Closure Update: Law Center

The Law Center will close effective 30 May 2014

 

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Prior to 30 May 2014, you can still come by Building 7089 for Power of Attorneys. After 30 May, you will have to travel to another legal center for assistance. If you need a Will or other legal assistance which requires an American attorney, starting 8 May, you will be required to travel to another Law Center for assistance. If you need legal assistance which requires our German attorney, you can still use the Bamberg Law Center until 30 May. 

 

TRIAL DEFENSE SERVICE

The last day a Soldier can go to TDS for assistance with a legal matter will be 20 May.

 

Legal Assistance is located in Building 7089, in Room 219

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 0830 – 1530

Contact Number: 469-8832 or 0951-300-8832

 

• Grafenwoehr Legal Assistance 
• DSN: 475-7114
• Civilian: 09641-83-7114

 

• Ansbach Legal Assistance
• DSN: 467-2103
• Civilian: 09802-83-2103

 

• Hohenfels Legal Assistance
• DSN: 520-5565
• Civilian: 09472-83-5565

 

• Rose Barracks Legal Assistance
• DSN:476-2287
• Civilian: 09662-83-2289

Closure Update: Finance Office

As of May 1, the Finance Office will only be open on Mondays and Thursdays. Normal operating hours will be in affect on those days.

To facilitate the large number of expected PCS moves during May, the office will open two additional days:

Wednesday, May 14

and

Wednesday, May 21

 

Please plan accordingly.

Closure Update: MP Operations

Effective 1 May, Military Police desk operations will be adjusted as part of the preparation for closing the installation. The desk will be manned Mon-Sun from 0800-1700 hrs. After this time there will be no desk sergeant on duty. For those requiring MP assistance the telephones will be forwarded to the Ansbach DES, The phone numbers have not changed, 0951-300-8700, Bamberg Desk or call direct to Ansbach at 09802-833-856. The D/SGT there will then receive the complaint and will dispatch one of the patrols in Bamberg to assist the caller. Clearing will be done at the administrative office located in Bldg 7011 between the vehicle registration and customs offices. There will still be MP patrols on duty in the community, the only difference is the closure of the desk. Effective 16 May the desk will close permanently and will no longer be manned at all. The same process for requesting assistance and clearing will remain in effect. Translators will still be available to assist with German traffic tickets and other issues related to the host nation authorities.

What happens to your tax records?

By Capt. Allyson Montgomery, USAG Schweinfurt Legal Assistance Attorney
The USAG Schweinfurt Tax Center and the USAG Bamberg Tax Center maintain tax records for the past three years. We maintain the records for the benefit of our clients to make filing in future years easier, as well as to answer any questions that could arise based on past year returns.

But USAG Bamberg and USAG Schweinfurt are scheduled to close no later than September 2014. When our tax centers close, tax center personnel will transport all tax records from Schweinfurt and Bamberg to the USAG Grafenwoehr Tax Center located at Main Post, Building 216. The phone numbers are DSN 475-9258, CIV 09641-83-9258. Or visit http://www.eur.army.mil/jmtc/Organization/Special_Personal_Staff/Staff_SJA/Staff_SJA_TaxOffice.html .

The USAG Grafenwoehr Tax Center will then maintain the records in the future. If you would like copies of your records before they are transported to Grafenwoehr, I recommend contacting the Tax Center to request copies by Friday, 18 April 2014. This will allow tax center personnel adequate time to prepare copies and provide them to the client before closure. Bamberg’s tax center is located at bldg. 7089, 4th floor, or call 0951-300-8261.

Closure Update: March Town Hall meeting

During a town hall meeting on March 19, garrison commander Lt. Col. Michelle L. Bienias and Lt. Col. Thomas Austin, 54th Engineer Battalion Commander, informed community members about upcoming changes to available services, including AAFES, DECA, TKS, the health and the dental clinic.

The complete town hall slide deck can be viewed on the garrison Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.700106206699642.1073741831.108169582559977&type=1&l=6a737fd3b7.

Closure Update: February Town Hall Meeting

During a town hall meeting garrison commander Lt. Col. Michelle L. Bienias and Lt. Col. Thomas Austin, 54th Engineer Battalion Commander, informed community members about upcoming changes to available services, including AAFES, DECA, TKS, the health and the dental clinic. With the law center’s and tax center’s move to the garrison headquarters building, phase two of the garrison’s closure plan has been completed. Phase three, including the closure of the local training area and reese range and several changes to operating hours, is still on-going. Customers at the Bamberg health clinic and the pharmacy section will have to get prepared for more referrals starting in March. Patients with chronic medications are asked to request a 90 day supply. The complete town hall slide deck can be downloaded here: www.bamberg.army.mil/news/docs/5FEB2014TownHallSlides.ppt

 

Closure Update: Auto Stripyard

After March 31, garrison strip yard will no longer accept POV donations in order to prepare for base closure. If operational, cars can be taken to the Ansbach Auto Skills Facility on Urlas Kaserne (Tel: 09802832753 or DSN 476-2753).

Another option is to donate your POV at a junkyard on the economy.

 

Following are some options; these are examples only and do not represent any Federal endorsement:

PISKE
TEL: 0951-67601
Mainstr.3 (Hafen) Bamberg

KAUDER
TEL:09543-3300
Jaegerstr.8 Hirschaid

1. Junk the car to a German strip yard and get the Verwertungsnachweis (junk paper work)

2. Get memo from the customs (PMO) office by registration.

3. Take plates, memo, and junk paper to vehicle registration.

4. If you receive money for the car, you need to present your German (PMO Office) customs cleared AE FORM 550-175 and USAREUR license plates to your vehicle registration office.

Failure to properly register and/or dispose of a POV, whether on or off post, is prohibited and violators will be subjected to punishment under the UCMJ, CMAA or to being fined by the host nation authorities.

Please call Auto Skills Bamberg with any questions at 0951-300-7546.

Closure Update: TKS

TKS on Warner Barracks will close effective March 31, 2014.

 

1. Do you need to cancel your TKS contract before March 31?

No. If you PCS out of country you have to go to a TKS shop with orders and cancel the contract. Submit your termination request 30 days (not more) ahead before the contract is supposed to get canceled. Bills are sent to your email address. Free received hardware will be prorated for a price for the remaining original contract period.

A move request has to be done also at any TKS Shop at any other on post location as well.

2. How do TKS customers get help after March 31?

• Call Hotline from landline:  0180-4857762 (20 Euro cent per call)
• Call hotline from cell phone:  0631-3522499  (service center will offer to call back)
• Go online and send an e-mail: www.tkscable.com
• Visit one of the other TKS Shops at other bases

3. How do I make payments after March 31?

• Direct debit authorization from a local bank account (document has to be signed off at an TKS Shop); no additional fee will occur
• Direct debit authorization from a credit card (request can be done by the customer online at their TKS account or at a TKS Shop); no additional fee will occur.
• Online wire
• At any TKS Shops at other bases

4. What if I have further questions?

Visit the TKS shop on Warner Barracks before March 31.

Closure Update: Bamberg Law Center

As part of the garrison’s continuing effort to consolidate services on post in preparation for closure later this year, the Law Center will move from Building 7000 to Building 7089 (Garrison HQ Building).

The Law Center will close for the move on Monday, January 13 and will reopen in the new location on Tuesday, January 21.

Legal Assistance and Victim/Witness Liaison offices will be located on the 2nd floor, Trial Defense Services (TDS) and the Tax Center will occupy office space on the 4th floor, and Administrative Law and Military Justice services will be available on the 5th floor of the building.

The grand opening of the Tax Center will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 7 at the new location in Building 7089 (Garrison HQ
Building), office 415 and 417. Clients may begin making appointments for tax preparation on Tuesday, February 4.

As always, the garrison leadership team thanks the community for your patience and understanding during this time.

Vet Clinic Update

Hello Bamberg, from CPT Bonfiglio and the Bamberg Veterinary Treatment Facility Crew.

I’d like to update you on some upcoming changes to our services due to the base closing. First, I want to reassure you that the vet clinic will remain open until May 30, 2014.

Between now and this date, we will be providing basic services, such as administering vaccines, filling prescriptions and treating minor illnesses. However, after April 1, 2014, we will no longer be able to provide services that require a monetary transaction. Therefore, we will not be able to provide treatments, prescriptions or vaccinations, including those that are required for a PCS. Health certificates will still be provided, and appointments will continue to be made for these exams, as they are essential.

We recommend stocking up on flea/tick and heartworm preventatives before April 1, as they will no longer be available after this date. All pet owners should make sure their pets are current on vaccinations prior to April 1, 2014. After this date, vaccines will only be available at off-post veterinarians, or at the Ansbach/Katterbach or Vilseck Veterinary Clinics. These facilities will be available to provide veterinary services to the Bamberg and Schweinfurt Community.

We will continue to do our part to prevent pet abandonment, and you can help too.

Pets are our family members and we aim to assist outbound Soldiers and families with either getting their pets safely to their next duty station or facilitating the adoption of the pet. Leaving a pet stranded on its own is not an option (and it’s illegal under both UCMJ and German Law).

If you, or someone you know, are PCSing with a pet, contact the vet clinic. We will ensure the pet has the vaccinations and paperwork it needs to safely and legally leave the country. If you, or someone you know, needs help finding someone to adopt a pet, contact the vet clinic. We’ll help in any way we can to find a new caring home for your pet.

Planning ahead to accommodate these service changes and making sure your pet is up to date on their immunizations can help ensure that your move from Bamberg is smooth. And if you have questions, do not hesitate to contact the USAG Bamberg Veterinary Clinic at DSN 469-7972, CIV 0951-300-7972.

Best,

CPT Alberto Bonfiglio