Joining the Bundeswehr as an American citizen

That is great that you speak German. I am now used to Americans here not speaking a lot (talking about military people), or anything (well, they usually know how to order a beer or food, but not that much more), so it is nice to see someone who actually knows how to speak the language for a change. A friend of mine has been married to an American (US Army) for 14 years and they have been stationed in Germany for all but a year or so of that time, and he doesn't speak much German. So yay for you, haha!

Is there any way you could get a job for the army here as a contractor? I am not sure what exactly it is that you do but maybe you could do that? Or work in the civilian sector, if there is any need for your MOS... If you speak German fluently, and you have a German wife, your being American should not be an issue. You should be able to get a new resident permit, if you come back here.

Thanks for the compliment. My wife is proud and it is nice to be able to speak to her family as she does mine. We've also been trying to figure out what I could do in the military that would transfer over in the German work force, as my job certainly does not. I would love to go into the field of avionics, or even medical, but the big question is: How do I get my family back to Germany? The only logical, all expenses paid solution is to PCS to Germany and ETS when my contract is up. If I was to get a job through the Army as a civilian, they wouldn't pay for my move, unless it was a GS position, which is pretty cut-throaght( I tried that in 2004 when I had a brief break in service). I know that German contractors move to the states for Siemens, Nokia and countless other companies but I'm unsure if US companies do the same. Like I said before, the quickest solution would be through the Army.

Everybody hates living their whole life in middle-class or poverty, living pay check to pay check and budgetting every cent ,but it makes it even worse when you reside in a country you don't want to live in.

I was hoping that, because we train the Bundeswehr soldiers and officers in Ft. Bliss how to operate our equipment, that I could somehow enlist and kinda slide right in. Taking into consideration that it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as I had just put it, but with the training and extensive experience I have with the system, making it somewhat of a painless trainsition and ultimately getting my family back to Germany. Ah, high hopes high hopes. Kind of goes to show that no matter how drastic someone can change, they'd still have a little bit of that good ol' fashion American naive mindset every now and then.

Well you know area 51...


Aww fuck!!

Good luck to you mate. Hope it all works out fine.

Ha Ha. Surprisingly enough, the place exists and the security there is fucking president grade. All stories, probably true. I've heard from a buddy of mine that they tried to get fuel there, as their convoy took them right past it, and the MP's escorted them to the nearest gas station with diesel. Top, Top secret.

cnote, what is your MOS?? There are absolutely ass loads of contract opportunities, most are not high paying, but will pay the bills (and some are very well paying). The big benefit would that you are here and then can start working on the GS job, cause its all about who you know. It is difficult to get into the system, but as a vet you have a leg up and once in, you are looking pretty good.

I urge you to contact your local ACAP office and talk to them. If you don't get much or satisfactory assistance, please feel free to PM me. I am an ACAP counselor on Leighton Barracks in Wuerzburg and may be able to point you in some right directions.

Wow, what a great place to meet people. I am a 14T PATRIOT Missile system operator/maintainer. Not really quallified to do much in the civillian world. Does Securitas still check ID's? I worked for them for 6 months down in Ansbach.

Securitas is still doing the ID checks. I will PM you with some email addresses and websites you should be using.

Thanks a bunch!

I reckon it would be difficult to support a family of 6 on anyone's wages short of Donald Trump.

Haha yeah after reading what your MOS is, that'd be a bit hard. Reclassifying is not an option either, I assume?
Are you stationed at Ft Bliss? I know someone whose husband was stationed there, and she hated living there. They PCSed to Germany in late December, though.
Maybe you could work as a contractor for the BW? Not sure if they offer positions like that, but maybe the age limit and all those other rules wouldn't apply then.
By the way, I know that one girl who I went to high school with was half-American and her dad (American) worked for IBM here, so it does sound like they do that as well going the other way around, but IBM would probably not be helpful for you...
Good luck to you and your family!

@cnote

Try something better.. Try the Airforce or if your still into the German Military the Luftwaffe.. Much better Standard of life. On both sides of the Atlantic.
Remember.. When the army Deploys, they stay in Tents. When the Airforce deploys we stay in the Sheraton.. The Army Marches thru the swamps. The
Airforce flys over them...

ID Checking on US bases in Germany is Done by a private company, (Don't know if it's still Securitas) and by the German Military (More Military then Civ.)
So even if you do goto the BW you might just be IDing US Military Anyway.. Esp. if you have no Usable skillz

A.k.a. the chair force...

Watch it there Blondie!!!

Just quoting my ex who is in the AF (or CF? ) (ironically he actually has a desk job, haha)

Last time I checked, which was oct. 2005, the AF had 40 prior service slots for the FY2006 and it was pararescue and combat surveilance or something. The AF is trying to get rid of people and they won't take anybody from another branch.

That would Be Combat Control/ParaRescue.. These gus are seriously F'ed in the head..
For those that don't know they are the Elite Unit of the AF, Like the Army Green Barrets, Navy Seals and Marine Force Recon.

@cnote
It would be good for you and a very exciting carreer.. Butter than checking ID's at US bases with a Civ. Security company
or the Bundeswehr

@Mari
Not all AF people are Desk jockeys. I spent many years running around the world working my ass off..

Ponds do the security, but I think they are part of Securitas. The German military are no longer doing ID checking, they were just helping out for a while.
Cnote, i'm sure you could probably get a job here, even if it's not your field there are loads of force protection type jobs available, just make sure it's NAF so you don't have to bugger off back to the States every 5 years!!

Well, last time I was in K-Town, The BW were checking on Rammstein and Vogelweh (Oct 06) and in Stuttgart (Patch and Kelly Barracks).
So they are still around. They may not be doing ALL the checking but they are still helping out..

All I know is that Securitas does Bayern and Ponds is Hessen, I think that's what the other guys who had made the transfer said.

The point I was getting at is, if I wanted to be in specops I'd stay in and be happy to hop, pop, shoot and loot. But it's just not my bag. So I don't think I'd be any happier in the AF. Dolfan was able to give me some contacts and I'll be checking in with them. If I can't get to Germany on a re-enlistment, it's deuces and I'll have to try the civilian sector; NAF or contractor.

No worries. I was kidding. I was not trying to say everyone in the AF sits on their butts all day doing nothing.

If I had to pick a branch to join, I'd pick the AF as well.

hey cnote good decision coz u have served 6 years so no one can question your patriotism so mankeep it going and u have full right to take this decision

Thank you ankur.

i always had a fasinnation with german culture then i learned that my great great grand parants were from germany on my grandfathers side and my grandmothers father came to amireca and left them in an orphanidge to fight for the third Reich. this is all on my fathers side. i have served 4 years as a cavalry scout, or reconnaisance specialist for the u.s. army, i find myself ashamed. after i had returned from iraq fighting for this country, all that was asked, when i had applied for jobs was "when are going to be called back" needless-to-say i did not get the job. so i work as a janitor at a grociery store for 7 dollers 80 cents an hour so that is i think less than 5 euro. i also read polotics of this country, they make me sick (sehr krank)! mein deutsch ist sehr schlect, but i can learn. i too am interested in joining the bundeswehr and leaving for ever this dependent on everyone else country i spent U.S.A.s indepindence day saddly lauhging at its depindancies. i want a wunderful place for my offspring, if i have any, to grow and learn. i often think of the cavalry motto death befor dishonor however i believe i have been dishonord by the U.S. i want to go home and these united states are not my home

There are former SS officers that use that as a defense.
Based on the experience in WWII the German army does have rules that are different from the US military and as far as I know from most armies in the world. For example you are as a soldier expected to know the geneva conventions and can be held accountable if you follow an order that violates them.

like most things in military life, what it says in the rule book and what you actually do are two totally different things.

Actually while we are on the subject anyone know anything about Brits joining the German Military?

Yes, we don´t you silly sausage . We join a real Army!

I was just curious. I was kinda thinking it would be easy money

Ha ha, home to mummy every w/end with laundry bag. And a damn silly uniform to boot . Give me strength. The German Mil is so tied up by the fear of being seen as being oppressive that they climb up their own backsides anytime a real threat appears, not the soldiers fault, Govt. The US and UK want them in the thick of it , ( France not) so really they stag on and do nothing of any great importance.

RN mate, im a king of silly uniforms

Aargh a bloody matelot, 7 seas and all that. Try this www.arrse.co.uk you´ll find links to the watery chaps in there too! And Crab Air if you ain´t fussy.

So we haven't heard from cnote in a while.. Wonder if he/she/it managed to join the BW

lol try www.rumration.co.uk But stay on the left, too many bootys on the right

When the Navy goes on a jolly deploys they just take everything with them (including beer)


The Navy gets out a few crates and has a party and a BBQ

Not quite true, I was a cavalryman ( yep the whole kit and kaboodle) and we always had at least 20 crates stowed in our big, green, rusty things. Jack Tars and Crabs couldn´t drink if you paid them to.

Your job was to be shot at, NOT drink beer you 'orrible 'erbert! STAND UP STRAIGHT WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! The Army is your muvva nah!

Typical bleedin' squaddie. Jealous because they're not travelling The World and shaggin' all the h'exotic tottie.

Oh shut up you bleeding prannit, you don´t talk to cavalrymen like that, and drinking comes with the job.

cnote and other US veterans who want to come to Germany but do not have the right skill set to get a civilian job, check the gibill.va.gov website for a list of German universities where attendance is approved for GI Bill payments. Since tuition is low, you can use the remainder of the GI Bill payments you receive to defray living expenses. This may not work for you if you cannot meet living expenses from your spouse's salary and/or savings, but in theory, anyway, it is a viable possibility. Only you can figure out whether or not that might work for you.

Jack cant drink. FFS I do agree about the Crabs tho


aye, they just dont have a clue do they

Ah! A cavalryman you say? That must explain why you walk just like John Wayne, old love.