Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. James M. Smith, Acting Commanding General of Installation Management Command...... read more read more
Maj. Gen. James M. Smith, acting commanding general of U.S. Army Installation Management Command, and Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Perry, the incoming IMCOM command sergeant major, visited multiple U.S. Army locations in Europe from July 26 to Aug. 2.
During their tour of U.S. Army Garrisons Benelux, Italy, Rheinland-Pfalz, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden, the IMCOM leaders recognized and thanked IMCOM and garrison Soldiers and professionals and acknowledged that people are the No. 1 priority and that investing in cohesive teams is essential for mission accomplishment.
USAG Wiesbaden
Smith and Perry visited USAG Wiesbaden on July 28 to meet with Garrison Commander Col. Troy Danderson and other members of the community and personally thank the IMCOM workforce.
As part of the tour, Smith participated in the official launch of the Wiesbaden Army Lodge’s Enhanced Breakfast Program. Wiesbaden was selected as the pilot location for the program, which now offers a wider variety of hot breakfast options to guests.
During the visit, Smith was joined by Danderson and other garrison leaders to review several ongoing construction and improvement projects.
The visit provided IMCOM leadership with valuable insights into the unique functions and challenges of overseas installations, as well as the needs of the USAG Wiesbaden community.
USAG Benelux
Smith visited USAG Benelux on July 28-29 along with Perry, Executive Officer Col. Reid Furman, and Aide-de-Camp Maj. Gabriel Montoya.
Smith interacted with the Benelux garrison team through office calls, a town hall and a base tour.
“Maj. Gen. Smith asked many well-received, in-depth questions to gain a great understanding of topics across every function of the garrison,” said USAG Benelux Garrison Commander Col. Patrick Hofmann.
“His approach was professional, personal and inquisitive.”
Hoffman said the local team appreciated sharing the IMCOM perspective on topics such as military spouse employment and the future of APS sites.
USAG Rheinland-Pfalz
Smith visited multiple USAG Rheinland-Pfalz locations July 30, including the Vehicle Registration Office on Sembach Kaserne to express appreciation for their ongoing support to the community and the operations at Kapaun Vehicle Registration Office in Kaiserslautern.
Smith also attended 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s change of command ceremony, his former command, witnessing Maj. Gen. Ronald R. Ragin relinquish command to Maj. Gen. Michael B. Lalor on Sembach Kaserne.
While on Baumholder’s Wetzel Kaserne, Smith was briefed on current Army Family housing projects and toured construction of the new Department of Defense Education Activity Europe school opening in 2027.
He visited Baumholder’s newly constructed community mail room on Smith Barracks, which features 24/7 digital locker access, and reviewed construction progress at the Lagerhof Inn Lodge.
Smith presented Garrison Commander Col. Jeffery Higgins with a plaque recognizing USAG Rheinland-Pfalz as IMCOM’s best U.S. Army Garrison in Europe and the fourth best worldwide.
“I’m no stranger to the amazing work this garrison pours into the community,” Smith said. “I made a point to be here to present this award in person because I am so tremendously proud of what this team does every day for the mission.”
USAG Stuttgart
The July 30-31 visit included a command brief with USAG Stuttgart leadership and a windshield tour of Patch Barracks and Kelley Barracks.
The visit focused on the condition of enlisted and officer housing, with emphasis on recently completed improvements to housing facilities.
Smith participated in a Director’s Lunch with USAG Stuttgart leadership. This provided a valuable opportunity for open discussion and a question-and-answer session regarding current issues, future plans, and strategic alignment with IMCOM objectives.
USAG Italy
On Aug. 1, Smith visited USAG Italy to recognize employees and assess garrison support to the Southern European Task Force and the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
The visit included a command briefing and an overview of deployment operations, followed by facility tours at Caserma Del Din and Caserma Ederle. Smith met with leaders and engaged employees — many of them Italian civilians — at the postal service center and fire department.
He toured housing construction sites at Villaggio and Ederle, including a mock-up apartment representing one of 50 new Family units scheduled to open in 2026.
During lunch at the Arena, Smith led an employee recognition ceremony. His itinerary also included visits to the Child Development Center, Combined Services Center, and a brief tour of Vicenza, with a stop at the Monte Berico lookout.
“It’s a great opportunity for our garrison team to show a senior leader firsthand how we support Soldiers and Families,” said Col. Vaughn Strong, commander of USAG Italy. “These visits highlight the hard work and dedication of our garrison staff, and we’re grateful to Maj. Gen. Smith for taking the time to visit.”
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.13.2025 14:26 |
| Story ID: | 545504 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
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