Third Step: Moving Into Your New Home
This is easily the best part of the process!
The time between signing your lease, moving into your new home, and receiving your furniture will vary. But when you sign your lease, you can request a delivery of temporary furniture, which you can keep for up to 90 days.
This means you can finally move out of that hotel room! If you didnt pack bedding in your unaccompanied baggage, you can buy some at the PX.
Looking for packing advice? UAB, HHG, and Personal Luggage we got you covered!
When you need to have the temporary furniture removed, you have to schedule it either at the housing office itself or request an appointment online. There isnt a phone number you can call to make it happen, nor can you do it via email.
If you move into a house that doesnt have American outlets, or appliances that cant use a converter, youll need to get a transformer. Keep an eye on the Take My Stuff Facebook groups for people selling them .
Second Step: Choosing A Place To Live
Note: this section pertains to those who have a choice to live on or off-post. Unaccompanied E6 and below are required to live in the barracks . They are not authorized to reside in government quarters or private housing off-post.
Where you can live depends on your rank and marital status, but availability of housing plays a big role, too.
While your eligibility date determines where you are on the wait list, your rank and bedroom requirements may also determine how quickly you find housing. For example, if a 4-bedroom home becomes available, the housing office may offer it to a family of five at wait list position 8, even though a married couple with no children is at wait list position 3.
But no matter your rank, USAG Bavaria Grafenwoehr guarantees family housing within a 30-minute drive of your assigned post.
If government quarters are available, youll be required to take those. Occasionally the influx of people PCSing causes a shortage of government housing, in which case you may accept a CNA so that you can search for private housing options.
See what houses are available NOW through the home.mil online database! Type in USAG Bavaria or whatever your future installation is in Germany.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
The most important thing to bring to Grafenwöhr is a great attitude. Everything may not be able to fit, and nothing will go quite as planned.
Moving always presents unexpected challenges, especially when it comes to crossing the ocean. And while you may have heard a few nightmare stories about it, living in military housing in Grafenwoehr, Germany is what you make of it. So make it awesome!
For more tips about living in Germany, to my Youtube channel or get prepared with my Ultimate PCS Checklist.
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Us Army Housing In Germany Takes Bottom Ranks In Annual Survey
An undated photo of housing on Panzer Kaserne in Stuttgart, Germany. Of 20 Army worldwide installations with housing managed by the government, Stuttgart rated the lowest.
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany Army housing in Europe once again fared poorly in the latest Army customer satisfaction survey when compared to base housing communities in the U.S. and in the Asia-Pacific region.
Its an issue that Army leaders in Europe are vowing to fix with hundreds of millions in housing improvements and new units planned over the next six years.
Out of 20 Army installations with housing managed by the government, the bottom four in overall satisfaction were in Germany: Rheinland-Pfalz, Wiesbaden, Ansbach and Stuttgart, in order from highest to lowest. Bavaria, meanwhile, rated the sixth lowest.
The Armys 2022 Tenant Satisfaction Survey examined privatized and government-owned or leased housing. On installations with government-run family housing, 14 rated between outstanding and average, four scored below average and two Ansbach and Stuttgart rated poor. The poor rating, according to the survey, signifies substandard performance and strong displeasure with the property and/or level of service.
Improvements are needed immediately, according to the Armys standards for housing rated as poor.
In recent years, Army leaders at base town hall meetings in Europe have fielded concerns from families about housing issues ranging from mold and brown drinking water to plumbing problems.
Usag Wiesbaden = 5 Little Post Pods
![[House in Wiesbaden, Germany]](https://www.armyprotalk.com/wp-content/uploads/house-in-wiesbaden-germany-the-portal-to-texas-history.jpeg)
The Wiesbaden US Army post is organized into 5 little post pods, which is very unlike any stateside installation weve ever been to. The 5 little post pods are: Mainz-Kastel, Clay, Hainerberg, Crestview and Aukamm.
Mainz-Kastel is a ghost town. Nothing really exists there other than the thrift shop and vehicle registration / in-processing. There is no housing on Mainz-Kastel.
Clay is where the vast majority of service members work. On Clay you will also find the fitness center, health clinic, post office and many of those types of amenities.
Hainerberg is where both the commissary and PX are located.
Crestview and Aukamm are open posts, meaning they are not gated. They are both 99.9% housing.
To help you visualize, Im going to treat you to a super detailed, super militarized map. Hold on to your britches
No kidding, this is what I sent Kyle when he arrived in Germany. Haha!
After living in Germany for a couple years, Kyle was confident enough to create a much more legit map ). His map is complete with many of the points of interest mentioned above. You can find it here.
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Family Housing For Junior Ncos And Junior Officers
Due to its large housing inventory and based on Army in Europe Regulation 420-1 , all Families at USAG Wiesbaden are required to live in Army Family Housing.
Crestview Housing Area is designated family housing for junior enlisted, senior NCOs, and junior officers. The neighborhood is in the Wiesbaden neighborhood of Bierstadt and is made up of walk-up apartments. Some of the apartments in Crestview are designated for unaccompanied Soldier housing.
For Senior Ncosand Officers
Due to its large housing inventory and based on Army in Europe Regulation 420-1 , all Families at USAG Wiesbaden are required to live in Army Family Housing.
Aukamm Housing Area is designated for senior NCOs, officers and their families. The neighborhood is in the Wiesbaden suburb of Bierstadt and is includes mostly walk-up apartments along with some duplexes and single-family homes.
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Transcripts/records Policy/access To Student Records
Student records and transcripts may be requested from several different sources, depending upon the students last date of attendance or graduation date. Parents/sponsors of current and prospective elementary/middle/high school students should contact the schools registrar directly for assistance. For further information, please visit the DoDEA Student Records Center . You may also consult with the counseling department at your childs school for issues regarding student records.
Wiesbaden Army Airfiled Germany
The base is small and you can pretty much walk through it in a couple of minutes, the base is located about 10 mins away from the housing area driving through the autobahn. There are 3 main housing areas, the biggest and most convinient one is Hainerberg where you will find the commissary and a little further down is the PX, movie theatre, telephone company and other small shops, These are all walking ditance from Hainerberg, you can also walk to downtown Wiesbaden which is approx 20/25mins walk and also to the train station which takes about the same time. Downtown is very pretty, beautiful architecture and you will also find an Irish pub which is very much liked by Americans and also a few other pubs/clubs. For those who don’t drive there is a shuttle bus which goes through all housing areas, base and also another small housing area called Mainz-Kastel where you will find the car storage and car repair place, furniture, powerzone, sports shops and more… If you are like me and love the sun and the heat than this might not be the place to visit… Germany tends to be very cold and grey and summers don’t get too hot. Some locals can be friendly and others can be rude the language is quite hard to learn but the USO offers German classes and also offers tours for around Germany or Europe. Best thing to do is get a cheap flight with Ryanair and travel Europe that way. There is a nice/new big gym with modern equipment and the CDC is good and reliable. Good luck!
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Bonus: The Barracks At Vilseck
If youre an unaccompanied E6 or below, you wont have these options for housing. But you have to live somewhere, too!
The housing office assigns you to whatever barracks are available, regardless of whether youre stationed at Vilseck or Grafenwoehr. Most of the time youll be in a building with soldiers in your unit, but youre not guaranteed. The video above is an example of what an E6 barracks room looks like, so dont get your hopes up if youre a private and your room is half the size.
The housing office provides fridges and furniture, but you will definitely want to buy an A/C unit or a fan for the summer.
And before you move in, dont forget to pick up toilet paper!
Moving To Wiesbaden Questions
My husband, myself, and our two small children are moving to Wiesbaden next year and I have so many questions that I hope someone can answer for me. I originally thought we would rent a house, but from what I have read on Wiesbaden it sounds like that is not possible? Is this true? You rent apartments? How big are these apartments? How much per month? I am not sure if I should have our furniture sent over or try to rent something furnished.
Also I am assuming all of the schools only speak German. ) My daughter will be starting kindergarten. We do have access to the schools on base so that is my only option right? There are no other schools to send her to around town?
Can you recommend some of the nicer neighborhoods for a family to live in? Either in town or even if there are some nice areas on the outside of town.
Thank you for any information you can give.
In the center of larger German cities there will be only apartments. As you move closer to the outskirts you may be able to rent a condominium or house. One thing to be aware of, unfurnished German apartments may be more unfurnished than you eypect. It is common to have to install your own complete kitchen and all the house lighting. As most German living quarters don’t have closets, you will also have to buy somethings in which to store your clothes.
I’m sure that you will enjoy your move.
Good luck with your move living in Germany can be a great experience.
Regards, Gary
HAVE FUN!
Hi Kim!
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What To Bring When Moving Into Military Housing In Grafenwoehr Germany
Just like moving anywhere, theres no guarantee your furniture will fit in your home in Germany. While the homes may be large, the living spaces may be smaller and shaped differently than your home in the States. They may also have slanted ceilings on the second and third floors, which can be prohibitive for dressers and bed frames.
You dont need to bring everything with you. Even if you do, you wont be able to use everything.
To start: dont bring your washer and dryer, and adjust your expectations for doing laundry! Just like the fridge, youll be able to lease a washer and dryer from the base for a super low fee.
Doing laundry is probably one of the hardest adjustments. Most dryer units spin the water out of the clothes, and then extracts the water into a tray that you need to empty. Youll definitely want to buy a drying rack when you arrive.
And if youre concerned that you dont have the right tools and equipment for life in Germany, all residents have access to Self Help for tools and supplies! They have resources such as snow shovels, yellow bags for plastics , paint supplies, hammer drills with screws and anchors, yard tools and replacement light bulbs.
But for the big items such as storage supplies, furniture, rugs, and decor, you can shop at the Vilseck PX or in stores on the economy. Youll want to dedicate at least one full day to visit shops like Depot and POCO!
Pro tip: be sure to pick up some VAT forms before shopping for home goods!
First Step: Register With The Housing Office

When you arrive, theres a good chance that a lot of people will also be in line to find a house. Be prepared for this process to take at least 30 days. The maximum is supposed to be 60 days, but it can take longer during peak PCS season.
If you want to research ahead of time, look up these towns:
Netzaberg Area: Eschenbach, Netzaberg, Speichersdorf, Kenneth, Kulmain, Kastl, Pressath, Erbendorf
Grafenwoehr Area: Grafenwoehr, Schwarzenbach, Parkstein, Gmünd/Hütten, Altenstadt, Weiden, Rothenstadt, Neustadt
Vilseck Area: Vilseck, Weiherhammer, Mantel, Amberg, Kaltenbrunn, Freihung, Kenneth, Pegnitz
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Student Rights And Responsibilities
Students are expected to actively participate in the educational process, including school-sponsored activities in and outside of the classroom, as deemed appropriate. Students should bring to the attention of a school employee behavior or activities that may endanger the safety and well-being of themselves or others.
Students shall:
Related DoDEA Policies & Regulations
English For Speakers Of Other Languages /language Services
This policy is currently under review
An English language learner is a student whose first language is not English and is in the process of acquiring English as an additional language. In accordance with DoDEA Regulation 2440.1, DoDEAs English Speakers of Other Languages Program is designed to teach ELLs to acquire English language and literacy proficiency through content. The ESOL Program builds students social, cultural, and academic skills so that identified ELLs succeed in an English language academic environment that provides equitable access to college- and career-ready opportunities as their English-speaking peers.
The ESOL Program involves teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, and study skills at the appropriate developmental and English language proficiency levels. This is accomplished by teaching language through a standards-based, high-quality academic content that pursues the students orientation within the United States culture. The ESOL Programs instruction can be delivered in a variety of settings and program configurations. The scope and amount of ESOL instruction provided is determined by the students age, grade level, academic needs, and an English language proficiency evaluation. DoDEAs ELLs may receive instruction both through the ESOL Program and within the main classroom setting.
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Disability Accommodations And Nondiscrimination
Apart from special education, a student with a disability, or who has a record of a disability, or is regarded as having a disability, shall not be excluded from participating in, or be denied the benefits of, any DoDEA education program or activity or be subjected to discrimination based solely on a disability. In accordance with DoDEA Administrative instruction 2500.14, Nondiscrimination and 504 Accommodation on the Basis of Disability in DoDEA Conducted Education Programs and Activities, April 29, 2009, as amended, students with disabilities shall be provided a FAPE and shall participate with students without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate to ensure equal access to educational opportunities. This means that a student with a disability that does not require specialized instruction may be eligible for accommodations to ensure participation in school programs and activities. Please contact your childs school for specific details.
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List Of United States Army Installations In Germany
This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in German.
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The United States Army has 40 military installations in Germany, two of which are scheduled to close. Over 220 others have already been closed, mostly following the end of the Cold War in the 1990s. The rationale behind the large number of closures is that the strategic functions of the bases, designed to serve as forward posts in any war against the USSR, are no longer relevant since the end of the Cold War.
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