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Italy vs Germany base /Intro
Hi! So intro first! 
I am going to be joining this awesome military life board soon! We (my new hubby and I) moved from our home state of IL to Montana about a week after we got married and now are settled in the mountains 
So hello again, and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone here!
And now my new hubby (Married 8.6.11 ) ) Is joining the Army, I am back in the loop hole! So we have to chose 3 overseas places.. there are only 3 that are even going to be considered because we have to so..When the overseas option is to be considered (and we list 3)
Does anyone have any exp. with these two? Germany vs Italy. We have to chose one as our #1. I was stationed in Germany when was I was a child with my family, but don't remember a thing. And seeing how neither of us will have family in either areas it will be easier/ realistic to get opinions form ladies who are there or have been there with just your hubby and yourself. But really any adivce will be awesome Thanks!
Re: Italy vs Germany base /Intro
Based on nothing other than my perceptions, I would probably put Italy over Germany, but both would be awesome
ETA I'm mainly talking about the country not the base accommodations lol
I changed my name
Dont know much about the overseas bases, but welcome to MT
We are in this lovely state as well, just got here over the summer. And I'm originally from OH if my siggy didn't give it away. : )
I have heard positive things about Germany, and personally that would probably be our choice between the 2 if we ever got the chance.
The most beautiful place on earth to me: Glacier NP
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="D
Personally, we put Germany ahead, but that's purely for employment purposes for me (Germany has a major hospital and Italy only has a clinic).
Honestly, when it comes down to this level of preference, who cares what you put first? You're extremely lucky to get either one. It's unlikely they'll be deciding between two awesome locations for you. Even if they were, you're luckier than most to get either.
I appear to be the lone person with Italian experience; one reason is because there are way more army bases in Germany than there are in Italy. But DH is Navy, so we're located on a Navy installation. I digress, we're living in Italy and I have also traveled pretty extensively in Germany. As far as acclimating to a new place - Germany is easier. English is spoken more widely in Germany than in Italy, so you'll have an easier time getting used to a new culture simply because you'll be able to communicate easier. Also the healthcare system on the German economy is pretty fabulous in the chance that you need to be seen off base for something (I had to go to a Germany hospital for care once while traveling in Germany on vacation and it was top notch care). Now, just because I mentioned English is spoken widely in Germany would not constitute an excuse to not learn German. I still think it is proper to learn the language of the host country to as much of an extent as you can. Also, the bases on Germany are larger. And they get their mail faster too, from what I've been told (I'm still waiting on items I ordered for Christmas to arrive - and I ordered said items the first week of October because I knew they might take a while).
Now, on to Italy - it really is a fabulous place to live and experience, but don't expect it to feel like one long vacation. Driving is difficult here. Italians have a laid back, relaxed culture except when they're on the road - they drive crazy fast and aggressively. It takes some getting used to! And the language is beautiful and fun to learn, but the first few months of living here can be quite an adjustment because many Italians do not speak English and if you don't know any Italian than you're reduced to charades and whatever sign language you can come up with to get your point across (I recommend doing at least the first level of Rosetta Stone before you arrive in country to make the transition period easier - that is what I did and now, after living here a year and a half I'm pretty fluent and get around really easily). And while the beer in Germany may be fabulous, the wine here in Italy is unbeatable! And the food, OMG THE FOOD!!! But expect eating out to be interesting - restaurants don't start serving dinner until around 8 PM. Many Italians don't show up to the restaurants until about 9 PM. So the dinner hour is very late. Unless a specific restaurant caters to Americans, you can't go out to eat at a typical American hour of 6 PM for dinner. The health care system on the economy is not like what you'd expect to receive as an American. Wait times can be long (you don't necessarily get a specific appointment time - many folks are given a "time slot" and you all show up at that time slot and you wait til your name is called; this is part of the laid back culture and a different way of time perception). Also standards of cleanliness in health care are different. Standards of cleanliness in general are lower, especially in Southern Italy. You have heard of Naples being a dirty city? Well, it is true - literal piles of trash along the sides of roads. Oh, and also the Italians (or at least the Southern Italians) have riposo (what the Spanish call Siesta) - an afternoon nap time where shops and all manner of business close from about 1 PM to 4 PM. So don't expect to go run errands during that time unless you're doing it on post.
But those are simply things that are different about the Italian culture and can be difficult to get used to. The people are fabulous; they absolutely adore children; they're very relaxed and know how to enjoy life. You can learn a lot about how to stop and smell the roses from the Italians
And one of the best parts of living overseas is the extensive travel opportunities to see other cultures and experience other ways of doing things and other perspectives on the world. I highly recommend an overseas living experience and I think that no matter where you go - Germany/Italy/Japan/Wherever - that you'll enjoy it and won't regret it. Good luck making your list, but don't get too set on any one place because at the end of the day the Army doesn't care two figs about where you want to go; they're going to put you where they need you most.