DoD Identifies Brigades Slated to Leave Germany

GRAFENWÖHR, Germany -- Two Army heavy brigades based in Germany will return to the United States as part of the new defense posture in Europe, the Department of Defense confirmed Thursday.

The move will send the 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, based out of Grafenwöhr and Schweinfurt, and the Baumholder-based 170th Infantry Brigade, back to the States.

The 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy, will remain as the only Army brigades permanently based in Europe.

The announcement came during a preview of new Defense Department budget projections before the president releases the full federal budget request for fiscal 2013 on Feb. 13.

Defense officials say the military will compensate for the loss by rotating into Europe more U.S.-based units for short-term training and exercises.

Both Grafenwöhr and Baumholder are designated “enduring communities” in Europe, although Schweinfurt is not. Previous plans called for the 172nd to pull its subordinate units out of Schweinfurt and consolidate in Grafenwöhr, which was making room for the rest of the brigade.

Earlier this month, U.S. Army Europe commanding general Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told reporters in Grafenwöhr that the post, the Army’s largest in Europe, would likely host the same force numbers in the future.

“This is one of the installations where we want to maintain the number of Soldiers we have regardless of the units,” Hertling said.

Yet the expectation that one, or possibly both, brigades might leave Grafenwöhr has generated hand-wringing in neighboring German communities, where economies depend heavily on the garrison.