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In 2001 I was supporting US troops in the Balkans while temporarily stationed for a year at a base in Bavaria, Germany, that was associated with the NSA. I had about a two-week period for leave, which I took in September. I took a train to Munich, and flew to Venice. For some reason prior I wasn't able to book a hotel in Venice, and couldn't find one on arriving--it turned out it was during their big regatta event. I ended up going a day earlier than planned to Florence just to find a place to sleep. I particularly liked Florence, and while there made a side trip to Assisi to visit a British war cemetery where my grandfather was buried. On the train trip from Florence to Rome, people found out I was an American, and were all talking about the attack at the World Trade Center in New York. Getting to my hotel, I found a French TV station to get the details on the 911 attack (I speak French very well, but only a few key phrases of Italian). I called back to my unit, fearing that my leave would be cancelled (fortunately not). A few days later I went back to Venice. When I left the base two weeks prior, I had greeted the German gate guard and passed through. When I returned later, soldiers mounted in 'humvees' were pointing machineguns at me while others searched me and my luggage. When I left the base, the Balkans intelligence mission I was working was top priority; when I returned we were knocked down to about tertiary routine importance.