SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Before Bitburg Air Base became part of the 52nd Fighter Wing, it was home to its own wing and a flurry of activity essential to the U.S. Air Force and NATO missions. Bitburg AB was home to the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was deactivated as the 36th Fighter Wing in 1994.
Former 36th TFW commander, retired Maj. Gen. Peter Robinson, visited here May 5 and shared his thoughts on his past experiences, fond memories and current impression of the 52nd FW, which now encompasses Bitburg Annex. General Robinson was the vice commander at Bitburg Air Base from 1983-1985 and then served as the wing commander from 1985-1987. He retired in 1995.
Q: What brings you to Spangdahlem Air Base?
A: I was invited back by our former community relation advisor of Bitburg.
I was the commander of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg 25 years ago when President Reagan and Chancellor Kohl made a fairly historic visit to the base, but mainly to the German military cemetery in the town of Bitburg and President Reagan laid a wreath at that cemetery. I was invited back because they (had) a remembrance ceremony of that visit 25 years ago.
Q: What is it like to come back and visit? Have you noticed any changes?
A: Well, of course there are changes. I've been retired from the Air Force for 15 years, but when we were here 25 years ago, Germany was a divided country. The Soviet Union was our primary focus as far as an adversarial concern. Now all of those countries of the Warsaw Pact, most of them are in NATO or the European Union so they are our friends and allies. So that is a huge change from a political standpoint.
Obviously there are always changes in the base. Bitburg is closed and the facilities there are either being reused or they are vacant. Spangdahlem has grown a tremendous amount and has taken on new missions. So the changes that have happened over those 25 years are very impressive and it's excellent that we have such outstanding leadership to be able to handle those changes.
Q: Do you have any fond memories as the commander?
A: I have a lot of fond memories as the commander of Bitburg. We had a very good relationship with the community of Bitburg and with the brewery in the town. For those who know the area, the brewery is a very important part of the Bitburg environment. But the most telling memory, of course, is the visit of the president and Chancellor Kohl and everything that went around that. There was tremendous controversy at the time on whether the president should be visiting and doing those things in Germany. But it really was an historic event and had major implications.
Q: What are you doing now?
A: I'm retired and living in Albuquerque, N.M. It's a wonderful area and I'm mainly involved in volunteer events. When I was in the Air Force, I got the travel bug and we still travel quite a bit. It's great to be back here in Europe.
For more information about General Robinson, read his biography at http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6940.