Mildenhall to close…

So, Herr Flick got it in the neck from Beaufighters as well as Mosquitos ??

I can’t speak for the station, I was in the car.

The only places I really saw were Ploegsteert and Ieper (Ypres) and they were both delightful.

Moggy

Works for me. I was over there just before Christmas. Nice cheap fuel, excellent beer, what’s not to like?

I guess they have cleaned Brussels station up? when I was there everyone urinated against the wall! and the knocking shops beside the station with fat women in dirty knickers?

considering what Beaufighters did to the Gestapo HQ, there is the EU HQ!

Apologies CH, just trying to get facts over scuttlebutt acknowledged.

A couple of years ago, the base commanders at Milden-heath-well were having to take quite stringent action to get people to use the base accomodation as they had a vast amount of housing standing empty. Measures included withdrawing housing allowances to people refusing empty base accomodation. Part of the attraction of a foreign posting somewhere like the UK which – despite 9/11, 7/7 and Woolwich has remained overwhelmingly safe – is the chance to live somewhere different and interesting, something that every American I’ve ever met here has taken full advantage of.

Lots of Housing Q & As answered here (apart from actual numbers 🙂 )

http://www.housing.af.mil/raflakenheath/

You are both as bad as each other to be honest.:(

he does insist on having the last word, but at least he admitted that is only a tiny number that never go off base

Which is why they’d scoff at the tiny minority who wouldn’t want to explore the host country.

And do.

Moggy

The numbers speak for themselves. Your second hand scuttlebutt is no more authorativethan my guesstimate. I’ve worked with many servicemen from mildenhall and other bases and they’re generally outgoing, gregarious and enquiring. Which is why they’d scoff at the tiny minority who wouldn’t want to explore the host country.

Fine, lets back your guess against the knowledge of those who are actually there.

Sorted.

Moggy

No, that’s personnel at Mildenhall, Lakenheath and Feltwell. There are 3290 US military personnel and a couple hundred US civvies stationed at Mildenhall, 5000+ at Lakenheath /Feltwell, plus dependants. Roughly 5500 of those personnel live off base and I’d guess only a small proportion of the remaing couple of thousand never venture outside the bases. Not significant numbers at all.

I know when we were having our base tour of Lakenheath, the young female sergeant showing us around
said that she and her husband chose to live off base. As living on base made you too handy.

I would guess the same applies to Mildenhall.

The USAF’s own figures are that roughly 5000 of the 7000+ personnel live off base.

That sounds like Mildenhall alone, and probably not far off, you then have to add families of course.

Before 9/11 the proportion would have been different.

None of which affects my original point.

Moggy

Simply, what commercial aviation?

I don’t know. Wait and see I guess 🙂

Second hand scuttlebutt from servicemen isn’t usually the seen as the most reliable source of information.

The USAF’s own figures are that roughly 5000 of the 7000+ personnel live off base.

It will have a major impact on the local housing market, quite apart from anything else.

Is anybody denying that?

One serviceman was living in the flat above mine, when I lived in Cambridge a few years back

“A few years back” we had US tenants, now we have a Brit.

Nobody is suggesting that all Americans are cowering on base, there are plenty around. But I will restate what I am told by US servicemen today is that there is a significant number of their colleagues who never go off base.

Now you obviously have more knowledge of this than they do. I just wonder how?

Moggy

You are wrong, you know. In fact, about two-thirds of the personnel at Mildenhall / Lakenheath currently live off base. It will have a major impact on the local housing market, quite apart from anything else. One serviceman was living in the flat above mine, when I lived in Cambridge a few years back and we often met up with a lot of his colleagues.

You’re quite incorrect. You do love your stereotypes.

Anyone who has lived (and paid any attention) near a USAF/RAF base will tell you that many ranks live off base.
In fact, I’m sure some local landlords have not taken the news of the Americans leaving well.

No I am not incorrect. I live in the area and am a landlord.

I have many US service friends gained from the excellent Filipiniana restaurant in Lakenheath and the scoffing at those who never leave the base comes from them, not me.

After 9/11 a massive building programme took place and a lot more servicemen (of both sexes) were pulled back onto the base for fear of terrorist attack

So don’t please sit at a distance and lecture me about things on which you are not current

Moggy

.A significant proportion never step off base. Worse since 9/11 in case the Suffolk wing of Al Qaeda are waiting.
Moggy

You’re quite incorrect. You do love your stereotypes.

Anyone who has lived (and paid any attention) near a USAF/RAF base will tell you that many ranks live off base. Not only higher-paid officers, but mid and high level NCOs as well. At Bentweaters, most of the married pilots lived off base. Single pilots and officers had the choice of living at MOD owned flats at Martlesham heath…in the 30s-40s-era married NCO units…or “on the economy”.
I’m sure some local landlords have not taken the news of the Americans leaving well.

Many Americans came to the UK to experience English life, thus the off-base housing market thrived. I had many UK bound members very excitingly telling me that they wanted to rent a thatched roof cottage and do their shopping at small high street shops, unaware that the UK does have Tescos and the like.

Also, the local car dealers won’t be happy. There was a good trade in supplying used cars and selling New US-spec European cars to members who would eventually take them back to the US. At Bentwaters, there was a retired service member who did a good business in new Volvos.

Of course, many young single airmen lived on base in dorms, they were there for a two year tour and didn’t want the trouble of being off base.

Also, regular locals may miss the base as well…aside from the Americans money.
Again, at Bentwaters, the domestic side of the base was open…meaning anyone could enter. UK locals of course could not shop at the BX or commissary, but there was a Burger king. It was run by the BX but took pounds as well as dollars. It would do a good business with local young people, we’d have car and motorcycle clubs in there often as well as others who would wear jeans and ball caps and enjoyed a bit of America for awhile. We’d call them “tourists” or wanna-be Americans. For them it was cheaper than a inclusive tour to Disneyworld.

And the bridges and chocolate. Don’t forget the bridges and chocolate!