Pentagon Updates its European Drawdown Plan

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The Pentagon has released an updated blueprint that shows how the Army’s force structure in Europe will change by 2016. This summer, four battalions from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team will move around in Germany and Italy.

Two battalions will relocate from Germany to Italy and the brigade’s headquarters and one infantry battalion will relocate from Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy to the Army’s new facility in Del Din -- formerly known as Dal Molin -- in Vicenza.  In addition two battalions will relocate from Schweinfurt and Bamberg, Germany to Grafenwoehr, Germany.

The Army’s footprint in Europe has changed dramatically from the Cold War force numbering more than 200,000 soldiers. As the Pentagon shifts its focus to the Pacific theater, while maintaining a presence in the Middle East, the Army will continue to move many of its European units back to the United States. Others will be closed down or “inactivated.”

This year the 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany and the V Corps Headquarters, Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany will shut down. The Army closed down the 170th Infantry Brigade at Smith Barracks, Baumholder, Germany last year.

This year, the following units will become inactive:

--535th Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

--12th Chemical Company, Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany.

--Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 391st Combat Service Support Battalion, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

--B Detachment, 106th Finance Company, Katterbach Kaserne, Ansbach, Germany.

Also this year, the 42nd Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany and 99th Movement Control Team, Aviano Air Base, Italy return to the United States.

In 2014, the following units will become inactive:

--Headquarters, 18th Engineer Brigade, Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany.

--243 Engineer Detachment, Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany.

--54th Engineer Battalion, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

--370th Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

--7th Signal Brigade, Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany.

--72nd Signal Battalion, Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany.

--Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 95th Military Police Battalion, Sembach Kaserne, Kaiserslautern.

--630th Military Police Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

--464th Military Police Platoon, Camp Ederle, Italy.

--511th Military Police Platoon, Livorno, Italy.

Meanwhile, the 541st Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany returns to the United States.

 In 2015, the 230th Military Police Company, Sembach Barracks, Kaiserslautern, Germany closes down and the 3rd Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment (Airfield Operations Battalion), Storck Barracks, Illesheim, Germany returns to the United States.

 And in 2016, the 69th Signal Battalion, Grafenwoehr, Germany closes down and the 525th Military Police Detachment (Military Working Dogs), Baumholder, Germany returns to the United States. The 1st Battalion, 214th General Support Aviation Regiment structure will be reduced at Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, by 190 soldier spaces and at Landstuhl Heliport by 50 soldier spaces.

 

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