F-Body Europe

Well, Kapaun auto skills is closing it doors!

April 1st!


They say they aren't making enough money.


Jack! Come back! We need you!

That's because they let everyone work for free. That place is always packed.

Let the Armytake it over. It diesnt have to make money then.

What about exhaust work. Are they moving that somewhere else? I need something done when I get back. Jason, see if you can find out if they are moving that somewhere else? Thanks.
Jerry

See? I leave it and the place goes to $h!t....well, that and Jack isn't doing the weekly tranny and differential pull anymore either...

Interesting. Kapaun was the 3rd Auto Hobby I worked at in 3 assignments...Osan and Yokota before it. We were never expected to make money and certainly not enough to keep us open. The exhaust business is a money maker...it'll go back to Ramsten where it was about 5 years ago. Of course if the alignment rack should too. Services just dumped a buttload of money into that godawful hazmat building too

But something tells me its not only about making money, it's also about spending it. Kapaun brought in tens of thousands only a few weeks ago...if that's not making money, I must not know what it is then. EveBut we'd always outdone Ramstein and Sembach in terms of take...we had more personable people, a lot of good (and better) customers, the only non-op lot in K-town, the only alignment rack, and the exhaust work. Services just doesn't want to put any money into a place that isn't their "crown jewel" (unless its required i.e hazmat building). Ramstein always had better tools, more employees, but half the business and a crappier (sp?) facility...but they're at Ramstein. Kapaun has welding and alignment capabilities and Services can't justify buying the equipment and hiring the people to establish them at Ramstein...but that jewel would look sooo much better if it had them. So, let's steal them from Kapaun.
I'm also thinking that if the last manager hadn't have quit, this wouldn't be happening. That might have been all the incentive they needed so's not to have to hire another.

Oh well...I guess I left in a nick of time... It was fun while it lasted.
Jason..you can use my garage if you need one..it'd be one hell of a drive from Little Rock...



Wait...1st of April? You sure this isn't just a case of Joel having fun with someone?

i haven't been over there lately but one of the guys I work with is a regular over there. and he said it was closing also.

Jerry, I was told that Dale is going to Sembach. I'll find out more for you.


Barry, I don't think they'd be joking about this one. If he is joking, I'll pull off his goatee!

Naw...I talked to Joel yesterday. It's a done deal.
He mentioned that Dale might take a job at Spang or Baumholder...hell he lives in Birkenfeld which is north of Kusel. Sembach would be a hell of a drive for him everyday...Kapaun is already. Welding might go away all together.
Best thing you guys can do is bitch about it...and bitch to anyone who'll listen. They're doing a diservice and really can't justify it. The Army shops around there don't have nearly the business that Kapaun has and they mange just fine.
Whatever...I just resigned from there in Nov and I'm wound up about it.

Bitching in progress

I did hear that all the Air Force outside of Ramstein AB will get cut off and reorganized ... which I believe makes it easier to close all down. Give it ten more years and only left will be inside Ramstein fence line.

Thats because the Army doesn't need to justify profits, just taking care of service men and women.

Exactly. In the Air Force its about how much money a workcenter is making. However, no non-appropriated funded MWR program in any service is required to show a profit by-law. Although the AF quality of life in many cases might be better in regards to facilities, Army programs always stand head and shoulders above the Air Force. A perfect example is child development. Ramstein wouldn't take my kids years ago because my wife didn't work. What that has to do with child development loses me. The same program at Landsthul took them right away, no questions.

Jason, can you contact Dale and see if he can do some exhaust work for me before they close. If he can do it on the 30th or 31st, I would be great. I don't get back until the 28th. If he is going to be working somewhere else, I can go there, but I would like him to do it. If you can get me a commercial phone number, I'll give him a call directly. Thanks.

Jerry

I'm on it Jerry. What are you wanting done?