The time at Boerfink turned out to be relatively short. We received word that SOC 3 would move at some point later that year. It wasn't clear exactly when, as such a critical element of the European Air Defense structure had to be operational and vigilant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. It relied heavily on electronics, softwaere and hardware, and above all, secrecy. The setup at a different location must have been a logistical nightmare. So we waited and made the best of our time in and around Birkenfeld. Our accomodations weren't top notch, typical German military dormitories, but we had the liberty to arrange our small rooms to our taste, and as best we could. Since I didn't have to work shifts, I mostly had the weekends off, and I usually returned home to Munster on the weekends, where I would sometimes wear my air force uniform with exotic NATO and Air Force badges and insignia on around town, just to show off to the army guys dominating the scene. Sometimes, I stayed in Birkenfeld though, especially later that spring, and we ended up hanging out with some local kids we met, barbecuing and just having fun. Thursdays, we sometimes went to a dance club in Idar-Oberstein. But all in all, life in the first half of 1989 was relatively uneventful, and we eagerly awaited our move to a U.S. Air Force base, with an NCO club, restaurants, a movie theater, a bowling alley, commissary, BX, sports venues and so much more.
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| My dorm room at Heinrich-Hertz-Barracks, Birkenfeld Jan 89 - Jun 89 |
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