Engineer Memoirs _____________________________________________________________________
we had to put them into the right kind of packages so the command could be positive and
moving ahead, and that sort of thing.
So, we in USAREUR were really at the swing point. We had to speak with the field and
understand the field. We had to speak with the Pentagon, Army Staff, and understand the
Army Staff.
So, we flew back and forth across the ocean a lot, and we were on the phone a lot as we tried
to mold those kinds of packages. So, that's the essence of the whole headquarters, not just
DCSENGR.
Q:
Of course, going back to something you said earlier, another factor in that is that not only did
the whole Army have to come up with its budgetary priorities, but in things like the military
construction bill that come out of Congress, Congress also put its own priority sometimes on
military construction projects, which might have been different from the Army and
USAREUR. So, you were forced to deal with that, as well.
A:
The Department of Defense too, of course. The Department of the Army basically addressed
those things. We would, from time to time, come back and go with Army Legislative Liaison
or the ACE people to visit Hill staffers on various things, or we would entertain
congressional groups when they would come over. Basically, the Department of the Army
molded that. They had to repackage too, you see, to represent all commands.
Q:
As you mentioned earlier, there was a lot of construction. The construction budget was still
high, and the Europe Division of the Corps was executing much of that construction
program.
A:
Yes.
Q:
Maybe you could talk about some of the big construction programs, some of the types of
facilities that were going on that got priority. I'm thinking of things like--I know EUD
executed it, and it was a program that was ongoing--the attic conversion program. I think it
caused some controversy with the German government.
A:
The controversy happened before I came on--
Q:
Before you were there.
A:
--because we didn't have any when I was there. Attic conversions were under way when I
came aboard. The program started getting frozen out, moneywise, when I was there. It was a
very good program because it provided more housing for our soldiers and took care of them
better. I don't know who thought it up, but it was a very good program.
Q:
What other programs were ongoing to improve housing? I think there was a program
probably already ongoing to bring U.S. manufactured housing to Europe and assemble it over
there.
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