Kelley Barracks (formerlyHelenen-Kaserne) is a U.S. military installation and headquarters ofUnited States Africa Command, and is a part of US Army Garrison Stuttgart inStuttgart-Möhringen inGermany.[1] The post is administered byIMCOM- Europe.
Located in the outerStuttgart district of Möhringen, Helenen Kaserne (the German name for the installation) officially opened May 7, 1938, housing members of the 5th Air Signal Regiment of theLuftwaffe. On December 5, 1945 Helenen Kaserne became an American installation, initially part of Stuttgart Post.[2] The 7700th Troop Information and Education Group of theUS Army became the first permanently assigned unit in 1947. From 1948 to 1951 theUS Constabulary occupied the post.[3]
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In November 1951, Helenen Kaserne became the headquarters of the reactivatedVII Corps.[4] In September 1949 Helenen Kaserne was renamed by Brigadier General Arnold J. Funk to the Kelley Barracks in honor of Staff SergeantJonah E. Kelley, of the78th Infantry Division, who was posthumously awarded theMedal of Honor for actions occurring atKesternich, Germany in January 1945 during theSecond Battle of Kesternich. From 1951 until the headquarters deactivated in 1992 (following its return from theGulf War),VII Corps was headquartered at the base.[4] In remembrance of the 41-year history ofVII Corps at Kelley during the Cold War and Gulf War, anM4 Sherman tank and a Gulf War eraT-72 Iraqi tank flank the main flagpole along with the seal ofVII Corps on the main street (Oak Street) of the installation.[4] The tanks were removed in 2018. A segment of the Berlin Wall is also displayed as a memorial.[2]
The 602nd Air Support Operations Group of the United States Air Force was stationed at Kelley Barracks in support of the VII Corps HQ and subordinate units until the inactivation of VII Corps in 1992.[5]
Following the large drawdown of US forces after the Cold War and Gulf War, Kelley was used as headquarters for the 6th ASG (Area Support Group), now US Army Garrison-Stuttgart.[6] An 8-story Guest house was opened in 2001 to house transient personnel and visitors to the Stuttgart Military Community.[7] In February 2007, Kelley Barracks was designated to house the Transition Team ofUnited States Africa Command and became the permanent headquarters when the command was activated on October 1, 2008. Kelley Barracks was scheduled to close in 2009, but the Army has spent hundreds of millions of dollars upgrading the base for Africa Command, while telling Congress that it is just a temporary home.[8] In February 2013, the Pentagon announced that AFRICOM will remain in Germany, ending efforts to relocate the command to the United States.[9][10]
Due to heightened security at all installations, the Main Entrance Gate - used since opening in 1938 - is being replaced to conform to current force protection standards.[11]
It currently employs approximately 1,700 soldiers, US civil service, local nationals and contractors.[2]
Kelley has acommissary but lacks a post exchange; the mainAAFES Exchange is located nearby atPanzer Kaserne.[12] The installation hosts a variety of athletic facilities, a theater and recreation center. Kelley is located near the SI-Centrum entertainment complex which offers a wide variety of entertainment.[13]
Dependent children housed at Kelley must leave the installation for school as Kelley is the only installation in the Stuttgart Military Community lackingDODEA schools. The US DODEA operates Elementary schools at nearbyRobinson Barracks,Patch Barracks andPanzer Kaserne.[14] The US DODEA also operates one middle school Patch Middle School which is located onPatch Barracks which used to be the oldAlexander M. Patch High School before it closed in June of 2015. The current high school opened in late 2015 named Stuttgart High School[15] which is located onPanzer Kaserne. There is another school called International School of Stuttgart that is located nearby.[16] MWR Stuttgart Family Child Care operates daycare services on Kelley.
A small Clinic annex operates with limited services for eligible personnel.[17]
Kelley Hotel is a 68-room hotel on post at Kelley Barracks. Like other DoD hotels, Kelley Hotel has many amenities.
TheStuttgart Stadtbahn (U-Bahn) has a station nearby (Landhaus) as well as bus stations at the north and south entrances to the post, allowing residents easy access to the public transit system.[18]
48°43′26″N9°10′45″E / 48.72389°N 9.17917°E /48.72389; 9.17917
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