in the picture. -
First Snow
Having seen little snow as a Mobile, AL native, I was pretty excited for it to come. Little did I know that blizzard conditions frequent to the area would cure me of that by the end of winter. If you look closely, you can see where I wrote, "Roll Tide" in the snow. -
A Tour of Munich
Take a Video Tour!It had to be done. The city is so overwhelmingly huge that it was impossible to see all of it, despite the amount of time that I spent there. It was extremely cultural and unique. If there is anything that you can think of to look for in Munich, you are certain to find it. -
Neuschwanstein Castle
Watch on YouTube!Any tourist who plans to spend lenghty time in Germany has no excuse for not visiting the most photographed castle in the world. Unfortunately it was under heavy rennovation when I went, and the weather wasn't that great either. Go figure. -
Go Karting in Wasserburg
The Kart Site (German)So you say go-carts are for kids? When you replace the engine with one 5 times the size, include a bar on the track, a firehood, helment and gloves, you'll quickly realize that karting in Germany isn't for the faint of heart. Some endurance races last for days at a time. -
Snowboarding Austria
YouTube Video!There's a place in Austria that boasts year-round skiing. I thought the idea was a bit crazy myself, picturing in my mind acres of fake snow and people in swim wear gliding through the snow. This was certainly not the case. Soelden, Austria, although remote and hard to find, was an awesome trip. -
The Innsbruck Excursion
Watch the YouTube Video!Many of my pictures of Innsbruck were the result of a solo search party for the girls, who did not make it back to the hotel after a long night of bar-hopping. After roaming Innsbruck well into the afternoon, I quickly realized that it was a ghost town - that many of the locals, too, were hung-over. Nevertheless I soldiered on looking down every street alley I could. What a pal, huh? -
Oktoberfest in Munich
Watch on YouTube!I really don't remember much about it. I know I had a great time - the girls got lost for a little while, but I was able to find them on accident a few hours later. Mind you, over 1 million people attend annually. -
Waking Up in Southern Austria
Oktoberfest + a train ride back home = disaster. Heavily intoxicated, we boarded the train and found ourselves being nudged by a ticket collector, declaring, "Fahrschein bitte!". Upon showing him our tickets, he laughed and told us that we were almost in Italy. We disembarked the train, exhausted, in a very small town that had probably never seen Americans. -
Christmas Time in Rosenheim
View Live Webcam!Rosenheim was the closest town of real size to it... and was the place that we did most of our shopping and close-range partying. I had the pleasure of befriending some very interesting people there. -
Exploring Garmish
YouTube VideoI heard so much about Garmish from some of those who went there to see the Zugspitze and do some white-water rafting, that I had to get on a train and check it out. I think I should have waited for a better day. -
Leaving for Kolbermoor
John Tierney, my room mate, and I, decided to venture out to Kolbermoor to see if we couldn't score a Doner Kebap. Sometimes a craving for one happens sporradically and the drive to get one just can't be ignored. -
The First Snow Man
Realizing that I had failed to make a snow man the winter prior, I figured I'd give it a try outside the barracks. It didn't come out like I had hoped. -
Wendelstein
View Live Webcam!We didn't have the Zugspitze (the tallest mountain in Germany), but we did have Wendelstein (the 2nd tallest). In this area (about 10 minutes from the base) was where you can find the Eagle's Nest - Hitler's hideout. Also you can see the border between Germany and Austria. -
International Competition in Vienna, Austria
A marksmanship competition with 20 nations competing was held in Vienna, and for the first time ever, the Americans had been invited. We placed last. -
Leaving Germany
It was a very sad day indeed. I've been back since, but only passing through to and from Iraq, having never left the airport.
