The office building in Virginia looks like any other; however, hidden from the road is a piece of the Berlin wall, a German flag, and the German word “Bundeswehr” engraved across the facade. It is the home of the German Armed Forces stationed in the United States and Canada.
Right outside of the nation's capitol, about 1,400 German military personnel are training alongside the American army to maintain security in a post-9/11 world. Cooperation between the two nations is critical, and thus the U.S. welcomes the German troops with open arms.
All of the Germany's Air Force trains their pilots on American soil, with over 50 locations spread about the U.S. They are housed in typical communities, not bases. German command goes through local real estate agents to find appropriate housing for the troops and their families.
Administration officials spend about five years in the U.S., while the troops do three year tours. Check out your local farmer's market and you may meet one of the many proud German troops that double as your neighbor.
