Inside Defense Aug. 12, 2009 -- The Defense Department is reconsidering plans to relocate two German-based U.S. Army brigades to the United States, a move that proponents argue would signal increased commitment to the NATO alliance -- whose contribution is deemed essential to prosecuting the Afghan war -- and to collectively managing an ascendant Russia.
The matter, which sources say is being considered as part of the global posture reassessment taking place through the Quadrennial Defense Review, also carries significant domestic political interest, particularly from lawmakers eager to see the two brigade combat teams relocate to their congressional districts in accordance with plans the Army announced in 2005.
“Part of the QDR is revising that decision: Should we keep them over there?” said one Pentagon official.
The move to revisit where to base these units comes on the heels of Defense Secretary Robert Gates' decision in April to scrap Army plans to build three additional brigade combat teams, which were slated to be located at Ft. Stewart, GA, Ft. Carson, CO, and Ft. Bliss, TX.
Some lawmakers are hoping to offset the potential loss to their local economies from the decision to cut the number of Army brigade combat teams from 48 to 45 by encouraging the Pentagon to move one of the two Army brigades in Europe to their districts.
“We are writing to convey our support for the Army plan to assign an additional Brigade Combat Team (BCT) to the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Air Field, Georgia,” 13 lawmakers from Georgia -- led by Rep. Jack Kingston, a Republican whose district includes the Army posts -- wrote Gates in a May 23 letter. The letter notes the Pentagon has already invested $450 million to accommodate an additional brigade combat team.
In July 2005, the Defense Department announced plans to draw down Army forces in Europe to 32,000 by 2013. Last year, then-commander of U.S. European Command, Gen. John Craddock recommended that the two brigades scheduled for redeployment back to the United States remain in Germany, a move that would keep U.S. troop levels at 42,000.
In February, Gen. Carter Ham, head of U.S. Army Europe, said the 32,000 troops will be insufficient to meet the competing demands posed by current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other efforts involving European allies (DefenseAlert, Feb. 17).
“In my estimation, in order to accomplish the missions that we have, we need a different force posture in Europe than is currently proposed,” Ham said.
The current plan to reduce the Army's presence in Europe was hailed in 2005 as a major paradigm shift for the service, giving it a largely U.S.-based posture from which to rotate forces around the world where needed as opposed to a Cold War orientation designed around fixed positions.
That plan calls for leaving two brigade combat teams in Europe -- one Stryker brigade and one airborne brigade. To meet this goal, two heavy brigade combat teams are due to return to the United States in 2012 and 2013.
The Defense Department is revisiting that plan, according to military officials, in light of a number of changes.
“The world is shifting,” said a senior Pentagon official. “The role of NATO in Afghanistan is a very positive aspect that we want to continue to foster. The ability to cooperate [with NATO] and manage ascendant Russia is also at the forefront of the discussion.”
Another source said that a decision to keep the two heavy brigade combat teams in Europe would be a clear demonstration of U.S. commitment to the alliance. -- Jason Sherman
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