Info on Ramstein AB, Germany

[Guest HercPilot]

So I was wondering if any 130 guys out there who had gone to Ramstein could give me some advice. I just got my wings and after I finsh up at Little Rock I will be going to Germany. Ramstein gets snowed on, should I bring my Trans Am, or sell it for something more practical there? Any advice on what to do with my household goods before leaving Conus? And where should I try to live when I am over there near "K-town"? I don't like living on base but I have never been over seas either, whats the best way to go? And how much pay increase if any is to be expected while I am over there, COLA etc. Anyone know where the slicks there fly to mostly? How hard is it to get leave, and are the missions fun? Thanks for any and all help guys, I appreciate it.

[Guest AirGuardian]

After being activated for a year and running missions downrange from Ramstein, I have a few pointers you might be interested in. Housing wise, it's your call - but my friends who were AD there managed to be in a 5/6 room house just 15 minutes away - but they were Captains at the time. Shouldn't be too hard to secure a decent dwelling off base. K town is a blast! But I did enjoy the base itself and I did not visit any housing - just the Golf Course, Gym, BX, Commissary, Movie house, Bowling alley, BK and some other different but great fast food shops. It was a blast overall if you had to be away from the family and there was no sand in sight.... It does snow, but it wasn't too heavy that year. If you're there for a few years you might check out the lemon lot. Plenty of awesome european cars for dirt prices since most are Eurospec and you pay a few thousand more for the American specs. You decide, but I found a 99' BMW 740 series with 70K mint condition - $13,000 at that time(4 years old)... I'd drive a fancy ride dirt cheap and pitch it or you can get a better deal on the cars with American spec anyway! Nothing to say about the 130 guys mission, but my friend their hung out in Norway for 4 weeks during an Excercise and had a grand time needless to say... You'll enjoy it, have fun!

[M2]

Herc

Spent four years at Ramstein and loved it. The base is crowded and parking sucks but there are lots of great places to live off-base within a half-hour's drive. We lived up near Sembach AB outside of Winnweiler, it was nice as Sembach still has some facilities (shoppette, gas station, movie theater, commissary) so it was convenient.

The snow at Ramstein isn't that bad, when it is bad you usually won't have to come in. Gas is more expensive than in the States, but a hell of a lot less than on the economy. You will get 400 liters a month rations per car, so if it sucks gas big time then you may want to consider storing it and buying a used BMW (a popular choice, I had two 3-series and they were great cars). Insurance is expensive as well, but what do you expect in a country with the autobahn? That said, driving is a lot easier as the Germans are very disciplined and expect you to be as well, so no sitting in the left lane unless you are passing. But yes, a majority of the autobahn is still unrestricted, so you can go as fast as your TA will take you. However, having just driven to Spangdahlem yesterday and doign 120 mph on the way home, my VR6 Passat was drinking the gas...18 mpg and dropping fast! Still, it is nice to be able to do that, but keep in mind that even at those speeds I was being passed by Mercedes and Porsches.

Kaiserslautern is a great place, as is most of Germany...if you can't have fun there, then something is definitely wrong with you!

Cheers! M2

[Guest redonohoe]

Question for you guys, I'm heading to Ramstein soon and I want to pick up my instrument rating. It looks like Ramstein doesn't have an aero club. Do I need to get this done while I'm at Little Rock or is this something that I can get done while in Germany. Also I'd appreciate any advice regarding Ramstein.

[Guest C-21 Pilot]

There is an active flying club, but it's in Mannheim and Saarbrucken...

You will not be able to get a FAA cert'd Instrument Rating here, so you should plan on doing so at your current location. Also, unless your reletaed to Bill Gates, don't plan on renting a plane here as well...

AV Gas runs approx 1.68 Euro per liter, or about 6$ per gallon. You're looking at a cool 500-600 Euro ($700-800) for a cool 2 hour flight.

BTW, if you are a graduate of UPT, you can take your doc's w/ you and get an Instrument ticket.

I've lived here at Ramstein (ETAR) for 2 years...fire away your questions via PM if you have any. I've got plenty of advice. Just start off your PM w/ the basics...are you single, married, kids, what are you going to be doing here, etc, etc...

Linda was here as well for 3 and PCS'd about 6 months months ago.

treeee bar, treee bar, treeee barrrrr.....

^2

[ 14. May 2006, 05:22: Message edited by: C-21 Pilot ]

[M2]

I did four years at Ramstein, 95-99. That was pre-Doc and the place was already crowded then. We lived up past Sembach and we loved being on the economy, but with a deployment and a newborn, we decided to move into stairwell housing our last year. it was a smart move, as the African embassy bombings caused a massive lockdown on US installations in Europe. At least my wife and son were on base, where she could walk to the BX, commissary, 24-hr shoppette, etc.

Kaiserslautern is the largest contingent of Americans outside of the 50 states, and it is obvious that around the US facilities most of the signs are in English; but there is a lot to do and see in the area and if you make an effort to get out and about, you will have a good time. You are not far from the Black Forest, decent skiing (although not the Alps, they are a bit of a drive to get to, about 4 hours or so to Garmisch). The Rhine and Mosel rivers are beautiful, and try and get out to the local fests when you can. Volksmarches--organized hikes with prizes--are popular weekend activities. Check out the Thursday edition of the Stars & Stripes, you can read it online here.

And you had better enjoy yourself! Otherwise, you suck!

Cheers! M2

[Herk Driver]

The USAREUR driver's test was re-written in 2001. If you don't study, you will fail it. And just for clarification, a rental company will let you rent a car with only a US license. ETAR SF will not give you a pass to drive on base unless you comply with the following taken from the USAREUR website.

"Military, civilian component and family members must have an U. S. Forces Certificate of License BEFORE driving any vehicle (except a Government vehicle) in Germany. The only exception to this rule is if they have obtained written approval from their appropriate commander to operate a vehicle in Germany for the first 30 days with a valid country license with an international driver license."

You can go here to check it out for yourself on the front page. (bottom right under reminder). Good luck with the exception to policy. Some places are more restrictive about this than others. When I was at ETAR in '99, no way you could drive a rental on base without the license. At Stuttgart, no one even knows that policy exists. This only applies if you PCS there; so it is not applicable to TDY or leave personnel.

Oh yeah, another new thing. Make sure your stateside license doesn't expire while you are here. If it does, your USAREUR license becomes invalid. For example, a few states like Montana, IIRC, let your license never expire while you are in the military. It still has an expiration date, but you are exempt from renewing until you get out. You would not be allowed to get a USAREUR license with that stateside license anymore. The expiration date printed on the license must be valid for the 5 year period of the USAREUR license.

Here's the actual verbiage from 190-1 reference the rental question above:

SECTION IACQUIRING A U.S. FORCES CERTIFICATE OF LICENSE

2-1. LICENSING POLICY

a.Military and civilian personnel and their family members must have a U.S. Forces certificate of license to drive in Germany. This does not include the operation of Government vehicles, which can be operated using OF 346 or Air Force Form 2293. To get a U.S. Forces certificate of license, military and civilian personnel and their family members must have a valid country license (glossary). OF 346 and Air Force Form 2293 may not be used in place of a valid country license to obtain a U.S. Forces certificate of license. The minimum age to apply for a class 3 U.S. Forces certificate of license with a valid country license is 17 (table I-1). Individuals may operate only the class or classes of POVs indicated on their license. Appendix I, paragraph I-2, lists vehicle classifications.

[Guest C-21 Pilot]

Left there last summer (06)...unfortunately, was during Doc (bastard). These are lessons learned...

If you're single, you'll probably end up in K-Town....however, if your married, there are plenty of areas to live. We lived in the town of Lambsborn (VERY small) and loved it...great neighbors, small town feel/appeal, etc.

Other stuff...

1.) Do NOT go through a real estate company. You'll pay for their service (usually 1 months rent ~$1500).

2.) The drivers test is notorious for failure. Don't blow it off - study.

3.) If you can make due, ship your car early~ 45 days or so, so that you will have it upon arrival.

4.) Start working on TOURIST PASSPORTS now!!!

Venture over to www.afcrossroads.com. They have a wealth of knowledge on Ramstein.

Lastly, as M2 stated, Ramstein is a hub of travel. We went to the Mosul nearly every weekend (Kues, Trier, Cochem, etc). All superb.

Recommend buying the Rick Steeves "Europe Through the BackDoor" book. Best on the market IMHO.

I'm jealous...

[fueL2Fight]

dude, you need to give more details. single and married are almost two different worlds. some of the advice they're giving for marrieds is 180 degrees from singles.

If you're married you'll live in a quaint village and wait for death. single you should live in downtown k-town and if the housing listings don't have something awesome above a bar then DEFINITELY pay the realtor fee. There are some amazing apartments that housing will never show you and you'd be missing out.

Space-A for a single dude? Yea right. RyanAir is about $80 and you can drink and have access to public transport as you step off the airport. not as good a deal if you have rugrats i guess. rick steves IS cool as shit, but also consult the HEDONIST GUIDE TO series. All the best and most expensive restaurants, clubs, casinos, brothels, bars, and even hunting (limited in europe). where to go to rent a ridiculous car for the weekend. married guys will find the prices prohibitive, but you'll have a blast checking the places out.

get the bahncard 50 from either on base reisburo or at the train station. saves you 50% off the last minute fare to anywhere in germany. saves you a TON of money and actually makes taking the train to big cities affordable. get the RAILPLUS for an xtra 15 euro to have similar deals in neighboring countries. good for a year.

if you're thinking about getting married before coming here.. don't. chicks are hot as hell.

[Guest alfakilo]

I did two assignments...one in Holland, one in England...one single, one married.

Both times, I lived off base among the locals...IMO, the best way to go. But it's up to the individual...some folks want the 'little bit of America' feel to living in base housing, others want to enjoy Europe for what it is.

In either case, take full advantage of all the recreational opportunities. This is literally the chance of a lifetime...play your cards right and you'll have memories to cherish forever.

[Guest Technique only]

I'll be moving to Ramstein shortly. Any advice on renting or buying a house for a married guy?

As far as buying goes, I wouldn't recommed it unless you are going to be here for awhile. I actually took a class with the wife when we got to Ramstein on buying a house in Germany. The fees are very high and it is difficult to get financing. It can be done but it would be a huge pain in the arse.

My suggestion for renting, wait until you get here. Stop buy housing and have them search available listings for you. They will call the landlord for you and speak to them in German to schedule a time for you to go by and see the place. You can also check out a GPS at housing to use to find your way around. This will help you out a great deal until you learn the local geography a bit more. As someone else recommended, don't go thorough a real estate company because they will charge you a finder's fee. Houses need to be inspected by housing before you can move in anyway so you might as well go there to see what's available. Any other questions, just ask.

[M2]

Dude

Congrats, I loved my time at Ramstein. Do a search and you will find lots of info. But in a nutshell, there is stairwell housing (apartments) on base but they are cozy. The pros are a short commute to AAFES and work, and no need for a second car; and the downside is you can have a tendency to get stuck on base for weeks on end and not truely getting the full German experience, which is a tragedy. There are lot of places to live off-base, whic is notce to be in a little German village and drink Pils with the locals; but it can get expensive (living off base, not the beer...it is worth every pfennig or euro-cent, whatever they are called nowadays!).

As for cars, an American car really isn't a problem as Americans have been bringing them to Germany for over half a century; but parts can get expensive and some things like emmissions control items are not found in Europe and can be a problem if they break. I had that problem in Belgium, my check engine light came on and the local VW dealer could not fix it as they didn't know what the code meant. I would recommend against a big American car/truck/SUV simply because gas is still expensive even on base and driving one through those small German villages can get touchy. Plus you stand out like a sour thumb. Buying a late-model German specs used BMW or Audi might make more sense, but there isn't really a huge advantage of one over the other. I shipped a VW Passat over and bought a used German-specs BMW 3-series, it worked out great. Oh, and there are tons of "tax-free" sales if you are looking for a deal. Check out the European version of the Stars & Stripes on-line here and look for the ads.

Cheers! M2

[Toro]

Revival for future searchers with a few links that I've come across.

MSN Germany Group - discussion board primarily geared toward military

USAREUR Arrival info

Kaiserslautern American - Ramstein weekly military paper. News, events, and classifieds.

Kaiserslautern Schools - Info on all the US schools in the Ramstein area

435 SVS - Ramstein services page

I've also attached a Germany's insider guide.

Germany_insiders_guide.pdf

[wacky]

Take a cheap cab to Landstuhl for dinner then you have a few bar options, or head to Kaiserslauten in a slightly more expensive cab and grab dinner/bars. Have a doner for me, I will be in the AOR.

[Guest C-21 Pilot]

Get to Ramstein, do the following - since you have a little time btw now and then, research the following.

1.) Get a rental car from Sixth (next to the main gas station).

2.) Get driving directions to Bernkastel...really easy to get there.

3.) Party hard there, and find a place to watch the fireworks.

4.) Grab a hotel and drive back to Ramstein.

All in all, should set you back a couple 100 dollars....but much better than freakin' Landstuhl or K-Town.

Just my $.02 from someone who has spent 4 New Years Eve's there...

Edited December 29, 2008 by C-21 Pilot

[M2]

Yep, that's a great plan; but it's Bernkastel-Kues. It's on the Mosel and that town knows how to throw a fest! But they should, they've been doing it for over 700 years now...

Cheers! M2

[ziploc158]

I'm thinking about taking a trip to Germany with my father in August/September and I thought it would be nice to stay in billeting on Ramstein to save a little cash. I was told since it was considered Space-A so I can't make a reservation until 24hrs in advance of me showing up. In this time frame, is this part of the tourist season over there? Anyone have any suggestions in the area that is cheap in the event that a can't get a reservation? Thanks for any help!

[Toro]

In this time frame, is this part of the tourist season over there? Anyone have any suggestions in the area that is cheap in the event that a can't get a reservation? Thanks for any help!

I don't think it's really tourist season, but it's the tail-end of PCS season. Realize that you also have lodging in Landstuhl, Vogelweh and Sembach (first two ~10 minutes away and Sembach ~25 minutes away). The numbers are all here. I can't vouch for any of the local hotels, but you can try here or here (both from the locally published business guide).

[M2]

Actually, whereas staying on base may be more convenient, I would recommend going offbase as it is much easier/cheaper to walk home from the Gasthaus than it is to get back on base. I've stayed in Landstuhl on numerous occasions and there are plenty of places where you can make reservations in advance and still get a great place!

[Flare]

Here's a question about Germany in general: if you're not stationed there, how (or can you) buy gas at the AAFES gas stations if you don't have one of those ration credit cards? With gas being cheaper there anyways, and the dollar getting CRUSHED by the Euro now, it'll make a significant difference!

[Toro]

Here's a question about Germany in general: if you're not stationed there, how (or can you) buy gas at the AAFES gas stations if you don't have one of those ration credit cards? With gas being cheaper there anyways, and the dollar getting CRUSHED by the Euro now, it'll make a significant difference!

If you're TDY, you can take your rental agreement and TDY orders to AAFES and you'll get a temporary ration card linked to your rental vehicle. If you're not TDY or PCS'd, you're SOL.

[Guest thegrayman]

I, too, got in on the boondoggle to Ramstein. Thanks to TORO for that sweet gouge. Question about a car conundrum though:

We're planning on shipping one car and selling our other car...I know someone advised shipping the car we're taking early so it's there when you arrive, but if we sell our other car, we'll have no transpo...does TMO give you a rental car voucher or anything? Should we wait to sell our 2nd car until the day before we leave? What about waiting to ship our 1st car? Will the gov't pay for a rental car while we wait for our car to arrive (yeah, right)? How expensive is it to rent a car for a month? Same as here in the states?

Seems like a logistical nightmare, but I'm sure people deal with it all the time, so any advice?

[HU&W]

I, too, got in on the boondoggle to Ramstein. Thanks to TORO for that sweet gouge. Question about a car conundrum though:

We're planning on shipping one car and selling our other car...I know someone advised shipping the car we're taking early so it's there when you arrive, but if we sell our other car, we'll have no transpo...does TMO give you a rental car voucher or anything? Should we wait to sell our 2nd car until the day before we leave? What about waiting to ship our 1st car? Will the gov't pay for a rental car while we wait for our car to arrive (yeah, right)? How expensive is it to rent a car for a month? Same as here in the states?

Seems like a logistical nightmare, but I'm sure people deal with it all the time, so any advice?

You can pick up a rental car (15 year old Mercedes/BMW with no A/C) for about $500 for a month at some of the places off base. Europcar can get you one for a little over $1000 for a month. Sixt (on base) is the most convenient and the most expensive. They can get you one starting around $1400 for a month. Keep in mind these prices are for the smallest/cheapest cars.

Lots of people (me included) just ship a car when they leave the states and go to the lemon lot to buy a beater immediately upon arrival. A good used BMW/Mercedes will run you $4k-7K. They're nice for getting around, and the other drivers treat you better when you aren't in an obviously American car. They move quick during PCS season so you'll want to jump fast once you find one you like.

Others will order a car from the many new car vendors. You can get a BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, or Mini custom built for a fraction of the stateside price, tax free. If you order far enough in advance of your move, it can be waiting for you.

Your more pressing logistical problem is that you can't rent, buy, or even drive a car on PCS orders until you get your USAREUR license. It's not an easy test, but if you study you can have a temp within a week of arrival. There's a new system that is being rolled out to certain bases allowing you to test before you come. Gouge is below.

1/30/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- Stress during a permanent change of station move is inevitable, but proper planning before leaving a current station is one way to mitigate some of the pressure and anxiety that can occur after arriving at a new duty location.

For members and dependents PCSing to Germany, one big stressor is passing the U.S. Army in Europe, or USAREUR, driver's license test. A passing grade on the test is a requirement before active duty personnel and dependents can apply for a USAREUR driver's license and operate a motor vehicle on or off base, officials said.

Statistics show those on their first assignment to Europe will be challenged by the USAREUR driver's license test. More than 30 percent of all first-time testers fail to meet the minimum passing score of 85 percent.

Why is this test so difficult?

Since most of the German and European traffic patterns, speeds, signs and laws are different than those in the United States, it requires some real study to pass. Additionally, a rigorous test is directly tied to a driver's understanding of the rules of the road and informational signs and is critical to ensure the safety of the driver and those on the road with them.

In an effort to reduce the associated stress of the USAREUR driver's licensing process, 435th Vehicle Readiness Squadron personnel have teamed up with U.S. Air Forces Europe Headquarters counterparts to help Airman prepare for successful completion of their licensing test.

An initiative was started to move the point of USAREUR driver's license testing from the destination location to the departing location. Several stateside locations, including MacDill, now allow members to test for their license before they PCS. Unlike the conventional test, this one is paperless, giving applicants the opportunity to take proctored tests online at local education offices. Just a few seconds after the last question is answered, the results of the test will be available on the screen. With a test result in hand, members arriving at USAFE bases can easily apply for, and instantly receive their USAREUR driving privileges.

The new testing process is currently available at 16 bases across the Air Force with the capability slotted to expand to another 19 by March.

Airmen should keep in mind there are many things they can do to prepare themselves for the test, officials said.

The exam is made up of 75 multiple-choice questions on rules and driving procedures, plus 25 traffic signs that must be properly identified. The feedback provided from many individuals who have failed the test is that study materiel is sufficient but the amount of time set aside to study was not. Many people who failed just didn't anticipate the difficulty of the test.

For anyone expecting to pass this exam, a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted study time is recommended, officials said. Practice exams and information about the USAREUR test can be found on the Air Force Portal at https://wwwmil.usafe.af.mil/dlt/.

[Herk Driver]

I, too, got in on the boondoggle to Ramstein. Thanks to TORO for that sweet gouge. Question about a car conundrum though:

We're planning on shipping one car and selling our other car...I know someone advised shipping the car we're taking early so it's there when you arrive, but if we sell our other car, we'll have no transpo...does TMO give you a rental car voucher or anything? Should we wait to sell our 2nd car until the day before we leave? What about waiting to ship our 1st car? Will the gov't pay for a rental car while we wait for our car to arrive (yeah, right)? How expensive is it to rent a car for a month? Same as here in the states?

Seems like a logistical nightmare, but I'm sure people deal with it all the time, so any advice?

Look here. Cheapest place I could find for a rental when I was there. But, check Sixt on base and others.

Ship the car early (you'll be glad you did). Rentals in the states are cheaper than Europe. You're right; you are in sort of a catch-22. No, TMO doesn't give you any type of voucher. If you can get someone that wants to buy your car and will wait until the day before you leave to take it off your hands, then do that. The gov't will not pay for a rental on the CONUS or OCONUS side. HU&W gave you some good advice about the USAREUR license. Try to work that out before showing up if you can, otherwise, find out what days the test is given through your sponsor, study for the test and make it the first stop when you get to Germany. Probably will have be without a car for the first day, but if the test is given the next day, in the morning, have your sponsor sign you up ahead of time and get in there first thing. You can download the booklet from the USAREUR website and it has practice tests in it. Don't blow it off. It isn't real difficult, but it isn't real easy (if you didn't study). After that pick up that car that you shipped ahead of time and you are set. Get a GPS.

BTW, make sure you get a VAT form. Also, make sure that your stateside license will not expire while you are overseas. If your state extends your license based on you being in the military then you are OK (according to an email I got from the Heidelberg RMV), but if not and it expires then you need to get a new one before heading over. That can turn into an expensive proposition if you have to return to the states IOT get a new license.

I did notice this last time in Europe that many of the lemon lot car owners really like their cars. Meaning that they want a premium for many of the 10 year old cars on the lemon lot and therefore seem to not to want to really sell them. It used to be you could find a decent older BMW for $2K; now the same car is closer to $4-5K

Edited June 16, 2009 by Herk Driver

[HU&W]

One other place you may want to look is www.ramsteinyardsales.com. It's almost like a craigslist for Ramstein. If you click the "Autos & Boats" link on the left, you should get a good list. Warning, things on that site move fast. When we were leaving Ramstein, we listed almost 30 items. By the time we finished the process of listing them, 6 had been sold. Good luck...