BFLO(G) Facts and Figures, Anglo-German Impact - British Forces ...

British Forces Liaison Organisation (Germany) 

Mission 

Organisation 

Tas ks

Promote the long-term acceptance of British 

Forces in Germany in order to maintain the 

optimum operating environment for the 

BFG community. 

Mission

XXX 

ARRC 

Rhine 

Garrison 

10,459 

BFG GARRISONS 

20 

OS Stn 

>10 

Gütersloh 

Garrison 

X 

III 

102 

X 

12,688 

7 

1 

X 

XX 

9,431 

9,616 

Paderborn 

Garrison 

Bergen- 

Hohne 

Garrison

Anglo-German Levels Of Co-operation 

FEDERAL 

LÄNDER 

REGIONAL RP 

KREIS 

BImA 

Central 

BImA 

Regional 

Offices 

BImA 

Local 

Offices 

FMOC 

OFD 

(Constr) 

FMOD 

(MIL) (CIV) 

WBK 

& LKdos 

Bz Reg 

Kdo 

WBV 

BLB SBN StOV 

Kreis 

Kdo 

OTHER 

FEDERAL 

MINISTRIES 

LAND 

MINISTRIES 

EQUIV 

EXECUTIVE 

AUTHORITIES 

LOCAL AUTH 

OFFICALS 

HQ 

BFLO(G) 

CLO 

CLO / 

DLLO 

SLOs 

UKSC(G) 

DIV HQ 

BRIGADE 

GARRISON 

STATION

BFLO(G) Attributes 

• Understand Host Nation 

– Administrative system 

– Political climate 

– Business attitudes 

– Cultural/social customs 

– Knowledge of laws/ordinances/agreements 

• Know both partners 

• Speak both languages 

• Provide continuity 

• Appropriate status 

• Single contact point

Services Liaison Officers - Tas ks 

• Provide Host Nation liaison and advice to BFG 

Garrisons on: 

Anglo-German relations - including business 

opportunities 

Training 

Movement 

Environment 

Protocol 

Community Relations 

Press and PR matters (with Media Ops) 

• Process non-criminal legal matters. 

•Representational Duties.

HOST NATION INFRASTRUCTURE LIAISON SECTION 

• Provide liaison, advice and assistance to BFG 

Estate Organisations in accommodation and 

construction matters with the Host Nation 

• Maintain close liaison with the other Sending 

States on accommodation and construction 

matters


IMPACT OF BFG IN THE COMMUNITY AND ASPECTS 

OF ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS


FACTORS UNDERPINNING ANGLO-GERMAN 

RELATIONS 

• Commanders recognise the importance of a supportive 

environment and set priorities accordingly. 

• High regard for British military’s competence on 

operations. 

• Impact of military training is much lower than during 

cold war years. 

• Local and regional financial factors. 

• Empty barracks are a town council’s nightmare.


BFG STATISTICS AS AT APR 09 

Military & UKBC 20,800 

Families 21,400 

Total 42,200 

Local Employees 4,800


Nordrhein-Westfalen Niedersachsen 

Services & UKBCs 14878 8967 

Familienangehörige 17161 9249 

Summe 32039 18216 

Arbeitnehmer 3997 1670 

Other Länder: 

Military: 61 Families: 100 

Local Employees: 95


• However, overall BFG figures do not indicate the 

impact a Garrison might have in its community. For 

that detail, one needs to include demographics. 

• The following slides take Herford as an example.


HERFORD DEMOGRAPHICS as at Apr 09 

• Herford’s Population 67,072 

• British Components: 

• Military and UKBCs 824 

• Spouses 515 

• Children 584 

• Total 1,923 

• Percentage 2.86%


• Male Soldiers between 18 and 23 313 

• Herford’s male population – 18 to 23 2,224 

• Percentage 14% 

• British children under 11 years. 504 

• Herford children under 11 years 8,348 

• Percentage 6%


INTEGRATION POINTS 

• BFG population is very young. 

• Concentrate therefore on sport, school exchanges 

and film clubs. 

• German population norms do not apply to BFG SFA 

areas (young families - no grandparents - loud 

neighbourhoods) 

• Improve knowledge of German. 

• Of interest to both Ambassadors (Berlin and 

London) who wish to enhance Germany’s profile 

amongst young Britons.


BFG’s FINANCIAL IMPACT 

• BFG Budget: € 1,5 billion 

(including military salaries) 

• Contribution from other TLBs: € 0,5 billion 

• Annual Total: € 2,0 billion 

(of which a considerable share is spent in Germany)


EXAMPLE OF THE LOCAL FINANCIAL FACTOR 

Monthly Annually 

Euros Euros 

Rent 1.000.000 12.000.000 

Utilities 690.000 8.280.000 

Rubbish Disposal 140.000 1.680.000 

Maintenance 1.050.000 12.600.000 

Local Salaries 2.250.000 27.000.000 

Prvate Spend 3.750.000 45.000.000 Based on a private spend of Euros 750 per head 

Total 8.880.000 106.560.000 

Financial impact of each BFG Garrison on its region is 

between €8 million and €10 million per month


SOME CONCERNS ON OVERALL ANGLO- 

GERMAN RELATIONS 

• Vulnerable to the stereotype on both sides of the 

national divide. 

• Imbalance of interest. German fascination with most 

things British is not often reciprocated. 

• Very low German language competence on the part of 

most BFG members. 

• Previously assumed levels of general knowledge on 

Anglo-German topics cannot taken for granted. 

• As a result of the above, coupled with easy access to 

UK entertainment, increasing “ghetto-isation”.


Anglo-German Issues for Commanders

STATUS OF FORCES AND SUPPLEMENTARY AGREEMENTS 

The NATO Status of Forces Agreement (NATO SOFA), the Supplementary 

Agreement (SA) to it and the Protocol of Signature (POS) are the basic documents 

under international law that regulate the mutual rights and duties in FRG of the 

Sending State Forces (SSF) and the German authorities. It is envisaged that the SA 

will remain in force as along as foreign forces are stationed in Germany, but it 

contains a provision whereby alterations can be made to its text by agreement. This 

provision was invoked on 11 July 1991, when the Federal Government formally 

requested a review which culminated in the signing of an agreement to amend the SA 

on 18 March 1993. Following ratification the amended SA then came into force on 

29 March 1998. 

While the whole of the SA is important in that it regulates the way in which we 

conduct our day-to-day business with the Host Nation (HN) we should be especially 

aware of the 4 key paragraphs, namely Articles 45.1, 46.1, 53.1 and 57.1 which 

together ensure our ability to move and train effectively in Germany. From a 

practical point of view we should also pay particular attention to Articles 67.1 and 

67.3 which allow the Force to purchase goods and services for its own use and also 

for distribution to its members. In this regard it should be noted that since the 

individual has no right to purchase goods or services tax-free, such arrangements 

must be made through an official procurement agency (OPA), such as a mess or PRI.

Articles of Note 

Article II provides that it is the duty of a force and its members to respect the law of the 

receiving state. The SSF have always taken the view that it means that they should pay 

attention to German law when drafting their own internal regulations. Nevertheless, as far 

as individual members of the Force are concerned, it is accepted that they must comply 

with German law in their day-to-day activities which are unconnected with official 

duties. 

Article VII. contains provisions relating to criminal jurisdiction. It provides that both the 

military authorities of a SSF and the authorities of the receiving state shall have 

jurisdiction over personnel of the Force and their dependants in relation to criminal 

offences committed within the territory of the receiving state. By virtue of Article 19 SA, 

FRG has waived its primary right to jurisdiction under Article VII NATO SOFA, subject 

to a right to recall this waiver and exercise jurisdiction over personnel of a force where 

major interests of the German administration of justice make this imperative. 

Article VIII contains provisions relating to the settlement of claims for civil damages 

against SSF and their personnel in a receiving state. The general principle in SOFA and 

the SA is that in all types of situation where legal proceedings could arise, a HN Agency 

is interposed as a party in place of the SSF. In this way the SSF avoids becoming a party 

to litigation in the German courts. This state of affairs does not of course apply in respect 

of individual personnel of the SSF and their dependants.

TRAINING OUTSIDE TRAINING AREAS 

• BFG units retain the right under SA Article 45 to train outside training areas 

“insofar as a force is not able to carry out its training programme on accommodation 

made available”. The old BAOR Form 443 was used to apply for such training, 

hence the term “443” being commonly used. 

• The CLO and SLO offices have brought the clearance system online and so 

reduced the warning time required to: 

Group 1 (Coy, Bty, Sqn trg or a CPX of up to 250 troops) 4 weeks 

Group 2 (Bn or Regt exercises or a CPX of up to 600 troops) 6 weeks 

Group 3 (Bde exercise or CPX of up to 1500 troops) 8 weeks 

Group 4 (Larger exercises and CPXs above 1500 troops)16 weeks 

(larger exercises have also to be categorised or co-ordinated in the FMOD 

training programme.) 

• Full details of the “443” process and other instruction are in “Training Over 

Private Land (Germany)”. Commanders should be aware that the process is one of 

informing military and local authorities. Specific permission to use private land 

and property is still required from respective owners. Consult your SLO for advice.

POLITICAL CLEARANCE 

BFG HQs and or Units must obtain FMOD political clearance for any of the 

following activities: 

• Any form of exercise or training in which non-BFG troops are involved. For 

example, UK based troops or foreign troops on exchange training. The only 

exception would be training involving troops normally stationed in Germany 

from another Sending State. 

• Any form of visit involving UK or foreign troops, which includes bands, sports 

or demonstration teams, study days or battlefield tours. 

• Any entry into or transit across the eastern Länder. This requirement is a 

strange hangover of the 2+4 Agreement. However, it is something we must 

abide by and includes recces as well as exercises. 

Clearance is obtained through BFLO(G), involves basic details of what troops 

and equipment, numbers, length of stay and point / method of entry. The FMOD 

requires a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice. Once again, please consult your SLO

BFG (Bad) DEBT 

Both GOC 1 (UK) Armd Div and GOC UKSC(G) agree that the level 

of unpaid (bad) debt across BFG is high (over €5 million as at August 

2009) and there is a corporate responsibility to address the issue. 

Where debt exists as a result of court orders, that responsibility is 

absolutely clear cut and Commanders are required to take action in an 

appropriate and timely manner. 

Fair assistance to firms who are owed money by soldiers is also 

necessary. It should not be regarded as debt collection by proxy but 

rather assistance to our soldiers, who will otherwise face court action 

and considerable extra costs. 

The GOCs require prompt and thorough action within units. 

Respective SLOs should be kept informed of the results so debts may 

be deleted from their records. Those statistics on bad debt are 

regularly reviewed.

BFLO(G) Facts and Figures, Anglo-German Impact - British Forces ...

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