Photo – Airfield Erbenheim @2024 Volker Watschounek
Rainer Kreer uncovers abuses in the US Army
A
non-fiction
book
about
the
US
Army
in
Germany
is
causing
a
stir.
The
author,
Rainer
Kreer,
long-time
deputy
director
in
the
Directorate
of
Public
Works
in
Wiesbaden,
criticizes
the
increasingly
arrogant
behavior of some Americans.
Volker Watschounek
The
more
emphasis
is
placed
on
hierarchies,
the
worse
it
can
be
for
the
working
atmosphere.
Especially when the boss becomes a problem. Rainer Kreer has felt this.
Visiting
the
American
airbase
in
Wiesbaden-Erbenheim.
Guests
are
always
welcome
and
a
lot
of
effort
is
made.
But
behind
the
facade
there
is
a
lot
of
rumbling.
A
recently
published
non-fiction
book
looks
behind
the
scenes
and
stirs
up
the
US
Army
in
Germany.
It
is
based
on
the
story
of
Rainer
Kreer,
who
was
himself
employed
as
deputy
director
in
the
Directorate
of
Public
Works
in
Wiesbaden
from
1997
to
2024.
What happened there?
Kreer
is
a
process
engineer
specialized
in
energy
and
supply,
a
father
of
three
children
and
married
for
the
second
time.
Three
days
a
week
he
cares
for
and
supports
his
almost
90-year-old
mother.
He
would
have
liked
to
work
a
little
beyond
the
official
retirement
age
(May
1,
2024),
especially
in
times
of
a
shortage
of
skilled
workers.
After
all,
several
of
his
colleagues
were
granted
the
right
to
do
so,
even
after
several
extensions.
Kreer's
company
merits
should
have
made
this
possible.
Kreer
fondly
remembers:
For
decades,
the
US
Army
presented
itself
as
an
excellent
employer.
It
was
always
actively
striving
to
create
a
good
working
atmosphere
and
to
integrate
German
employees
well.
Kreer
today:
That
was
once
upon a time!
Bullying and intrigue
As
a
result
of
Trumpization
(Make
America
great
again!),
arrogant
behavior
has
become
established
among
some
Americans,
according
to
the
former
deputy
director.
As
a
result,
German
employees
will
be
demoted
to
second-class
employees.
Kreer
fears
that
this
development
will
continue
or
intensify
-
especially
if
Donald
Trump
is
re-elected.
Despite
his
recognized
good
performance,
he
himself
was
bullied
out
of
the
company
by
his
last
(as
of
2020)
American
superior.
The
bully
was
inexplicably
permanently
protected
by
the
garrison
commander
and
his
deputies.
The
background
to
Kreer's
disappearance was largely kept secret from his colleagues.
Widespread approval
Kreer
feels
his
reputation
has
been
damaged
and
sought
justice.
He
therefore
wrote
a
book
based
on
the
evidence
he
had
collected.
At
the
end
of
April
2024,
he
sent
it
electronically,
by
email,
to
several
hundred
addresses
within
the
Wiesbaden
garrison
and
the
US
Army.
This
led
to
a
corresponding
uproar.
The
bully's
supporters
(pseudonyms:
party
animal,
Cersei
and
court
jester)
felt
offended.
But
Kreer
received
a
lot
of
approval
for
his
action
from
work
colleagues,
who
described
this
step
as
very
brave
and
long overdue.
Something got rolling
Employees
from
other
garrisons
in
Germany,
such
as
Kaiserslautern,
Grafenwöhr
and
Ansbach,
and
even
American
employees
from
Wiesbaden
(Willy
and
Pauly),
suddenly
gave
feedback
that
matches
Kreer's
experiences.
The
chairman
of
the
works
council
at
one
location
wrote:
I
can
already
say
that
it
triggered
cosmic
eruptions.
A
colleague:
You
definitely
got
something
rolling
and
I
noticed
back
then
that
you
wanted
to
lead
the
DPW
in
a
really
good
direction.
What
I
found
so
terrible
is
that
you
were
simply
gone from one day to the next and nobody knew why.
The
book
does
not
reveal
any
trade
secrets
of
the
US
Army
and
does
not
name
any
people,
apart
from
that of the author. Nevertheless, the antagonists of insiders are recognizable. That has an impact.
Must not fizzle out
Although
it
tells
the
story
in
a
factual,
exciting
and
spicy
way,
although
like
a
cliffhanger,
Kreer
hopes
that
the
unusual
action
could
bring
about
a
positive
change
within
the
US
Army
in
the
long
term.
If
Trump
is
re-elected,
however,
the
desired
effect
would
fizzle
out,
which
is
why
he
is
counting
on
the
support
of
the
media.
The self-published book has been available in German and English in bookstores since April 2024.
Note: Reactions and comments are collected in excerpts on www.sub-com.de.
Photo - American Airbase Erbenheim Airport @2024 Volker Watschounek
Photo – Airfield Erbenheim @2024 Volker Watschounek
Rainer Kreer uncovers
abuses in the US Army
A non-fiction book about the US Army in
Germany is causing a stir. The author,
Rainer Kreer, long-time deputy director in
the Directorate of Public Works in
Wiesbaden, criticizes the increasingly
arrogant behavior of some Americans.
Volker Watschounek
The more emphasis is placed on
hierarchies, the worse it can be for the
working atmosphere. Especially when
the boss becomes a problem. Rainer
Kreer has felt this.
Visiting the American airbase in
Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. Guests are always
welcome and a lot of effort is made. But
behind the facade there is a lot of rumbling.
A recently published non-fiction book looks
behind the scenes and stirs up the US
Army in Germany. It is based on the story
of Rainer Kreer, who was himself employed
as deputy director in the Directorate of
Public Works in Wiesbaden from 1997 to
2024.
What happened there?
Kreer is a process engineer specialized in
energy and supply, a father of three
children and married for the second time.
Three days a week he cares for and
supports his almost 90-year-old mother. He
would have liked to work a little beyond the
official retirement age (May 1, 2024),
especially in times of a shortage of skilled
workers. After all, several of his colleagues
were granted the right to do so, even after
several extensions. Kreer's company merits
should have made this possible. Kreer
fondly remembers: For decades, the US
Army presented itself as an excellent
employer. It was always actively striving to
create a good working atmosphere and to
integrate German employees well. Kreer
today: That was once upon a time!
Bullying and intrigue
As a result of Trumpization (Make America
great again!), arrogant behavior has
become established among some
Americans, according to the former deputy
director. As a result, German employees
will be demoted to second-class
employees. Kreer fears that this
development will continue or intensify -
especially if Donald Trump is re-elected.
Despite his recognized good performance,
he himself was bullied out of the company
by his last (as of 2020) American superior.
The bully was inexplicably permanently
protected by the garrison commander and
his deputies. The background to Kreer's
disappearance was largely kept secret from
his colleagues.
Widespread approval
Kreer feels his reputation has been
damaged and sought justice. He therefore
wrote a book based on the evidence he
had collected. At the end of April 2024, he
sent it electronically, by email, to several
hundred addresses within the Wiesbaden
garrison and the US Army. This led to a
corresponding uproar. The bully's
supporters (pseudonyms: party animal,
Cersei and court jester) felt offended. But
Kreer received a lot of approval for his
action from work colleagues, who
described this step as very brave and long
overdue.
Something got rolling
Employees from other garrisons in
Germany, such as Kaiserslautern,
Grafenwöhr and Ansbach, and even
American employees from Wiesbaden
(Willy and Pauly), suddenly gave feedback
that matches Kreer's experiences. The
chairman of the works council at one
location wrote: I can already say that it
triggered cosmic eruptions. A colleague:
You definitely got something rolling and I
noticed back then that you wanted to lead
the DPW in a really good direction. What I
found so terrible is that you were simply
gone from one day to the next and nobody
knew why.
The book does not reveal any trade secrets
of the US Army and does not name any
people, apart from that of the author.
Nevertheless, the antagonists of insiders
are recognizable. That has an impact.
Must not fizzle out
Although it tells the story in a factual,
exciting and spicy way, although like a
cliffhanger, Kreer hopes that the unusual
action could bring about a positive change
within the US Army in the long term. If
Trump is re-elected, however, the desired
effect would fizzle out, which is why he is
counting on the support of the media.
The self-published book has been available
in German and English in bookstores since
April 2024.
Note: Reactions and comments are
collected in excerpts on www.sub-com.de.
Photo - American Airbase Erbenheim
Airport @2024 Volker Watschounek
