Location
The U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza’s headquarters is located on Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy. Vicenza has a population of approximately 107,000 people and lies at the foot of the Dolomites in northern Italy. It is the capital of the Vicenza province in the Veneto Region. It is situated midway between Venice and Verona and is within a 3-hour drive from Florence, Milan, and Bologna. Vicenza has a temperate climate with a wide variety of outdoor activities in the nearby mountains and beaches. The Cost of living is relatively high in the Vicenza area. There are multicultural opportunities throughout the Veneto Region including festivals, museums and historical sites. Vicenza is known as the City of [Andrea] Palladio and is home to many great architectural highlights including the Villa Rotonda. The surrounding country of Vicenza is agricultural, but there are also quarries of marble, sulphur, copper, and silver mines. The city has an active and lively industrial sector, which is especially famous for jewelry and clothing factories. The Gold Exposition is world-famous and it takes place in Vicenza three times per year. Other industries are silk, pottery, and musical instruments.
Tenent Units
SETAF: The Southern European Task Force has been forward deployed in Italy since the 1950’s, and remains an integral part of U.S. Army Europe. Recent combined exercises and deployments in several countries include Georgia, Afghanistan, Liberia, Morocco, Tunisia, Romania, Bulgaria. Botswana and Uganda. From June through November 2007, SETAF Soldiers deployed to Romania and Bulgaria as a part of Joint Task Force-East. JTF East is an on-going United States European command initiative to strengthen relationships between the United States and Eastern European allies.
In July 2008, SETAF provided command and control for Exercise Immediate Response in the Republic of Georgia. IR08 provided U.S. European Command another opportunity to develop a partnership with our allies. SETAF went through major changes in the fall of 2008. In August 2008, SETAF conducted its final airborne operation and, shortly after, SETAF Soldiers replaced their maroon berets with black ones and replaced their airborne tabs with historic SETAF scrolls.
SETAF Today: In early December 2008, the U.S. Ambassador to Italy and the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs announced in Rome that SETAF officially assumed duties as the Army component headquarters for U.S. Africa Command. As the Army Component to United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM), U.S. Army Africa, in concert with national and international partners, conducts sustained security engagement with African land forces to promote peace, stability, and security in Africa. As directed, deploy as a contingency headquarters in support of crisis response. ‘A Team Like No Other…’ U.S. Army Africa is America’s premier Army organization dedicated to achieving positive change in Africa. For more information, go to the SETAF homepage.
173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team: The 173d Airborne Brigade was reactivated on 12 June 2000 on Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, where it serves as European Command’s only conventional airborne strategic response force for the European Theater.
On March 26, 2003, the 173d added to its distinguished history by making the largest mass combat jump since WWII when the brigade’s Soldiers landed in the Bashur Drop zone, effectively opening a northern front in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The actions of the brigade caused the Iraqi defenses to commit forces to the area making it safer for swift progress to Baghdad by other U.S. forces. Nine Sky Soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Today’s Sky Soldiers continue the distinction of honored service earned through service dating back to World War I, and proudly represent the airborne fighting spirit with routine deployments. In February 2005, both SETAF and the 173rd airborne Brigade were called upon to do their part in the global war on terror, deploying to Afghanistan, as part of the Combined Joint Task Force-76. The U.S. Army’s transformation saw the 173rd Brigade change into an Airborne Brigade combat Team in 2006.
The 173rd ABCT, with its headquarters and two battalions from Vicenza and four battalions in Germany, deployed in May 2007, again to Afghanistan, in support of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. The brigade redeployed in the summer of 2008 and again in late 2009. For more information go to the 173rd ABCT website.
14th Transportation Battalion: The 14th Transportation Battalion was constituted 9 April 1943 in the Army of the United States as the 517th Port Battalion, Transportation Corps. Activated 4 June 1943 at Shirehampton, England (companies A, B, C, and D, 517th Port Battalion redesignated 24 May 1944 as the 797th, 798th, 799th, and 800th Port Companies, Transportation Corps- hereafter separate lineages). Inactivated 25 June 1946 in Belgium. Redesignated 29 September 1948 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 14th Transportation Port Battalion and allotted to the Regular Army. Activated 13 October 1948 at Camp Stoneman, California. Redesignated 24 July 1950 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 14th Transportation Port Battalion. Inactivated 25 June 1955 in Japan. Redesignated 9 May 1956 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 14th Transportation Battalion. Activated 25 May 1956 at Fort Story, Virginia. Inactivated 28 March 1963 at Fort Story, Virginia. Redesignated 29 July 1963 as Headquarters and Depot Supply Company, 14th Aircraft Depot Battalion. Activated 11 August 1963 at Atlanta Army Depot, Georgia. Reorganized and redesignated 29 June 1965 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 14th Transportation Battalion. Inactivated 30 April 1972 at Oakland, California. Activated 16 October 1988 as the 14th Transportation Battalion (MC) at Vicenza, Italy. Deployed January 2003 to Turkey in support of OIF1. Deployed March 2005 to Afghanistan in support of OEF. Deployed June 2007 to Kuwait in support of OIF7.
Detachment E, 106th Finance Management Company (FMCo): Their mission is to provide the best available finance support to Units, Soldiers, Civilians, and Family Members throughout our area of responsibility including, Disbursing, Travel Pay, Military Pay, Local National Pay, Accounting, and Commercial Vendor Services.
509th Signal Battalion: The 509th Signal Battalion mission is to plan, direct and supervise strategic and sustaining base command, control, communications and computers (C4) for Southern European Task Force (SETAF), EUCOM and NATO headquarters and forces located in nine separate facilities throughout central and northern Italy. To provide strategic, tactical, and sustaining base services and C4 planning for the War Fighters, DOD, SETAF (Southern European Task Force), Federal Agencies, and NATO located throughout Italy. To serve as the SETAF G6 staff for war and contingency operational planning; and to, on order, deploy as JTF J6 staff for combat or contingency operations.
History
The U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza was constituted May 1936 as the 22nd Quartermaster Regiment and redesignated in April 1942 as the 22nd Quartermaster Truck Regiment. It participated in three campaigns in Italy during World War II, beginning in 1943 earning the Army’s Meritorious Unit Commendation. The 22nd Quartermaster was inactivated in October 1945. The unit reactivated as the 22nd Area Support Group in Italy in October 1985. As part of the Army’s Standard Garrison Organization, on October 2005, all Area Support Groups in Europe were re-designated as U.S. Army Garrisons. At this time, the 22nd ASG became the U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza.
Mission
The USAG Vicenza’s mission is to provide base support operations and installation management services for our Soldiers, civilians, and family members by continued enhancement of family support services, dedication to mission readiness, and the enrichment of overall cultural understanding. USAG Vicenza conducts deployment operations in support of tenant units and onward movement of forward deployed units passing through Italy. The garrison conducts law enforcement and force protection operations and provides direct support and general support maintenance and supply support.
Population Served
The Vicenza Military Community is comprised of Soldiers, a limited number of service members from other branches, civilian employees (including Italian nationals), retirees and family members. There will be many retired veteran attending this event looking for things to do to pass the time. Many are even considering to continue their education with the help from an educational assistance for military personnel.
Base Transportation
The USAG Vicenza Mass Transit provides a shuttle service Monday through Friday to personnel on official business to and from the Torri di Quartesolo and Lerino Warehouse complexes and Caserma Ederle, as well as service to and from Caserma Ederle and the Villaggio Housing Area. Caserma Ederle is a relatively small post and all offices and buildings can easily be reached on foot.
Sponsorship
Request a sponsor as soon as you receive your orders for Italy by contacting your gaining unit S1; locate them on the SETAF or USAG Vicenza web sites. As Vicenza does not have an airport capable of receiving PCS soldiers, Venice (Marco Polo Airport) is the primary port of entry that should be used when coordinating commercial flights.
To request a mail box in advance, contact the Community Mail Room (CMR) and send a copy of your PCS orders. In your request, you must include a valid email address for yourself or your stateside mailing address in order for the CMR to be able to contact you.. The request also may be made by faxing your orders to the CMR at 011 39 0444 71 8547, DSN 314-634-8547. Be sure to include your email or mailing address in the fax. Requests should be made at least 60 days prior to reporting. Your sponsor also may provide your orders and address to the CMR for you. To contact the CMR by telephone with questions or for information, call 011 39 0444 71 7032 or DSN 314-634-7032.
You must report to the Central Processing Facility (CPF) immediately if arrival is during duty hours. If you arrive after duty hours, report to the CPF on the first duty day after your arrival. CPF telephone numbers are 011 39 0444 71 6996, 011 39 0444 71 6741 or 011 39 0444 71 8706. Outside duty hours, report to the USAG Vicenza Staff Duty Officer, telephone 011 39 0444 71 7867 or 011 39 0444 71 6230.
Temporary Quarters
The Ederle Inn provides lodging to authorized soldiers, DoD Civilians and family members. Call 011 39 0444 71 8034, DSN 314-634-8034 for information and reservations. PCS reservations are accepted up to 60 days in advance of arrival. If no rooms are available, the staff will provide a listing of local hotels. There are a limited number of Pet-friendly rooms and they are subject to availability on arrival. Service alert animals are allowed wherever they are needed by patrons, and there are no pet or cleaning fees charged to patrons for service alert animals.
Relocation Assistance
The Relocation Readiness Program (RRP) provides personal relocation counseling, general installation information, welcome packets, pre-move destination information, orientation briefings, sponsorship training and the temporary loan of basic household items. Note that bed linens, pillows, towels and blankets are not provided, so plan to pack them or ship them to save expenses. Small electrical appliances like toasters,irons and coffee pots are also available but larger appliances like microwave ovens are not available for loan. The RRP Manager can be contacted by calling 011-39-0444-71-8525, DSN 314-634-8525.
Critical Installation Information
Telephone Access
TO CALL:
NUMBER
USAG Vicenza (Caserma Ederle) from the United States
011 39 0444 71 XXXX
USAG Vicenza (Caserma Ederle) DSN from the United States
314-634-XXXX
USAG Vicenza (Caserma Ederle) from off post in the city of Vicenza or other Italian towns
0444 71 XXXX
The city of Vicenza (off post) from the United States
011 39 0444 XXXXXX
Passport and Visa Requirements
Each of your family members and civilians must have an Italian visa attached to their official passport before coming to Italy! The ‘Missione’ visa is issued by Italian Consulates outside of Italy only and under no circumstances will be issued in Italy. This requirement is mandatory – without it, your family members may not remain legally in Italy for more than 90 days and may have to return to your home of record at your own expense. See topic Check-in Procedures, section Command Sponsorship, for more information.
POV Insurance
Request an insurance estimate BEFORE shipping your car to Italy. Insurance in Italy can run up to 20% more than the same coverage stateside! GEICO (1 800-248-4998) and USAA (1 800-531-8111) provide free estimates and are available in Italy.
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
Assignment to Northern Italy of individuals diagnosed with severe Asthma/Reactive Airway Disease, mental health, or other health issues may be prohibited. Each issue is considered after medical review. Consult your installation EFM Program for guidance and/or the Vicenza EFMP Manager by calling 011 39 0444 71 8582 or DSN 314-634-8582.
Weapons
It is forbidden to bring firearms, explosives or ammunition into Italy.
Child and Youth Services (CYS) Waiting Lists
Waiting lists for CYS programs are in effect frequently. It is imperative that persons requiring full time child care, especially for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, contact CYSS Parent Central Services to obtain information regarding waiting list procedures and the registration process.
Cost Of Living
Living costs in Italy are comparable to those in major metropolitan areas in the United States. Moving costs are dependent on the type of housing assigned. Additional moving fees may be incurred when leasing privately. Army Emergency Relief (AER) provides financial assistance to eligible soldiers and dependents if a bona fide, unforeseen emergency arises. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Overseas Program, providing supplemental food and nutrition education, is available for eligible personnel.
Electrical Current
Do not ship American major appliances, as they do not work correctly with Italian 220 Volt current. The Housing Division provides major appliances for you to use during your tour. Either 220 Volt or automatic dual voltage 110/240 Volt appliances/electronics work best. 110 Volt items require transformers, which may be purchased at the PX.
Pets
Certain aggressive dog breeds and exotic pets are prohibited from entering Italy or may require a special permit. Contact your installation Veterinary Clinic or Italian Embassy in your area for guidance. Service alert animals and pets are welcome on the LOCAL train from Vicenza to Venice; in Venice on gondolas; in the ruins of Pompey; and in the grand Teatro Olimpico theater in Naples (as long as you carry them in your arms). Service animals and pets are NOT allowed in the 3 major enclosed sites in Rome, including the Colosseum ticket package.