German Air Force leaving Fort Bliss in September; Oktoberfest will take place before leaving
Reorganization of the German Air Force means the overseas troops will leave a West Texas post after a relationship spanning nearly 60 years.
The El Paso Times reported Monday that the German Air Force Command for the U.S. and Canada will close at Fort Bliss on Sept. 30.
Col. Heinz-Josef Ferkinghoff said operations will be moved to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, where Germany already has a flight training center. The German Air Defense Center will return to Germany within five years.
The moves, which will affect several hundred German military personnel and civilian employees, come after U.S. base realignment changed some Fort Bliss operations.
The German Air Force has had a presence at Fort Bliss since 1956.
The last Oktoberfest hosted by the German Air Force will take place Sept. 20-22. For Sept. 20 and 21, there will be 1,400 tickets sold. Sunday will be free. Each ticket will be $30 and include a raffle ticket, the 2013 Stein and the dinner.
This will be the biggest amount of tickets ever, according to the German Club – Soldatenstube Fort Bliss Facebook page. Information on when and were tickets will be sold is expected to be released today.
