Editing Ramstein Air Base (section)

=== NATO command center ===
From its inception, Ramstein was designed as a NATO command base. In 1957, Ramstein provided support for NATO's '''HQ Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force''', which moved to Ramstein from [[Trier Air Base]] on {{date2|10|November|1957}} upon the closure of that facility. Also on that date, HQ Twelfth Air Force was transferred to [[Bergstrom Air Force Base]], Texas, and was assigned to [[Tactical Air Command]]. It was replaced by HQ Seventeenth Air Force (USAFE) which was moved from North Africa. In turn, the 17th AF was replaced by its mother unit HQ USAFE from Lindsey Air Station, Wiesbaden, West Germany in 1973. The HQ 17th AF was moved to Sembach AB at that time and controlled all USAF Air Divisions and Wings north of the Alps, with the exception of the British Isles and Scandinavia, which were controlled by HQ 3rd AF at Mildenhall.

On {{date2|31|January|1973}}, several headquarters were relocated into and out of Ramstein, when Seventeenth{{nbsp}}AF moved to [[Sembach Air Base]] to make room for the expected move of HQ{{nbsp}}USAFE to Ramstein. This entire operation, code-named "Creek Action", was carried out as part of the USAF's new worldwide policy of locating the most vital headquarters in thinly populated rural areas rather than near cities. Later, HQ USAFE was moved, due to the fact that US Intelligence found that the Soviets had plans to invade Western Europe through the [[Fulda Gap]] in West Germany. The military thought to move vital HQs the western bank of the Rhine for protection.

As a result of this policy change, Ramstein air base became a large multi-national NATO center: in addition to the USAFE's headquarters, it also housed the new NATO headquarters of the [[Allied Air Forces Central Europe]] (AAFCE).

The AAFCE also commanded the 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF) and the 4th ATAF. The 4th ATAF, which had been headquartered at Ramstein for many years, included the 1st Canadian Air Group, 1st and 2nd Divisions of the West [[German Air Force]], and units of the USAFE's 3rd and 17th Air Force. HQ USAFE fully completed its move from Wiesbaden to Ramstein in early 1991.

With USAFE's arrival in 1973, Ramstein entered a period of expansion. The dual commander of the 316th AD / 86 TFW became host commander of Americans living in the Kaiserslautern Military Community instead of the US Army 21st Commanding General. The Wiesbaden USAF Community was then traded to US Army Control for an even switch. The KMC from the 1950s to the early 1990s had an average population of 110,000 Americans, outnumbering the Germans in Kaiserslautern during that period.

[[File:RAF-Bombenanschlag in Ramstein, 1981.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Aftermath of the [[Red Army Faction]] (RAF) bombing attack of the [[United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa|U.S. Air Forces Europe]] headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, [[West Germany]] (1981).]]
[[Allied Air Forces Central Europe]] was established at Ramstein on {{date2|28|June|1974}}. Ramstein subsequently provided support for other headquarters including the '''322nd Airlift Division''' that arrived on {{date2|23|June|1978}}, and [[Strategic Air Command|SAC]]'s '''7th Air Division''' that arrived on {{date2|1|July|1978}}. In December 1980, HQ Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force was moved from Ramstein to [[Heidelberg]] and co-located with HQ Central Army Group.

In 1984, an enlisted airman (Sgt Darrel Dietlein), assigned to the [[1964th Communications Group]], solicited National Headquarters Civil Air Patrol to charter the first "Cadet Squadron" in West Germany, naming the unit "Ramstein Cadet Squadron" and becoming the unit's first commander as a CAP First Lieutenant. The Ramstein Cadet Squadron was formed with Captain Mark Bailey serving as the unit's first liaison officer, as well as other like minded military volunteers and roughly six cadets. To this day, the squadron enjoys vibrant member participation, as well as base support, hosting the European Encampments along with their traditional military studies, cadet programs and aerospace education efforts. The Ramstein Cadet Squadron commander {{As of|2022|02|lc=y}} is 1st Lt Cody Chenowith. The squadron is the central hub for all CAP units in Europe. Membership {{As of|2024|04|lc=y}} was 55 members. In subsequent years, a companion cadet squadron was formed at Spangdahlem Air Base. Distance learning cadets are located at SHAPE, Belgium and Hohenfels, Germany.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}{{Importance inline|date=November 2023}} Additionally, the Ramstein Cadet Squadron is the second oldest and continuous operating unit on the installation and even predating the 86th Air Wing.

Today, the base is home to the [[Allied Air Command]], which is responsible to [[Joint Force Command Brunssum]], the only and main NATO command unit on Ramstein AB.