Reply With QuoteYep, Diest was the nicest "Kazerne" ever, too bad. But imo the huge flipover is better for Defensie itself.
The closure of 1 Para is a real shame, even for a Dutch.Originally Posted by TheBelgian
![PathFindeR[BE]'s Avatar](image.php?s=0037799997c388699d90fda625c9d459&u=59488&dateline=1294767963 "PathFindeR[BE]'s Avatar")
Yep, Diest was the nicest "Kazerne" ever, too bad. But imo the huge flipover is better for Defensie itself.
Whaaaaaat????
Do have any official links? I canīt belive it. Really? Itīs a shame.
Only 2nd CDO and 3rd PARA will still stay? Who will take over the SAS tradition? The SFG?
Who cares if they shut down one battalion... There is no point in having three half full battalions. It will be more cost effective and so on to have two battalions left.
Sure the history behind the regiment could be safe guarded but they shouldnt do this if it makes the unit suffer. Its a great decission.
About the SFG? They have nothing to do with this, they are stationed in Flawinne anyway...
Not any more, SFG is moving to Heverlee. Also they are gaining 50% in personnel, which is pretty great.
All the info is on www.paracommando.com , but in Dutch and French.
News about 1Para Translated
I have copeid and translated 2 articles about 1 Para using Google (so sorry about the crappy english). and say abit about whats going on, both are from the Paracommando link in the above post
Restructuring: what about our Para's?
The newspapers are full of it, by the end of 2011, more than 20 stations shut down. Despite the election promises of Pieter De Crem (revaluation of the Para-Commando Brigade), are also among the victims Para's.
The parent unit of the Belgian Paratroopers, Lieutenant Limbosch the Quarter since 1953 located in the Citadel Diest, must shut down in June 2011. The soldiers of 1 Para will be split. The Dutch go to 3 Para Tielen, 2 Commando to the francophones to Flawinne. Whether the move of 1 Para also the loss of the name means is still unclear. This keeps the name Para '1 'would exist in 3 Para and / or 2 Cdo. This would reportedly in a final decision by mid-November fall.
For the men of the Special Forces Group (SFG) is there a waiting move. They leave their current home for Heverlee Flawinne. On top of the move is a sharp increase in the number of troops. The unit would have a couple of years about 50% more people to count. A circular letter to all Corps Commanders shall also plans Tielen and Marche-les-Dames. Tielen is "Part of the practice range NORTHERN" specify, Marche-les-Dames' Domain NORTH. Which domain with the latter meant exactly, is unclear.
Finally, the Para-Commando units within the Land Component merged into one "light brigade". To date, the Para's more or less an autonomous entity. Either within a brigade, regiment or IRC (Immediate Reaction Capability) structure. That would ever change that decision. Non-para units will indeed be part of this 'light brigade'.
Confirmed: Para 1, the doors close
The 1st Para De Crem is shut down. De Standaard reported that. The men of the Citadel Diest will be distributed over the quarters of Tielen (3 Para) and Flawinne (Command 2).
In total, more than one quarter of the barracks by the end of 2011 the doors close. It's in the restructuring plan by Defence Minister Pieter De Crem (CD & V). Several units that still not even half of the occupation becomes, are merged, so they get an occupancy of 100 percent, says De Crem.
The land component is immediately completely reorganized into a structure with two large brigades, a "light" and a "median". The "light" brigade will consist of two commando battalions (in Flawinne and Tielen), light infantry and Special Forces. The numbers of the latter increases also by 50 percent.
The second, 'median' brigade will mainly consist of four battalions, stationed in Leopoldsburg and Marche-en-Famenne. They will be equipped with AIV's (Armoured Infantry Vehicle) and MPPV's (Multipurpose Protected Vehicle).
Cool, they were allready stationed at Heverlee back in their Lurp days.
I live real close to the base. Time to get a decent camera.
Any idea if the current inhabitants (Transport unit) will stay?
No they wont, they will probably move to Leopoldsburg als part of the Logistic Unit there. In Heverlee will be stationed: SFG, ISTAR-Group (1JP/G and 2/4ChCh), IVS and some smaller units (Basicly all Reconnaissance and Intelligence Units)
Grtz
To be honest, I dont how the SFG likes this move. I live near that army base myself.
They have a paco and LRRP pressence history but there is little training areas close by and the military domain is tiny, unlike in Flawinne and the surronding areas.
If they are going to push the recrutes I hope they wont make the quality suffer.
It used to be a rough 5-10 percent of paracommandos that made it true sfg selection.
Apparently they're also shutting down 2/4L ? Integrating them into "median battalion" with the infantry battalions...
Good move... although I was still hoping that one day the Leopards would be replaced...
I think you guys should get the lancers something like AMX10RC on the cheap from the French
would fit wel in the medium brigade and it would give you a decent anti tank gun
Yep 2/4L is shutting down, but it's for the greater cause. And now we are probably getting other missions beside Kosovo. And for us (A-esk, which is very infantry minded) the decision to put us in an infantry battalion is very nice.
My guess is my platoon is going to Bevr/5L because in march we are starting as one of the first with the AIV 30mm course. So if we complete that course we are probably going to be fitted in to the Bevr/5L compagnie who are currently training on AIV.
my 2 cents
Moving to Heverlee is probably better to attract new people since its more in the center of the country (in Flanders but very close to Brussels and Wallonia) but I agree that Flawinne is probably much better located for training.
If location is your motivation to get in the SFG you are doing it all wrong.
In an ideal world it would be but in reality location does play an important role in the decision making process, especially in Belgium. How many West-Flemisch soldiers are in the army? How many will be after the next round of reforms. Ofcourse special forces schoud be different and maybe they are but not their friends and family. Anyway it is not because their official location is there that they have to spend most of their time at that place.
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