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Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base

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M&FRC
Aachen Charlemagnes statue
Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
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Cost of Living

Living in Germany is expensive. Move-in costs are very high as well. Service members might experience a higher cost of living when transitioning to an overseas location. It is strongly recommended that prior to PCSing, service and family members create a financial plan to cover anticipated costs of a move. Most newly arrived personnel find that $3000 will generally cover transitioning and recreational expenses to a new area (factoring the dollar to Euro conversion rates).

Telephone: International dialing from the U.S. is 011 followed by the German country code 49 and the area code (minus the first zero).

Installation Details

Special and Critical Installation Information

WELCOME to the Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base Community! Geilenkirchen is a NATO Air Base, not a U.S. installation or U.S. Air Force Base. We are a U.S. component housed inside the NATO AB to support the NATO mission. Many of the amenities at large U.S. Air Force bases are not found here, but can be found at U.S. installations within a few hours drive. We have the unique opportunity to live completely immersed in the German culture with rich world history all around us and only hours from many sought after destinations in Europe!

Geilenkirchen is not a high terrorist threat area; however, you are required to receive Antiterrorism Level I training prior to departing from a CONUS assignment.

HQ USAREUR has directed that U.S. citizens cannot ship, transport, or hand-carry privately-owned firearms to Germany. This avoids the possibility of German criminal prosecution for unauthorized possession of weapons or punishment under the UCMJ.

Spouse Sponsorship

Spouses play a key role in the transition to living in Germany. If you feel you would benefit from having your own Spouse Sponsor please let us know. To sign up for the Spouse Sponsor program, email: 470abs.dpf@us.af.mil. The Spouse Sponsor program is here to help educate spouses about the unique challenges of living in a new country before, during and after their PCS move. Your spouse sponsor can help answer these questions and more:

  • What should you pack in unaccompanied baggage?
  • What should I leave in storage?
  • Where can I meet other families?
  • Where can I visit while in temporary housing?
  • What should I look for in a house?
  • What stores have the items I need?

Child Care

Within the Geilenkirchen NATO AB community, childcare is extremely limited. The Geilenkirchen Child Development Center (CDC) accepts children from 12 months old to 5th grade. Child care programs offered at Geilenkirchen CDC include Pre-Toddler, Toddler, Pre-School and School Age, Full-Day and Before/After School Care. The JFC Child Development Center located approximately 10-15 minutes away in Brunssum, The Netherlands, offers care for infants from six weeks up to toddlers aged five years old.

There is no quarantine for pets, however, pets are not allowed in some guesthouses or hotels. Please inform your sponsor if you will be bringing pets. Pets must have rabies shots and certificates of health 30 days prior to but not more than one year prior to issuance of the health certificate. Importation of certain dogs is strictly prohibited.

Passports and Visas

Ensure member and/or dependents have the required passports and/or visa prior to final out-processing. Member and/or dependents are not allowed to final out-process without the required passports/visas in hand for themselves (if applicable) and/or dependents. Members electing the accompanied tour will not be permitted to out-process without having the required passports/visas in hand for themselves (if applicable) and/or dependents.

These actions are necessary to prevent unforeseen hardships for the military members and their families. Therefore, as the last reiteration, it is essential, members do not out-process without having the appropriate passports/visas for themselves (if applicable) and/or dependents.

  • Geilenkirchen is not a high terrorist threat area, however, you are required to receive Anti-terrorism Level I training prior to departing from a CONUS assignment.
  • Childcare is very limited at Geilenkirchen.
  • There is no quarantine for pets. Pets must have rabies shots and certificates of health 30 days prior to but not more than one year prior to issuance of the health certificate. Importation of certain dogs is strictly prohibited.

Defense Service Network (DSN) Dialing Instructions

The DSN is the provider of long-distance communications service for the Department of Defense (DoD). Every installation has a special DSN number and the numbers vary by world-wide location. In order to place a call using DSN, the caller must be using a military phone on an installation. Cell phones cannot dial DSN numbers. When dialing a DSN number from a United States installation to another United States installation, it is unnecessary to dial the DSN 312 area code. When dialing a DSN number to/from overseas locations, the DSN area code must be included.

In-Depth Overview

Mission

The Component's mission is to provide aircraft and trained aircrews to deliver a surveillance and/or control platform wherever and whenever directed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Airborne Early Warning Force Commander on behalf of the three major North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commanders: the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR), Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT) and Commander-in-Chief, Channel (CINCHAN), including integrated multinational crews from 17 nations. Geilenkirchen is the E-3A Component's main operating base and NATO's only multi-national operational flying unit.

History

Surrounded by farmland and a natural woodland preserve, the British Royal Air Force after World War II built the base. Known as RAF Geilenkirchen (or Flugplatz Teveren by the local population), the British used the facilities as a fighter installation for various RAF fighter squadrons from May l953 until January 1968. The NATO Airborne Early Warning Force (NAEWF) was created in January l980. On October 17, 1980, The North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Defense Planning Committee granted the command full status as a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Headquarters. It is co-located with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Belgium. Executive agent for the program is the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), also one of the Command's primary "customers". The remaining two are the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) and the Allied Commander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN).

Population

Roughly 450 active-duty USAF and 4 Navy personnel are stationed here. Additionally, US Army members and their families are at nearby JFC Brunssum and USAG Benelux Brunssum, in The Netherlands. NATO civilians, DoDDs personnel, a handful of contractors and US Federal service personnel, military retirees, and numerous local nationals make a total of about 2,600 Americans working or living near Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base.

The population in the immediate area of Geilenkirchen is approximately 28,253.

Roughly 450 active-duty USAF and 4 Navy personnel are stationed here. Additionally, US Army members and their families are at nearby JFC Brunssum and USAG Benelux Brunssum, in The Netherlands, NATO civilians, DoDDs personnel, a handful of contractors and US Federal service personnel, military retirees, and numerous local nationals make a total of about 2,600 Americans working or living near Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base.

Location

Guten Tag and Welcome to Geilenkirchen, Germany! Geilenkirchen is the home of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Airborne Early Warning Force Command's E-3A Component. Please note this is not a USAF installation, this is a NATO base. Situated in the village of Teveren, four kilometers west of Geilenkirchen, Germany, the next largest city, and adjacent to The Netherlands border, NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen is located in the German Bundesland (county) of Nordrhein Westfalen. Geilenkirchen is 283 miles from Paris, France, 50 miles from Cologne (Köln) Germany, and 130 miles from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. NATO AB Geilenkirchen is located 104 miles from Brussels Airport in Brussels, Belgium and 42 miles from Dusseldorf, Germany, your official Ports of Entry. NATO AB Geilenkirchen is part of the Tri-border Community. This community includes USAG Benelux Brunssum, The Netherlands and Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC) Brunssum, The Netherlands. Each base is small and we normally share services and agencies. The base operator's phone number is 011-49-2451-630, (calling from the United States).

Directions

The nearest port of entry for Geilenkirchen is Düsseldorf, Germany. In less than an hour, a train can take you directly from the airport to the city center of Geilenkirchen. Brussels, Belgium is 1 1/2 hours and 139 kilometers one way from Geilenkirchen. In most cases your sponsor will be there to pick you up as long as arrangements are made prior to your arrival at the airport and clearly communicated to your sponsor. With appropriate notification, your sponsor can make a reservation for a taxi to pick you and your family at the airport. Please speak with your sponsor about any travel restrictions and requirements due to COVID-19.

For local directions, travel, and local attractions information please review the Waypoints Guide at the Airman & Family Readiness Center or request one be sent to you from your Sponsor.

Emergency en route

In case of "en route" changes, always maintain your sponsor's home and duty telephone numbers, as well as a unit e-mail address. In case of emergency, when you call your sponsor or unit, give them the number from where you are calling just in case the lines get disconnected.

Driving from Airport

If you wish to drive from the Brussels Airport use the following directions. Stay in right lane leaving airport and go 12 kilometers toward the Brussels's ring. Turn on A3 or E40 (same autobahn). Stay on A3 (E40) and follow signs to Luik (Leige) then follow signs to Aachen, Germany (E314). Follow signs toward Monchengladbach (A44). Exit on B56 (Aldenhoven) and follow signs to Geilenkirchen. Once in Geilenkirchen follow the signs for the NATO Air base. In case of an emergency, please contact your sponsor or your new unit. Be sure to have phone numbers available for at least two POC's including your sponsor and someone in your new unit.

Base Transportation

Currently, there is no base transportation on this installation.