DÜLMEN, Germany - United States Army Garrison Benelux (USAG) in Dülmen Tower Barracks forged a partnership with NATO 1 German-Netherlands Corps (1GNC) with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Agreement for housing office support Jan. 8, 2025, in Münster, Germany. USAG Benelux Commander Col. Patrick Hofmann and 1GNC Commander Lt. Gen. Nico Tak formalized the agreement in order to make transitions smoother for U.S. military and DoD civilians stationed in Dülmen.

Finding housing is a top priority for any individual or Family arriving at their new duty station. In the past for those coming to Dülmen Tower Barracks in Germany, searching has been difficult, but the new agreement will help to secure housing more rapidly as the robust community office at the NATO 1GNC site is now offering its resources.

"Incoming personnel had to stay in hotels for months and [the new support] has reduced the time to find a house," said Logan Rappuhn, Army Prepositioned Stock-2 Interim Site Manager at Dülmen Tower Barracks.

Since the opening in 2017 of the APS-2 site under the Benelux garrison, finding housing has posed a challenge. German housing options can have different amenities than those that are typical of U.S. homes. Additionally, landlords are sometimes accustomed to longer leases rather than the three- to five-year stays of U.S. personnel.

Dülmen service members and civilian employees had to tap into resources at the USAG Benelux housing office in Brunssum, the Netherlands, but the difference in country laws, the language, and the two-hour distance made effective assistance difficult.

The new process now begins with 1GNC, located less than 30 minutes away from Dülmen and in the same country. Its community office obtains and assesses the housing needs of incoming personnel in advance of their arrival. This can dramatically decrease the wait to find housing when newcomers first arrive in country. The 1GNC services offered to newcomers include a briefing of housing options, accompanying viewings of property, drafting and reviewing lease agreements, inspections, and assisting with set up of utilities.

"The additional assistance from 1GNC had an immediate impact," said Rappuhn about how quickly housing searches became successful.

Even before the agreement was signed, processes and services were already underway as 1GNC began to assist personnel with their housing needs whether entering or exiting the community.

Maj. Juan Fuentes, USAG Benelux future operations plans officer in Brunssum had made the initial phone calls to 1GNC to get the partnership rolling then subject matter experts stepped in to draft and formalize the agreement.

"Having somebody there [to support] locally is very important," said Celine Frusch, USAG Benelux housing division chief in Brunssum. "This is a huge accomplishment."

Service members and civilians can remain confident that the 1GNC will assist throughout the entire housing lifecycle of their tour in Dülmen. This includes helping with disputes, drafting and delivering housing termination notices, conducting final inspections, and cancelling utility services.

"The bottom line is this whole experience should be seamless in both the moving-in and moving-out process," said Patrician Wilkinson, USAG Benelux housing division chief at SHAPE, Belgium.

A provision offered to 1GNC for services rendered makes the situation a win for all involved, as the garrison will foot the bill for labor costs, transportation, and travel expenses associated with their personnel seeking assistance in the NATO community office.

"The benefit of partnerships is when we're not able to provide a service and another partner can, we grow as a group and as a community and are able to provide better customer service," said Wilkinson. "I hope that we continue to grow partnerships, not just in the housing arena but in other things we can provide to Dülmen."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.