Upcoming Virtual Town Halls June 5 – 86th Airlift Wing Command Chief and HHG/Personal Property SMEs Town Hall June 12 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander with CDC and Gym SMEs Town Hall June 19 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander Town Hall
Previous Virtual Town Halls and AFN Interviews May 20 – 86th Airlift Wing Command Chief and Vehicle SMEs Town Hall May 15 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief May 1 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief April 27 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander, Mission Support Group, Medical Group April 20 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief April 17 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief April 13 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief April 10 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief April 6 – Integrated Resiliency Office, 86th MDG and Command Chief April 3 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief March 30 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief March 27 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief March 23 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander and Command Chief March 20 – AFN Interview with 86th Airlift Wing Commander, Command Chief and Public Health March 16 – 86th Airlift Wing Commander, DoDEA, Mission Support Group, Public Health, DeCA, and AAFES
Current COVID-19 Cases Kaiserslautern City and County Districts have had 268 confirmed cases of COVID-19. For the latest COVID-19 cases within Rhineland-Palatinate, check the Robert Koch Institute website. For the latest COVID-19 cases in Germany, check the World Health Organization website.
What’s Opened and Closed (off base) in Germany?
The state government of Rheinland-Pfalz (RLP) announced timelines for the easement of COVID-19 restriction measures in RLP.
Mandatory use of face coverings in public transportation and shops remain in effect. Self-sewn fabric coverings or scarves/cloths pulled over the face are permitted.
What’s Still Closed/Restricted?
As host nation authorities make decisions on when to reopen establishments off base, base officials will continue to re-address the opening of our facilities and services with the careful oversight of our public health professionals to ensure the health and safety of our community.
Germany still requires a 14-day quarantine for travelers entering from another country. Ramstein personnel should consult with unit leadership for questions regarding how these rules impact them.
Wear of Face Coverings on Base The 86th AW/CC released guidance in accordance with Department of Defense direction to use cloth face coverings to mitigate risks and spread of COVID-19. Directions and facts regarding cloth face coverings can be found, here.
A face covering should be worn in all public places on base and in work centers if you cannot maintain the 6-foot physical distance requirement.
As an added precaution to help protect our Security Forces Defenders, we’re encouraging all drivers to wear a protective face covering when attempting entry onto KMC Air Force installations. Drivers may be asked to remove the face covering temporarily during the identification process and are not required to keep the mask on while driving after proceeding through the gate. Personnel should comply with any and all guidance given by the controller as they work to efficiently move traffic through the gate.
Changes to Base Operations and Hours Numerous changes to base operations and hours are now in effect to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on the installation and to preserve our combat capability. As Germany loosens its restrictions and reopens some off base establishments, the 86th Airlift Wing will reopen select services in a phased approach under the careful oversight of our public health professionals. To keep our community healthy, services will operate under strict adherence to personal hygiene and physical distancing. Most will require appointments and limit the number of people permitted inside. See the sections below for complete details.
Due to Ramstein's increase to Health Protection Condition Charlie, all shuttle services will be stopped until further notice.
Schools and Childcare Services German Schools began a phased approach to reopening May 4. To adhere to restrictions and maintain safety, schools will prioritize students in graduating classes first, before determining the possibility of expanding in-person instructions to more classes.
For students enrolled in the DoDEA school system, they will announce relevant information concerning the 2020/2021 school year at a later date. To read the previous DoDEA announcement on school status, click here.
Wing leadership understands the decision to close schools and childcare services created some hardships for families, especially our dual-military and single parents. Therefore, the wing commander signed a policy to provide guidance to Airmen, DoD civilians and commanders.
See the complete memo here. Parents should continue to work through their individual chain of command if additional guidance is necessary.
If you experience technical difficulties, please contact the school directly. A full list of KMC-area schools is available here.
The 86th Mission Support Group will re-assess Air Force Child Development Centers, Child and Youth Centers and Before and After School Care closures on a regular basis to determine when facilities will reopen. More information will be provided to parents who have children in these childcare facilities. For childcare planning purposes, ensure you first consult the Child Supervision Policy and guidance for providing childcare in base housing. There are rules regarding who can and cannot provide childcare services. Please read Unauthorized Home Care for more information.
DoDEA and AAFES are working closely together to provide breakfast and lunches on a grab-and-go basis for families. To view program details, click here. Members should select meal(s) the day before so that AAFES has enough preparation time. Members who select meal(s) need to pick them up the following day. The final day for the grab-and-go school meal program is June 9th.
Guidance for US and Non-US Civilian Personnel For the latest guidance concerning our US and Non-US civilian workforce, click here.
Telework Members employing telework capabilities can find a compendium of available resources and information below:
Special Leave Accrual for US Military Personnel Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Matthew Donovan signed a department-wide authorization for service members to accrue and retain an additional leave balance of up to 120 days. The department's actions to stem the spread of COVID-19 has significantly limited the ability of service members to take leave during this national emergency, and we know that leave is vital to the health and welfare of our force.
The memo can be found here.
Host Nation & Local Guidance
Per EUCOM policy, all military personnel must stay within the borders of the country in which they live. There should be no crossing of borders except for mission-related purposes.
The Federal Republic of Germany has not implemented any restrictions that prevent individuals from traveling within the country. However, per the latest guidelines from the government of Rheinland-Pfalz (aka Rhineland-Palatinate), persons entering the state from another region or state with an infection rate higher than 50 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days will have to self-quarantine for 14 days. These states and regions can vary on a daily basis.
As a result, the 86 AW/CC is asking all DoD members to stay within the Rheinland-Pfalz area until further notice. That is the easiest way to ensure members stay in compliance with the host nation’s state guidelines.
For information on which areas are currently high risk due to infection rates, click here (in German).
A daily situation report in English and German can also be found here.
DoD Guidance
Secretary Esper signed a memo May 26th (view here) transitioning to a conditions-based phased approach to personnel movement and travel restrictions. The memo cancels previous travel restrictions (April 20, 2020) and reissues guidance for DoD components that will remain in effect until further notice. A DoD article about this newest memo may be found here.
To view updated FAQ about travel restrictions, click here.
For the latest Air Force guidance on the stop movement, including impacts on professional military education, enlisted promotions and fitness guidance, access myPers here.
To view the Air Force directive that restricts leave to the local area during the pandemic, click here.
See Per Diem/Transportation Allowance section below for more information about entitlements for members impacted by the stop movement order.
Updated 6/2/2020 As a precautionary measure, several facilities on base have adjusted hours and operations until further notice.
An updated list of force support operations can be found here.
Hours of Operations for other KMC/AAFES stores can be found here.
UPCOMING FACILITIES/SERVICES REOPENING June 1 Woodlawn Grill - open for dine in services/ Drug Demand Reduction Office - resumes random inspection drug testing
June 5 Worship Services - resume with limited capacity based on restrictions, registration for high-demand services, continuation of live streaming and virtual services
RECENT REOPENINGS May 26
Chili's P.F. Chang's
Ramstein Visitor Control Center Open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Services provided include:
An authorized SPONSOR can only sign in a MAX of (1) visitor at a time for official business. Exceptions of this policy will be made on a case by case basis by the Supervisor on-duty. These services and/or hours of operation are subject to change at the direction of the 86 AW/CC. For questions, please call the VCC at DSN 480-5775 or commercial 06371-47-5775.
Special Victims' Counsel Closed to walk-in clients For assistance, call DSN 478-4782 or commercial 0151-1226-3920
Military Personnel Flight Closed for all walk-ins. Customers must email or call.
Customer Support: *Contact Command Post for after-hours emergency* *Mission essential appointments only for ID Cards and DEERS: 786fss.fspsidcards@us.af.mil
At this time CACs and Dependent/Retiree ID Cards will not be renewed. All cards expiring this year (CACs on or after April 16; Dependent/Retiree cards on or after January 1) will be valid through September 30, 2020. Members will need to utilize the ID cards online service to extend their certificates. The instructions to this process are located in the MPF One Stop Shop COVID 19 folder.
*Mission essential appointments only for Passports: 786fss.passports@us.af.mil Installation Personnel Readiness - 786fss.readiness@us.af.mil, On-Call: 0162-419-3531 Personnel System Management - 786fss.psm@us.af.mil
Career Development: Promotions - 786fss.dpmpppromotions@us.af.mil Retentions - 786FSS.FSPD.Retentions@us.af.mil Rets & Seps - 786FSS.FSPD.Rets-Seps@us.af.mil Assignments - 786fss.dpmar@us.af.mil
Force Management: Evaluations - 786FSS.FSPM.Evaluations@us.af.mil Classifications - 786FSS.FSPM.Evaluations@us.af.mil
For more detailed information on each Military Personnel Flight COVID-19 Functions, please click here.
German-American Community Office Closed until further notice For assistance, contact info@gaco-kl.de
Public Affairs Photo Studio Closed until further notice. Studio appointments will not be scheduled while RAB is in HPCON Charlie.
Ramstein & Vogelweh Libraries Curbside Takeaway Opens Wednesday, May 27 Mon/Wed from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Last Name beginning A-K on Library Card) Tues/Thurs from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Last Name beginning L-Z on Library Card) Cardholders can request up to 10 items at one time through the usafelibraries.org website. The request(s) must be received by 2 p.m. the day prior to pickup. Click here for more information
Service Credit Union Branches are closed to the general public, but representatives can assist via phone or during a scheduled appointment. Please click here for more information.
Ramstein Chapel Services All in-person worship services have been cancelled, but many will continue in a virtual manner. A list of virtual opportunities can be found here. For more updated information about chapel services can be found on the Ramstein Chapel Facebook page.
USAREUR Licensing Office
Due to HPCON CHARLIE, the Ramstein USAREUR Licensing Office will operate as follows:
Vehicle Inspection at Kapaun AB
Kapaun POV Inspection is now open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Exception to Policy (ETPs) letters are no longer required. Only one driver per vehicle (no family members or pets) will be allowed in the Vehicle Inspection Office at a time. Please contact Vehicle Inspections Office at DSN 489-6400 or 0631 49 6400 with any questions.
Vehicle Registration at Kapaun AB
In order to better assist the Community, we have updated our office operations to include the following services by appointment only:
- Mission essential transactions for De-registration/Transfer for PCS, Separations, or Retirements will require Orders at the time of your appointment. These appointments will require orders.
- Emergency situations/all other transactions (i.e. no vehicles in your household, rental fees, etc.) will still require an exception to policy memorandum from your Leadership presented at the time of your appointment. If you do not have one, you will not be serviced regardless of situation.
- Vehicle just arrived? An exception to policy memorandum from your leadership will NOT be required at the time of your appointment for members who have vehicles ready to be picked up from the shipping company, International Auto Logistics.
- If you need to clear a suspense for a new vehicle that was already registered, please send those documents (front and back) to our organization box: 569USFPS.S5BV.VehicleRegistration@us.af.mil
Appointments can be made through Appointment Plus. Availability is still limited in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines, although you will no longer have to email us a request to our organization box. Previously scheduled appointments via our organization box will be honored.
USAREUR HQ Update:
All permanent registrations expiring within 30 days after 21 April 2020, have been electronically extended for 60 days. This does not apply to temporary registrations, or non-operational registrations. However, temporary registrations and non-operational registrations will be deemed valid if they expired after 21 March 2020, until normal operations resume.
- If an appointment is scheduled to go from temporary to permanent registration at our office, and the registration has expired on paper within the grace period (after 21 March 2020), our office will require a new blank insurance card.
For questions on required documents that you will need in order to complete any transaction, our pamphlet is located here under “Checklist”.
Fitness Centers Southside, Northside and Vogelweh Fitness Centers are all closed until further notice.
Effective May 21, all official fitness assessment testing is cancelled until October 1, 2020. For more information and to determine when applicable test dates will be, click here.
Postal Operations: Alphabetical Assigned Days and Retiree Hour (Effective 1 April 20) *Anyone can check their mailbox 7 days a week, excluding the timeframes below that are not your designated package pick-up days/times. Northside Post Office (NSPO): Mon & Wed, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Customers with last name that begins with A-K eligible to pick up packages and mail out packages Tues & Thurs, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Customers with last name that begins with L-Z eligible to pick up packages and mail out packages Friday, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Retirees only in the facility (mailbox check/package pick-up/mail out boxes) and 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Open to all customers to pick-up packages and mail out packages Saturday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. open to all personnel to pick-up packages
Official Mail: Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Unit pick-up/drop-off, Official Mail unit runs as-needed only
Southside Post Office (SSPO): Mon & Wed, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Customers with last name that begins with A-K eligible to pick up packages Tues & Thurs, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Customers with last name that begins with L-Z eligible to pick up packages Friday, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Retirees only in the facility (mailbox check/package pick-up) and 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Open to all customers to pick-up packages Saturday, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. open to all personnel to pick-up packages
Kapaun Post Office (KPO): Mon & Wed, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Customers with last name that begins with A-K eligible to pick up packages Tues & Thurs, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Customers with last name that begins with L-Z eligible to pick up packages Friday, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Retirees only in the facility (mailbox check/package pick-up) and 1 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Open to all customers to pick-up packages
Official Mail: Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Unit pick up/drop-off, 1 Official Mail unit run per week
Those who are immune-compromised or live with a family member who is immune-compromised can set up private appointments through their Post Office’s Customer Service for mail pick-up once per week.
If members cannot pick up their mail on their designated days due to mission requirements, they should coordinate with their Post Office’s Customer Service team to schedule an appointment to pick up mail, or to temporarily put their mail on hold.
Customer Service Org Boxes for special requirements: Northside Post Office: 86cs.postal.service.1@us.af.mil Southside Post Office: southside.postal@us.af.mil Kapaun Post Office: 86cs.kapauncustomerservice@us.af.mil
Civilian Personnel Office/NAF HR Office No walk-ins, customers are requested to email or call. Appointments will be set when necessary. US CPO: 480-5850 LN CPO: 480-7153 NAF HRO: 480-2672
86 CPTS (Finance) Mon & Fri, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Appt only Tues & Thurs, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Appt only
For any inquiries regarding authorizations or orders needing to be certified -- 86cpts.1610certification@us.af.mil
Relocations Team PCS In-Processing Assistance - 86CPTS.PCS.assistance@us.af.mil DTS Team (Include reason in subject; i.e. Auth) - 86cpts.dtshelpdesk@us.af.mil Special Actions Team (Separations/Retirements) - 86cpts.specialactions@us.af.mil Debt Management Team (Military Pay Debts) - 86CPTS.FMF.DebtManagement@us.af.mil Civilian Pay Team - 86cpts.civ.pay@us.af.mil Customer Service - 86cpts.cs@us.af.mil
86 AW Retiree Activities Office (RAO) Closed until further notice. All events scheduled up until 31 July by the RAO and KMC Retiree Council are cancelled. In the FAQs below you will find some information specific to retirees. For anything else, please e-mail jim.barrante@gmail.com
Dining Facilities (DFAC) *Take-Out Only* LBH (Kapaun) Breakfast: 0600-0800, Mon– Fri (Weekends 700-830) Lunch: 1100-1300, Mon – Sun Dinner: 1630-1800, Mon – Sun
Jawbone Flight Kitchen (Ramstein) Breakfast: 0600-0730, Mon – Fri Lunch: 1130-1300, Mon – Fri Dinner: 1730-1900, Mon – Fri Midnight Meal: 2300-0030, 7 days a week
Ramstein and Vogelweh Commissaries Normal operating hours: Mon – Sat, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sun, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. No early bird hours
KMCC Main Exchange Mon – Sat, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The food court will be take out only. Meal orders can be placed through www.myexchangefood.com Delivery is still available from Popeye's, Anthony's Pizza, Subway, and Manchu Wok.
Force Support Squadron The following will be closed until further notice:
5/14/2020
Clinic Parking Lot To maximize patient and staff safety and care, the 86th Medical Group has made changes to its operations to more effectively mitigate COVID-19. This includes reducing routine appointments to allow staff to focus on the COVID-19 Hotline, COVID-19 Clinic and related matters. The following chart shows current MDG operations. Please Note: the medical group parking lot is closed to allow for changes in operations. Please park across the street and walk over unless otherwise directed.
1. The COVID-19 Hotline (480-9001 or 06371-47-9001) is available 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri and 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Sat-Sun; to manage COVID-19 information and questions. It is staffed by clinicians who can triage patients, but the hotline cannot issue quarters to Army personnel. If you have concerns after-hours or on the weekend, please contact the Nurse Advise Line (NAL) at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273) or in Europe call 0800-071-3516. Please recognize the NAL is located in the U.S. and they might not know all the specifics in our location. If you have a medical emergency, please call 1-1-2 or go to the LRMC emergency room. 2. COVID-19 Clinic: The Medical Group is standing up a separate clinical area to screen patients that have a higher risk of having or having been exposed to COVID-19. If you are sent to the COVID-19 clinic, it does not mean you have COVID-19. It means the clinic is simply taking precautions based on your screening questions. 3. Buildings 2114 (family medicine, pharmacy, lab), Building 2121 (flight medicine, optometry) and the Dental Clinic have reduced to single points of entry. Please abide by signage on the doors. A staff member will screen all patients prior to entering the clinic and direct individuals to the proper location. 4. If you are sick or get placed on quarantine or isolation, abide by the recommendations such as staying in your home, having others bring you food, and physically distancing from your family if they are not in isolation/quarantine. The goal is to reduce the spread of illness, and that requires physical distancing. 5. The sick call clinic in pediatrics has changed from a walk-in clinic to an appointment-only clinic. Please call the appointment line at 06371-46-2273 to get scheduled for an appointment. Flight medicine will still hold standard “Return to Fly” walk-in times. 6. The pharmacy will stop providing S.I.C.K. program “cough and cold” medications without a provider evaluation. Previously patients could go straight to the pharmacy, complete a form and get common over-the-counter medications without seeing a provider. 7. If you have new medication either for activation from a MDG provider or a new off-base prescription), please see the pharmacy BEFORE 1500 to ensure processing the same day. Any new scripts after 1500 will be processed for the next business day. Pharmacy will remain open until 1630 for medication pick up.
Referral Management & Off Base Appointments If you have a specialty appointment off-base, contact that provider to see if they are still open. Many of the local specialists have stopped patient care.
1. Virtual appointments for adult routine care are available at Ramstein Clinic! A primary care manager can address most of your new or existing health concerns right over the phone. Please give us a call for an initial consultation at commercial: 06371-46-2273 or DSN: 479-2273 and one of our friendly call agents will either schedule you a virtual appointment or send a telephone consult “TCON” to your provider team. You are also empowered to send a secured message directly to your provider by going on to TRICARE Online at www.tricareonline.com.
2. Due to the impacts of COVID-19, access to care has been limited within our provider network.
As this may affect your ability to schedule an appointment with your off base provider, we have provided a list of closed/limited access clinics in the local area. We will continue to update and provide this listing as operations change.
Unfortunately, the Referral Management Office does not have a definitive schedule of when your off base provider will be available again.
Your referral is valid for six months from the time your authorization has been approved. Our office is working diligently to ensure all beneficiaries receive assistance and the most up to date information of off-base providers.
If you have any questions, please contact our Referral Management Office at DSN: 479-2101 or commercial: 06371-46-2101.
The 86 MDG is committed to providing the best quality care to its beneficiaries in the safest manner. We ask for your understanding and patience if your appointments are disrupted or waiting times are extended due to staffing/resources limitations. These changes are in the best interest of the entire community as we move through this COVID-19 challenge.
Updated 5/15/2020 The Department of Defense Stop Movement Guidance has impacts on housing/leases and personal property/household good (HHG) shipments for our Airmen and families. Please see information below.
Members PCSing who have been affected by the stop movement can find guidance on entitlements here.
Housing The housing office continues to provide assistance, remotely, via e-mail, phone, or a coordinated phone appointment. Members should ensure their current lease covers them at least through the stop movement. If members have any challenges working their landlord for an extension, please reach out to us for assistance. Once members know of their new departure dates, please also contact housing to make further arrangements (examples: OHA stop, TLA start, outprocessing checklist, FMS loaner and furniture pick up, etc.).
Please check out the housing page on Facebook by searching for the “KMC Housing Office – Ramstein AB” for the latest news and information. Personnel are encouraged to reach out to the housing office for any assistance or concerns via KMCHousing@us.af.mil, Facebook Messenger or phone (489-6671/0631-536-6671).
Adjusted RNLTD/DEROS
AFPC has started adjusting RNLTDs and DEROS dates to align assignments with AF prioritized movement plan and to bring monthly Household Goods transportation demand in line with executable levels of service. Please refer to Mypers Re-Flow message for information on what you can expect for new dates.
Assignment DEROS and RNLTD “Re-Flow” due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Restrictions
Your new date will be associated with a HHG pack/ship “window”; meaning, Airmen can pack/ship HHGs in their assigned window. At OCONUS locations, the HHG pack/ship “window” will be set at NET (NO EARLIER THAN) two months prior to report date. The MPF will populate these HHG pack/ship NET dates in the designated field on the “memo in lieu of PCS Amendments”. The “memo in lieu of PCS Amendments” will be required along with your original orders to book shipments in your assigned window.
Squadron commanders and equivalents can authorize an extended HHG pack/ship “window” with a signed Exception to Policy (ETP) memo if hardship or mission reasons exist.
After the RNLTD/DEROS adjustments are completed, we strongly recommend for Airmen that end up with a July report date to initiate the process to secure a HHG pack/ship date ASAP.
Airmen whose report date remains in July, as originally included on their orders, will require an approval letter from their squadron commander/First Sergeant (or equivalent) to pack their HHGs prior to 1 July.
Disclaimer: Available HHG pack/ship dates will be limited by industry capacity to pack/ship HHGs and the sustained demand for movement across all the Services.
Please consult your local Personal Property Office (LRS) for any questions associated with your personal property movement.
86th Logistics Readiness Squadron Traffic Management Flight Outbound Personal Property DSN: 489-6036 Commercial: 06315 36 6036 Email: 86lrs.lgrd.pppo@us.af.mil
86th Logistics Readiness Squadron -- Personal Property DSN: (314) 480-5509/2163 Commercial Phone: 06371-47-5509 Organizational Email: 86lrs.lgrd.ppo@us.af.mil
For questions regarding Pet Slot Availability, please contact Passenger Travel at 480-5374 or email at 435lrs.lgrtp@us.af.mil
Updated 03/25/2020 The Per Diem and Transportation Allowance Committee approved emergency updates to the Joint Travel Regulations authorizing per diem and other entitlements to members and their families impacted by the stop movement order associated with COVID-19. Specifically it addresses and authorizes:
View the COVID-19 Travel Q&As for answers to many of the questions members may have.
For a quick look at PCS entitlements, click here.
Effective May 7, 2020
All Passengers traveling via Ramstein Passenger Terminal must comply with one of the following directives:
1. Provide an Exception to Policy (ETP) Letter signed by their combatant commander or the first general, flag officer, or Senior Executive Service member in the traveler's chain of command. In lieu of this ETP,
2. Sign an Official Statement of Compliance that they are complying with SECDEF and DEPSECDEG memorandums, and that they have been authorized travel by their Combatant Commander or, if delegated, the first general, flag officer, or Senior Executive Service member in their chain of command.
3. The official Statement of Compliance is provided at the main entrance of the Passenger Terminal.
Members signing this statement of compliance are traveling under the authority of their combatant commander or the first general, flag officer, or Senior Executive Service member in their chain of command; and are held accountable for their statement of compliance.
IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE COMPLIANT, CONTACT YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND BEFORE SIGNING THIS STATEMENT. MEMBERS WHO DO NOT PROVIDE THIS EXCEPTION TO POLICY (ETP) LETTER OR SIGN THE STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WILL BE DENIED TRAVEL.
*Due to recent circumstances our Slight Kitchen will no longer be providing meals for Organic Flights (C17, C5, C130). We highly encourage that all passengers bring their own non-perishable foods for Organic (Grey Tail) missions. Liquids over 3.4 fluid ounces cannot go through security. For all commercially contracted Patriot Express (rotator) aircraft, meals are supported in flight as part of the ticket.
Personnel are reminded to remain flexible and patient with regard to June and July rotator availability:
The PAX Terminal is also answering customer questions on their Facebook Page.
To the men and women of the World’s Best Wing, We talk about resilience in the Air Force, and so far this year we’ve faced heightened tensions in the Middle East, extreme weather events, a major inspection, and most recently a novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) that is consuming worldwide attention. When I think about what this wing has tackled in the span of a few short months, I can’t help but be proud of the resilience within our community. The COVID-19 disease spreading throughout Europe and much of the world is concerning, but we’re fortunate to have incredibly capable medical professionals at the Ramstein clinic and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center who are working closely with their German public health counterparts to ensure we have the latest information and guidance to protect our population and preserve the mission. The health and safety of every Airman, every civilian, every family member, and every mission partner remains the highest priority for me and the entire 86th Airlift Wing leadership team. In fact, the entire base is focused on this issue. The commissary and AAFES have been working to replenish their stock of hand sanitizer, base schools have a continuity of education plan ready in the event schools temporarily cancel classes, and Child Development Centers and Youth Centers are doing extra cleanings to help protect our children. We are staying closely aligned with guidance from the Department of Defense, U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, and we’re coordinating closely with our tenant units and Army partners in the KMC since this is a uniquely blended military community. In short, we are proactively planning as a team, and we will make the best decisions we can to prevent infection and protect the base population. One of the tough decisions I’ve made is to limit gatherings of large groups of people on base. Out of an abundance of caution, I’ve postponed until further notice the Unit Effectiveness Inspection celebration lunch, Maintenance and Logistics Annual Awards ceremony, and chief recognition ceremony. We’ll look at other social events planned for the near future to determine if the events have direct links to readiness or mission effectiveness. Large social gatherings that do not meet that criteria may need to be postponed to preserve our combat capability and maintain the health of our Airmen and families. The DoD is also taking COVID-19 seriously. Effective March 13, DoD uniformed members, civilian personnel and families may not travel to, from or through locations for the next 60 days that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated as a Level 3 Travel Health Notice. This includes permanent change of station, temporary duty, and leave travel. Unfortunately, this applies to most countries in Europe, including Germany. We’re working a plan to get our people home as soon as possible who are currently on leave or TDY outside Germany, and we’re working through the impacts this stop movement will have on our Airmen who were scheduled to PCS. We’ll keep you informed as we move forward. While we take COVID-19 seriously, it’s important to remember that the vast majority of people who contract the virus recover completely. Wash your hands, practice good hygiene, keep your distance from sick people, disinfect common areas regularly, and stay home if you’re not feeling well. Our best course of action is to be informed and follow medical advice to protect our mission, our loved ones, and our community. I’ve asked our commanders to ensure we document and report all impacts on training, mission execution or family quality of life due to precautions surrounding COVID-19. Continue to feed that information through your chain of command. I’ve also asked our commanders to ensure Airmen receive the latest information regarding travel restrictions and necessary precautions. You can stay informed by visiting this site and following our official Facebook page. We are working to disseminate as much information as possible, but we need your help identifying blind spots. What COVID-19 questions or concerns have not been addressed? Post your questions on our Facebook page, and we will get you a response or address the question during an upcoming virtual town hall. The COVID-19 situation is evolving every day, but we’re poised and ready to face this new challenge. We have to be. We’re still the Gateway to the World, and the combatant commanders we support continue to rely on the airlift we provide every day. I don’t see that changing any time soon. Thank you for your continued commitment to the mission and resilience in 2020. Sincerely, Brig. Gen. Mark R. August 86th Airlift Wing Commander
Updated 04/30/2020
Symptoms Given the current coronavirus situation moving across Europe, 86th Airlift Wing medical professionals recommend that any individual with flu like symptoms (listed below) stay home and not attend school/work if possible to help prevent the spread of any sickness. Additionally, please ensure proper precautions are used such as physical distancing, hand washing, and proper cough etiquette. It is recommended that common surfaces/objects be sanitized twice a day with Clorox or bleach solution.
Symptoms include:
The CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
Updated 4/30/2020
CDC Recommends There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
Updated 4/30/2020 For medical assistance, refer to the following 1. If, within the last 14 days, you had close contact with a suspected or confirmed case of the coronavirus AND 2. You are experiencing a cough or mild shortness of breath, AND 3. You have a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, STAY HOME -- DO NOT GO TO THE HOSPITAL please FOLLOW STEP 4 or STEP 5. 4. Ramstein TRICARE beneficiaries should call the Ramstein COVID Hotline at 480-9001 (06371479001) or the Nurse Advice Line (NAL) at one of the following toll-free numbers based on your location: - Belgium: 0800-81933 - Germany: 0800-071-3516 - Greece: 00-800-4414-1013 - Italy: 800-979721 - Spain: 900-82-2740 - Turkey: 00-800-44-882-5287 - UK: 0800-028-3263 *** To access the Nurse Advice Line from a cell phone in Europe you must first call your clinic appointment line and choose the option for the Nurse Advice Line.*** 5. Non-Ramstein TRICARE beneficiaries should contact their primary care provider for advice. If your symptoms are severe and/or you are experiencing significant shortness of breath, please call 1-1-2 instead of contacting the COVID line or the NAL.
What happens if I test positive for COVID 19?
What should I do if I had symptoms and was tested and are now waiting for the test results?
What can I do if one of my friends or co-workers gets COVID-19?
What if I have symptoms and concerns about COVID-19? Stay in your house or room and call your supervisor to let them know you are feeling unwell. Do NOT go to work. Call the Ramstein Medical COVID Hotline for a clinical assessment. The provider on the hotline may or may not put you on quarters, depending on your personal situation. Ramstein COVID hotline Commercial: 06371-47-9001 and DSN: 480-9001
Symptoms for COVID include fever, cough, shortness of breath. If you can’t breathe, call emergency services, not the hotline.
COVID-19 Stress Phone Line Mon - Fri; 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. DSN: 480-9001, or commercial 06371-47-9001 Option 3
Mental Health Clinic Mental Health Clinic is open Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and seeing Active Duty patients, though they are trying to minimize the number of patients seen in the clinic. Call 479-2390 or 06371-46-2390 to ask questions about services. Some telephonic work with established patients will be conducted on the weekends.
The ADAPT clinic is open Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 and seeing Active Duty patients, though they trying to minimize the number of people sees in person in the clinic. Some telephonic work to established patients will be conducted on the weekends.
For Active Duty, if you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others please do one of the following:
Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC) A free and anonymous counseling service. Still taking appointments by calling one of the three numbers: 0176 1057 2634, 0176 1736 8898, or 0151 5674 8179.
Child and Youth Behavioral MFLCs (CYB-MFLCs) are also able to temporarily provide telehealth services to your military community. These services include telephonic and video non-medical counseling in areas where face-to-face support is restricted due to COVID-19. For more information, contact Nanet Peterson at 0176 7413 7162.
Family Advocacy Open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is currently offering a multitude of online classes through Facebook Live. These are great resources for parents and couples who wish to acquire additional skills for building healthy and strong families. Registration can be completed on the Ramstein Family Advocacy Facebook page or by calling 479-2370. Additionally, Ramstein Family Advocacy provides 24/7 telephonic support to community members who are in unsafe relationships through their local hotline. If you or someone you know is in an unsafe relationship, please call 0173 628 4624 any time.
Health Promotion Bod Pod service is still available by appointment only (480-1799), and Nutrition Counseling is available via telephone (480-1689).
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response The Ramstein SAPR office remains open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in building 404 for in-person assistance. Please call the 24/7 SAPR hotline at 0172-821-4871 to speak with a credentialed advocate.
Chapel Open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and accepting walk-ins. An on-call Chaplain is also available after hours by contacting Command Post (480-2121). Worship Services are available on Facebook.
86 AW Integrated Resilience Office Open Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 06371-47-1422 or email 86AW.CVB.IRO@us.af.mil.
A&FRC Open for virtual appointments 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling 480-5100. Virtual trainings are also available to include Sponsorship, Initial Key Spouse, Transition Assistance and Pre-Deployment/Re-Integration.
Equal Opportunity Open Mon-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with telephone (489-8534) appointments only for AF Members, Dependents, Retirees, DoD Civilians (NAF/GS) with limited services to Local Nationals.
American Red Cross The ARC is offering a COVID-19 Virtual Resiliency Module which will teach the basic skills of ways to connect, learn about stress, and practice relaxation and stress-management techniques. They are also offering a Coping with Deployments (CWD) Psychological First Aid for Military Families module. This course offers an introduction to Psychological First Aid and resilience surrounding deployments. If people are interested in any of our virtual modules, they can email ramstein@redcross.org or call at (DSN) 480-2171 (CIV) 06371-47-2171.
Military One Source https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
For additional resources to help manage stress and for ways to help others cope with the pandemic, click here.
As of May 19, 2020, Air Force installations in the Kaiserslautern Military Community continue to operate at HPCON Charlie but are slowly introducing a loosening of restrictions. For further details a memorandum from Brig. Gen. Mark R. August can be found here.
As with any flu season, if you are close to someone who appears to have flu-like symptoms, you should practice proper hygiene and encourage others to do the same. Stay at least 6 feet away and limit interactions with sick individuals to less than 15 minutes if possible. -Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds -If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-percent alcohol -Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands -Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick -Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces -Make sure your flu shot is up to date.
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center now has the ability to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19 for TRICARE beneficiaries, but the specific test for COVID-19 is not a rapid test. Patients are screened in accordance with Department of Defense and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to determine if a patient’s risk level necessitates testing. Screening guidelines address whether patients have symptoms of fever and lower respiratory illness, or have had close contact with individuals who are suspected or known to have the illness within the past 14 days.
Please call the 86 MDG appointment line or the COVID Hotline for an assessment. If it is after hours, please call the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE or 0800-071-3516 (from a European line). A nurse can offer a screening via phone and evaluate whether more testing may be warranted. As with any routine illness, you should keep your child home to avoid spreading germs.
LRMC will remain open in the event of a base shutdown and will conduct screening for eligible beneficiaries. Wait times may vary depending on patient load. There may be some restriction on patients entering for routine, non-urgent/emergent care.
Currently, you will likely be put under a voluntary at-home quarantine if you've been exposed to someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19. If you're experiencing symptoms, always call ahead to your clinic for telephone assessment before being seen in person, and be upfront with your doctor about your travel history.
A contact event is generally described as: 1) being within six feet of a COVID-19 positive individual for 10 minutes or more 2) being in an enclosed area or workspace (i.e., an office) with a COVID-19 positive individual for 10 minutes or more 3) contact with respiratory or bodily fluid (i.e., coughed or sneezed on, cared for at home, etc.) from a COVID-19 positive individual.
If you have been in close contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive contact your health care provider as explained above. As a close contact of someone who is COVID-19 positive, you are required to isolate in your residence for 14 days from last contact with the infected individual. See Guidelines for Isolation and Restriction of Movement below.
Close contacts of someone who is COVID-19 positive, are placed on Restriction of Movement (ROM) and will isolate (completely restricted to quarters) for 14 days from date of exposure. The close contact should isolate from the rest of the family, but as long as that individual doesn't develop symptoms - then family members are not categorized or restricted. Family members should maintain separate living space to the greatest extent possible. While this does not preclude all personal contact, limit proximity to at least six feet as much as possible. If the close contact begins to develop symptoms, he/she becomes a PUI and all family members are placed on ROM (See definition and details in PUI and ROM definitions).
The goal for wearing a protective face covering is to stop the spread of germs, especially if you are asymptomatic. Proper wear means the cloth covers both the nose and mouth. Wear of a protective face covering is mandatory at the Base Exchange, Commissary or any other public gathering place for ages 2 years or older. It’s also mandatory to wear a face covering when coming through the base gates.
The current HPCON is Charlie. That decision was made at the Secretary of Defense level and covers all Department of Defense forces. We cannot know for sure if we will see the downgrade based on localized conditions. However, we will continue to keep you informed as we get more information on this topic.
As for deployments, work with your command team and explain your unique situation. There are opportunities for us to do what's right by families and by our service members. If you have a specific concern, route that through your chain of command for guidance on exception to policy requests for possible approval.
If you require mental health services, reach out to our mental health office. If they can't physically see you, they will work through the referral process through the TRICARE network to get you the appropriate services. There are many resources available. The COVID hotline was recently established; you can call in and have a discussion with a qualified mental health specialist who will be able to talk through some of the issues you may be dealing with. There are Military Family Life Consultants, chaplains and Military OneSource in addition to our Mental Health clinic. For more information about resources available to you, reach out to your first sergeant or key spouse and they can assist.
Healthy employees always have the option to request personal leave for safety reasons. If you feel as though you would like to take leave, please do so and commanders are encouraged to approve those requests.
The categories of the high risk employees are defined for us by the Center for Disease Control or, for our local national colleagues, through the Robert Koch Institute. Guidance has been provided to commanders and is posted on our website. These circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
For employees who are asymptomatic, report to your chain of command in writing, you will be required to submit medical documentation to support your request. Supervisors, need to exhaust all human resource flexibilities prior to putting use of weather and safety leave, such as telework or alternate work location to ensure workforce protection measures.
Employees on weather and safety leave must remain in the local area and are subject to recall. If you become ill, you would need to go out on sick leave. For further information, please refer to the detailed guidance on our website, then elevate any questions through your chain of command.
Supervisors are always asked to keep position descriptions accurate and current. These processes continue and can be accomplished virtually through both the Civilian Personnel Office and Air Force Personnel Center. Additionally, procedures for telework have been placed on the CPO website to include the required documentation and the training.
The public law itself came into effect on April 1. However, we have not received guidance on execution. As soon as that information is available, we will get it out to the workforce.
The two-people, social gathering rule refers to social purposes; the latter relates to military- or work-related businesses. We're not allowed to gather with groups larger than two people socially, and there's a fine associated. However, when it comes to military, we've got to get the mission done.
These will have to be handled on a case-by-case basis. Get with your supervisor and the civilian personnel office to help determine a potential way ahead. In general, if you've been here for three years, an extension can be requested by your commander. If you've been here over five, or at the five year mark, there are provisions already in place for a short term extension of up to 180 days that can be requested. Those however, remain mission based and adjudicated by the appropriate approval authority. Please get with your supervisor and elevate that through to civilian personnel. As it relates to the permanent change of station moves, in the order by which they will be decided or executed, this issue is currently being discussed. On the military front, there is no automatic one-year extension for military, either. We're working through extensions, but we're following the normal processes for those as well.
We are very fortunate to have a very large and complex service population here at Ramstein that includes multiple tenant units. Measures implemented by the installation command in regards to protection of the force and our mission apply to all tenants. If you have specific questions, please elevate those to your chain of command.
Alternative work schedules are a first-level supervisor authority, in connection with the commander's approval. Please get with your supervisor for an alternative work schedule to help increase physical distancing in the workplace.
Hiring actions do continue to ensure we remain postured once the crisis is over. We are working actions to establish effective dates to ensure both inbound and outbound can navigate effectively once the stop movement is lifted. You will remain at your current position until such time as we establish a new move date for you back to the U.S. This may create a temporary, short term overlap here. However, we'll be able to navigate that and it will have no impact on your employment.
Priority Placement Program procedures will continue as normal, with the exception of travel that's connected to the stop movement order. For those that have accepted positions and have orders, those orders will be amended to change the effective date once the stop movement is lifted.
If you have accepted a position and you don't have orders, we will establish an effective date outside of the stop movement order.
If you've received a valid job offer from the Air Force Personnel Center, please connect back with them and continue the process to accept the offer. Again, your established effective date will be put outside the stop movement order.
Lastly, for those coming up on your DEROS, you will continue to be registered virtually with a member of the CPO staff.
We have an installation quarantine and isolation plan. Most likely, this will not be required. However, it will depend on individual circumstances that will need to be addressed at the unit level and passed to the appropriate authorities.
Our planning teams are already working this. Efforts will be closely coordinated with the Army and the headquarters here on Ramstein. However, we are currently in HPCON Charlie as directed by the Secretary of Defense. More information will become available as we work through this.
On March 25, Secretary of Defense enacted a 60-day stop movement order which impacts deployments, redeployments and other global force management activities. As the gateway to the world, our professional airlift mission will continue.
The garrison looks at a different area than we do. The four installations we have within the 86th Airlift Wing and KMC is different than what the Army does within their garrison. If you work here at Ramstein, look at our website, Facebook page and App to see what is affecting us here.
There are multiple forces play. We have U.S. policy, Secretary of Defense and Air Force policy, as well as international and host nation policy. The Secretary of Defense issued a Stop Movement, setting a fairly high bar to allow people to move around.
Waivers have been approved based on hardship, humanitarian or mission essential needs. Please reach out to your First Sergeants and Squadron Command Teams to understand the process and let them know if you have a unique circumstance.
We’re also working through the latest financial guidance to alleviate fears of, “I’m in an expensive place and I can’t do this for two months, nor do I have two months of leave saved up to be able to do this.” There are mechanisms in place to mitigate undue hardship. Guidance will continue to flow as it becomes available to give flexibility to commanders and supervisors for both military and civilian Airmen.
Extracurricular activities have been cancelled and religious services will be broadcast virtually on their Facebook page to abide by the physical distancing protocols.
We are going out of our way to make sure they stay in different locations. We are protecting them as much as possible. We are following FAA and DoD guidance to keep them separate and as safe as possible. They are currently exempt from the 14-day quarantine except for when they present symptoms, in which case they will go through extra screening.
This is a tough time for folks in the mobility business. Logistics will stay alive and our aircrew will keep the mission flying while we do our best to keep them protected.
Mission essential activities will remain open. Each leadership team knows exactly what it takes to run their operations. We will not dictate to them how many people they can have at work, however we encourage the use electronic means where possible.
Yes, with most of our out-processing done through email or phone calls Airmen are encouraged to continue as planned. Complete as much as you can and continue to plan.
Our schedule remains the same as it has always been. Once the stores close, our vender stockers and commissary employees come on to restock the stores. There is no need to “panic shop” as the supply chain is stable.
Due to increased HPCON measures, base access is limited to visitors who have official business.
Unfortunately no. There is some great guidance on the financial front allowing certain entitlements to individuals during this unique time, please view the Comptroller Policy Memo for more information.
If your college student has orders for student dependent travel and this is a financial hardship, this is a perfect example of a time to execute an exception to policy.
For those who have already used your student dependency travel, work with a copy of the parents’ orders, Status of Forces stamp and dependent ID card. There is the option to fly back commercially, however there is an automatic and mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
On base policy reflects that of the CDC and host nation. Maintain 2 meter spacing and groups are to be no larger than two individuals unless residing in the same household.
Reach out to your first sergeant and squadron commander as they are authorized to approve exceptions to policy when warranted.
Air Force Public Health officials state there is no scientific evidence of mail needing to be disinfected prior to delivery. Officials recommend washing your hands thoroughly and avoid touching our nose or face while handling mail or any other objects.
Vehicle registrations and ESSO cards are valid until further notice as long as insurance coverage remains current.
There's been no changes to overseas housing allowance. As long as Overseas Housing Allowance and Living Quarters Allowance continues to be paid, you need to pay your rent.
Health care would be obtained off base. It would be important to work with the U.S. Embassy.
Click the link to the Robert Koch Institute or the World Health Organization located on this page to see the current areas most impacted by COVID-19.
DoDEA Europe leadership continues to work closely with health officials, military leaders, and host nation partners to monitor the situation. We will continuously evaluate how long schools should remain closed.
Yes! Contact the Acting Director of the RAO at Jim.Barrante@fcfgh.net for more information on receiving regular “buddy checks”.
The American Legion located in Kaiserslautern with support from Boy Scout Troop 12 is offering assistance to our local retirees. Please email michael.young63@yahoo.com or call 0176-276-49912
Yes, the Casualty Assistance Office at Ramstein Air Base is taking appointments via teleconference. Send an email to christine.fenton@us.af.mil or call: 067371-47-5759 to book an appointment.
COVID-19 Hotline Mon – Fri; 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sat – Sun; 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. DSN: 480-9001, or commercial 06371-47-9001
In order to further support the community, the 86th MDG Disaster Mental Health Team stood up a COVID-19 Stress Line for members to discuss stressors caused by the current situation. The Stress Phone Line is not a mental health crisis line; stress response team members will provide solution focused recommendations to help Airmen and families during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information read the COVID-19 Stress Line guidance.
Mon - Fri; 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m
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