Maintainers, mechanics and civil engineers by day – terrifying monsters by night – the 86th Maintenance Group (MXG) and 786th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) Booster Clubs teamed up this year to present Ramstein’s First Annual Haunted Hangar with resounding success!

Preparations for the event began in August, and included 21 scare “scenes” that spanned several hundred square feet to create a sprawling maze of terror at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Although completely volunteer-based, the Haunted Hangar rivaled professionally produced haunted houses in America, for a refreshingly scary reminder of Halloween traditions from home.

In addition to live actors, several forms of media and theatre were used to bring the scenes to life, including audio and visual effects, exceptionally well-timed “jump scares” in dark corners of the maze and phenomenal costumes and props throughout the venue.

Keeping the scares coming was no small feat. Each night, over 100 volunteers from both the 86th MXG and 786th CES were needed to operate and act in the scare scenes, in addition to coordinating admission and ticketing logistics. Shifts ran approximately six hours, and spouses and family members supported the attraction by providing meals and refreshments nightly.

The hard work paid off, as revelers flocked to the event each night.

“We averaged 300 people a night,” said TSgt Gregory Beach, one of the event's key coordinators. “Our goal is to make the hangar even bigger and better next year.”

As I watched frightened participants race out of the hangar, their faces flushed with a heady mixture of adrenaline and laughter – this is one attraction that will be welcomed with open arms for years to come.

A very special thank you to TSgt Gregory Beach and TSgt Michael Dillard for their contributions to the story!