Courtesy Photo | Col. Patrick Hofmann, U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Benelux commander, in partnership with...... read more read more
SHAPE, Belgium – Col. Patrick Hofmann, U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Benelux commander, in partnership with Col. Andrew Croy, SHAPE Base Support Group (BSG) commander and Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Bodine, U.S. National Military Representative (NMR) office senior enlisted leader hosted a community Town Hall on June 11, 2025, at the SHAPE Club, SHAPE, Belgium.
Representatives from housing, human resources, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR), AAFES, DECA, the Dental Clinic for SHAPE and Brussels and Andrews Federal Credit Union were present to answer any questions and address concerns from the community.
Hofmann thanked the BSG and SHAPE Club for hosting and emphasized the importance of providing updates on community projects and improvement.
June is National Safety Month; Hofmann encouraged all personnel to take safety precautions this summer and to have a good time, safely. For those attending the Doudou Festival this year, in Mons, taking the train is recommended to avoid the traffic downtown.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) season has arrived; there have been improvements to the in-processing process to smooth the transition for incoming personnel. Constant improvement is important, and community members are encouraged to submit feedback through USAG Benelux social media pages, the website or through ICE comments if there are recommendations for change.
USAG Benelux launched the 250 hours to 250 years campaign leading up to the Army birthday. Families are encouraged to participate in events and Active-Duty members can take advantage of the 17.75% discounts at the Bene Brew, Auto Skills Center and the Kennel on Chièvres Air Base. There are also workouts of the day every day at the fitness centers honoring five heroes from the Revolutionary War through today. The final events on Friday, June 13, 2025, will be a family-friendly bunker ruck and a cake cutting ceremony.
The U.S. Army is still under a hiring freeze which impacts hiring for the post offices on SHAPE and Chièvres Air Base. This summer, both locations are losing people without replacements inbound. In order to perform more efficiently, available services will be condensed into morning or afternoon shifts for the next few months. To help with these changes, SHAPE and Chièvres will have 24-hour lockers for package pick-up after hours. The lockers will be operational by the end of June.
Hofmann invited Stacy Perez, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) director to speak to the community about upcoming events.
There will be an Independence Day celebration on July 4, 2025, on SHAPE with eight food trucks, rides, live entertainment, garden areas and a kid’s land hosted by CYS.
The Muddy Pup Dog Wash is happening on June 17, 2025, only 75 cents for a pup cup and dog wash.
MWR is hiring! Visit USAJobs to apply for vacancies.
Croy provided information on recent updates, future updates and final thoughts before he changes command later this month.
SHAPE hosted a 24-hour run and community event to raise money for kids facing challenging health issues. The year 2025 marked 20 years of this event on SHAPE. Historically the community raises around 40,000 euros. However, last year the community broke the record, raising 75,000 euros. Croy expects the number to be 10 percent more than that this year. Croy emphasized the impact the community has when it comes together as an Alliance.
Ten more picnic tables have been installed in the greenspaces on SHAPE and a 24-hour digital store, which can be accessed by anyone with a SHAPE ID was installed in building 102 (headquarters) as well as an ATM.
This year a 24-hour bike gate was installed at Ottawa Gate; another one will be installed at Luxembourg Gate by September.
Construction started at the SHAPE Club for a new B3s and is anticipated to open in October. There will be outdoor spaces, food and more beverage options.
New fuel cards are expected to be distributed this summer. The plan is to provide each vehicle with a fuel card that can be reloaded online.
Upgrades to the dog park have been made with more coming soon. Gravel was placed to reduce the level of mud, and the scouts are creating identifiable signs for more visibility by the community.
The soft opening for the Community Center on SHAPE is June 17, 2025. Countries and organizations can reserve it for a fee on nights and weekends. During the day it will be open and staffed for the community to have a place for gatherings. The location is between the Rendezvous and Valencia Flower Shop in the 504 area.
Croy closed his updates by reflecting on his time at SHAPE. Croy said working at SHAPE has been an opportunity of a lifetime, and a unique but worthwhile experience. The people on SHAPE are phenomenal and with our collective effort, anything is possible. His change of command will take place on June 27, 2025.
Sarah Vincent from the Commissary on Chièvres Air Base provided an update on special orders. Special orders can be placed online 48-hours in advance for small orders and seven days in advance for bulk or large orders. You can find the order form on the Commissary website and email it to the store. The Commissary has also been impacted by the hiring freeze and experiencing shortages in the Deli. To offset this, they are preparing sandwiches in advance for purchase.
Hofmann closed by thanking Croy for everything he has done for USAG Benelux and SHAPE over the past two years. Happy 250 birthday U.S. Army!
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2025 10:10 |
| Story ID: | 500313 |
| Location: | MONS, HAINAUT (WAL), BE |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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