In response to continuing financial strains, U.S. Army Europe has canceled all welcome home celebrations for units returning from deployment through this fiscal year, halting the tradition of free food, rides and other community festivities for returning soldiers and their families. [...]
One of the largest units to be affected by the decision will be the 1st Armored Division's 1st Brigade, based in Friedberg, Germany. Deployed since January of 2006, brigade soldiers found out in September that their deployment would be extended by about six weeks, bringing them home in March instead of January this year. [...]
In Baumholder, Germany, where the 2nd Brigade is based, local leadership is considering some sort of potluck supper for the returning company in place of a command-sponsored event, said Ignacio Rubalcava, a spokesman for the Baumholder garrison. [...]
But any kind of potluck for the company and its family members would have to be funded and supported by people in the community, he said.
"Potluck is potluck, and people would bring it on a voluntary basis," Rubalcava said. "I think they're going to pull it off somehow."
Yeah, I know, this might be another of those bureaucratic mixups that gets fixed when publicized, or something blown out of proportion, but at some point, you start to wonder if those who profess such support for the troops actually view them as game pieces rather than people.