Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, and belated Solstice wishes.

[Old Crank]

Thanks and well wished for all the DU family.

We had our friend and his sone over for a stress free Christmas eve dinner. Typical for Germany.
We have some reason to celebrate. It seems that our daughter will be able to stay permenately in Germany which means we are likely here for the duration also.
She has a work permit for 6 months which will alow here to clean up some data for the full permit. She will have to get here language certificate but that will be in a year or two. She is already one step below the required level. It's been 3 lyears in the making.

[bdamomma]

1. Merry Christmas,

and Happy Hanukah, to all of the DU family. May you have peace and joy on this day, and in the future!!


Congrats to your daughter and yourself in your new country!!

[Old Crank]

4. Thanks

It has been a long strange trip. This is the 4th country I have lived in.
Today we went to see the lighting of the menorah near downtown.

It is such a shame to see the required police presence for what should be an innocuous event for most people.

[underpants]

2. Good news. Merry Happy all that. ☮️

[Old Crank]

7. Yes, for everybody.

[SheltieLover]

3. Best present ever!

I'm.very happy for you & your family!

Happy Holidays

[Old Crank]

6. Thank you

We were really worried she wouldn't be able to stay. Which we would have to move at some point rather than have a bicontinental family.

[Old Crank]

5. Menorah lighted in Munich tonight.

We aren't Jewish but feel it is important to support this type of event.

[Danmel]

11. Thank you for standing with the Jewish people

It's been a perilous time.

[Old Crank]

13. I hold no grudge against individual religious people

I'm an athiest myself. I have troubles when religious people and their leaders try to push their religion onto others. As far as I can tell Jewish people seem to do less of that than many US Christians.
I do have a problem with violence against any religious person just because of their particular belief structure.

[rasputin1952]

8. There is no gift greater...

Than good news.

I was stationed in Wiesbaden back in the '70s.

[Old Crank]

9. That was Army, right?

Most people I knew were stationed in Ramstein, AF.

[rasputin1952]

14. Yes...

I was with the 4th Bde (Forward) of the 4th Div. 3/60th Armor, with two Infantry and a Support BN. We occupied Wiesbaden Air Base. I believe the AF, eventually moved in.

Our "job", was to plug any holes in the Fulda Gap, should any "hostiles" come through. Our life expectancy was about 60 seconds. There was a "plan", but how do you plan for a sacrificial lamb?

It was the 2nd time I was with the 4th, wore both patches on either shoulder. One of the best Units I ever served with. We were reviewed by Jimmy Carter. The one thing I thought they should do was add A-10's to our Base. I'm pretty sure plenty of them were in Ramstein and other places, but there is no other aircraft that was more welcome to Armor and Infantry Units.

[Old Crank]

15. Definately a mistake to replace the A-10

with f-16 or the new F-35.
Not fit for purpose. The A-10 was a killing close support machine.
The AF grudgingly supports the Army but that was part of the deal to keep planes in the AF and not in the army.

I never made it to any base in Germany. I was stationed at Nellis, las Vegas, then Iraklion Crete. Never touched an airframe in my 5 years. Nellis had them but my job was repair and calibration. Got out in 77 so teh late wife and I could go to college.

[Mosby]

10. Merry Christmas, DU.

Link to tweet

[Iggo]

12. And a Scintillating Solstice to you, as well!