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Under Secretary of War visits Ramstein, Page 3
The Road to Gold, Page 6
Defense Health Network Awards, Page 13
Training for tomorrow, Pages 16 & 17
February 27, 2026 | Volume 50, Number 8
Read the KA online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
German-American Friendship Days
A 2026 German American Friendship Days participant pushes to finish the last 25 meters of a 100-meter swim assessment at Ramstein Air Base, Feb. 23. Participants competed in a weeklong challenge to earn the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. During the challenge, members are graded on marksmanship, swimming, endurance and other physical fitness events conducted in accordance with German military standards. Photo by Senior Airman Trevor Calvert
Essen: Authentically German, off the beaten path Looking for a weekend trip with a little edge? Try Essen. Once synonymous with coal and steel, Essen has reinvented itself as a culturally savvy, green, surprisingly stylish city in the heart of Germany’s
“Midwinter Bre is the featured movie of ak” the week, Page 31
See ESSEN, Page 30 Castle Borbeck, Essen, Germany
Photo by Thomas Kammer/Shutterstock.com
by MilitaryInGermany.com