Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz commander Col. Jeffery Higgins and other garrison…… read more read more Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz commander Col. Jeffery Higgins and other garrison senior leaders meet with Col. Olaf Tuneke and Lt. Col. Andreas Orth of the Bundeswehr Artillery School and General of Artillery in Idar-Oberstein Feb. 12 to discuss a shared understanding of the respective missions and areas of responsibilities. see less | View Image Page
BAUMHOLDER, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz commander Col. Jeffery Higgins met with Col. Olaf Tuneke, commander of the Bundeswehr Artillery School and General of Artillery in Idar-Oberstein Feb. 12.
Colonel Tuneke and deputy, Lt. Col. Andreas Orth provided a tour of the modern training facilities to the USAG Rheinland-Pfalz commander, the Deputy Garrison Manager for Baumholder, Mark Colbrook and Directorate of Plans and Operations Officer, Rodney Harris, while the leaders discussed their respective missions and areas of responsibilities.
“USAG Rheinland-Pfalz provides the active, tenant units with everything they need to fulfill their military missions,” Higgins explained. “That includes security, infrastructure, housing and schools, among other quality life services.”
The German hosts briefed the mission and training opportunities that the artillery school supports.
“Freedom, peace, security and responsibility are goals that Europe and the United States have shared for decades and characterize our transatlantic partnership. It is our task to carry these into the future,” said Tuneke.
Following initial briefings, the garrison commander and team were able to try out two modern simulators demonstrated by Bundeswehr personnel.
“Multi-national cooperation between militaries is the key to success these days,” Tuneke expressed. “Partnerships with our allies is very important to us.”
The leaders posed for a commemorative photo in front of the historic gun on “Platz der Artillerie” before exchanging military tokens representative of continued partnerships.
“The information I received today exceeded my expectations,” said Higgins, presenting Tuneke and Orth each with a garrison commander’s coin, “Thank you very much.”
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz serves, supports, and secures the total force community enabling power projection for the European Theater.
