# Retired US Military Personnel



## jim42 (Sep 26, 2008)

Anyone living in/around Rota? Would like to ask a few questions.../SNIP/ thank you.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Rota...now was that the scene of the infamous USAAF accident?


----------



## jim42 (Sep 26, 2008)

*Rota*



mrypg9 said:


> Rota...now was that the scene of the infamous USAAF accident?


I don't know. I was on active duty from 61-81.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jim42 said:


> I don't know. I was on active duty from 61-81.


I think it was in the early '60s...something to do with a B52 crash with thermo-nuclear bombs on board.
It was in Spain somewhere...


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> I think it was in the early '60s...something to do with a B52 crash with thermo-nuclear bombs on board.
> It was in Spain somewhere...


Palomares . Near to Cuevas de Almanzora.
1966 Palomares B-52 crash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## jim42 (Sep 26, 2008)

mrypg9 said:


> I think it was in the early '60s...something to do with a B52 crash with thermo-nuclear bombs on board.
> It was in Spain somewhere...


It was and to the best of my knowledge the weapons were recovered.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jim42 said:


> It was and to the best of my knowledge the weapons were recovered.


Yes, but...
_In 2004, a study revealed that there was still some significant contamination present in certain areas, and the Spanish government subsequently expropriated some plots of land which would otherwise have been slated for agriculture use or housing construction.[25] In early October 2006, the Spanish and United States governments agreed to decontaminate the remaining areas and share the workload and costs, which are hitherto unknown as it first needs to be determined to what extent leaching of the plutonium has occurred in the 40 years since the incident._
_On October 11, 2006, Reuters reported that higher than normal levels of radiation were detected in snails and other wildlife in the region, indicating there may still be dangerous amounts of radioactive material underground.[22] The discovery occurred during an investigation being carried out by Spain's energy research agency CIEMAT and the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. and Spain agreed to share the cost of the initial investigation._
_In April 2008, CIEMAT announced they had found two trenches, totalling 2,000 cubic metres (71,000 cu ft), where the U.S. Army stored contaminated earth during the 1966 operations. The American government agreed in 2004 to pay for the decontamination of the grounds, and the cost of the removal and transportation of the contaminated earth has been estimated at $2 million. The trenches were found near the cemetery, where one of the nuclear devices was retrieved in 1966, and they were probably dug at the last moment by American troops before leaving Palomares. CIEMAT expects to find remains of plutonium and americium once an exhaustive analysis of the earth is carried out.[26] [27] In a conversation in December 2009, the Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos told the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that he feared Spanish public opinion might turn against the US once the results of the study on nuclear contamination were to be revealed._[28

From the Wikipedia link given above

Sorry, don't know any ex military, but there are some on here...
Rifleman or exrifleman or smth like that??


----------



## jim42 (Sep 26, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, but...
> _In 2004, a study revealed that there was still some significant contamination present in certain areas, and the Spanish government subsequently expropriated some plots of land which would otherwise have been slated for agriculture use or housing construction.[25] In early October 2006, the Spanish and United States governments agreed to decontaminate the remaining areas and share the workload and costs, which are hitherto unknown as it first needs to be determined to what extent leaching of the plutonium has occurred in the 40 years since the incident._
> _On October 11, 2006, Reuters reported that higher than normal levels of radiation were detected in snails and other wildlife in the region, indicating there may still be dangerous amounts of radioactive material underground.[22] The discovery occurred during an investigation being carried out by Spain's energy research agency CIEMAT and the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. and Spain agreed to share the cost of the initial investigation._
> _In April 2008, CIEMAT announced they had found two trenches, totalling 2,000 cubic metres (71,000 cu ft), where the U.S. Army stored contaminated earth during the 1966 operations. The American government agreed in 2004 to pay for the decontamination of the grounds, and the cost of the removal and transportation of the contaminated earth has been estimated at $2 million. The trenches were found near the cemetery, where one of the nuclear devices was retrieved in 1966, and they were probably dug at the last moment by American troops before leaving Palomares. CIEMAT expects to find remains of plutonium and americium once an exhaustive analysis of the earth is carried out.[26] [27] In a conversation in December 2009, the Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos told the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that he feared Spanish public opinion might turn against the US once the results of the study on nuclear contamination were to be revealed._[28
> ...


Thank u, very informative......


----------



## lbernal (Oct 6, 2011)

Hi, 
I am retired Navy, spent much time in Rota, but don't currently live there. I am also wanting to make the move back permanently sometime in the next few years. I am also interested in any other American military living there that might be on this site.


----------



## jim42 (Sep 26, 2008)

*Rota*



lbernal said:


> Hi,
> I am retired Navy, spent much time in Rota, but don't currently live there. I am also wanting to make the move back permanently sometime in the next few years. I am also interested in any other American military living there that might be on this site.


In your opinion, would it be a nice place to retire to? If you get any feedback can you keep me in the loop? Thanks, Jim Ret AF


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jim42 said:


> In your opinion, would it be a nice place to retire to? If you get any feedback can you keep me in the loop? Thanks, Jim Ret AF


I live in Cadiz province about 60 km from Rota, and I know the area quite well. In my opinion it is a wonderful place to retire to - fabulous beaches, a huge nature reserve nearby (Doñana), a mild climate and very friendly people. 

The town of Rota itself is more prosperous (hence more expensive) than other resorts on the Costa de la Luz because of the presence of the base and the number of American visitors. If you want somewhere with a more Spanish feel, try Chipiona or Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

You´re probably aware that the base at Rota is due to expand in the near future:

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...itary-base-host-nato-missile-shield-unit.html

The locals are split 50-50 on this, according to a poll in the local newspaper. Half of the want it because it will create jobs (Cádiz has one of the highest unemployment rates in Spain - over 30%). The rest have reservations for many different reasons, some political, some economic (low-flying planes and the presence of warships offshore can deter tourists).


----------



## lbernal (Oct 6, 2011)

I agree with Alcalaina, Cadiz area is a wonderful place to retire! I of course would prefer Rota because everyone I know lives there, all my sons immediate family. The base has kept a lot of the area from some of the hardships other towns have faced in this economy. Still depending on what you want and how much you have... There is a pretty good expat group from the base that lives in town. I know they use the base for medical and dental on a space A basis. The hospital is wonderful for the local retirees. You can shop on base at the mini marts but not the main exchange. I'm not sure right now but for a while retiree could not eat at the chow hall but I believe now they can. There is a group who fight for the retiree rights on base when it comes to the SOFA rules that govern what we can and can't do. They do make some progress but it is a battle.
I would choose Rota first (for my own personal reasons, then Chipiona, Puerto de Santa Maria (not sure of there prices, they are on the other side of the base right out the gate. A lot of Americans choose to live in Puerto.


----------

