U.S. Pullout Of Troops From Europe To Begin In October

Soldiers from 173rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Battalion, 3-19 Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, conduct a road march during a training exercise on the Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels, Germany, on Oct. 6. Spc. Ginger Roberts / Army

Major European Pullout Could Start In October -- Army Times

As many as 10,000 soldiers — and as many as 25,000 dependents — are expected to withdraw from Europe as the U.S. juggles shrinking budgets and force reductions with maintaining strong relationships with its allies, officials said.

On Jan. 12, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that two brigade combat teams — instead of just one BCT as originally planned — will be withdrawn from Europe.

Panetta is quoted in a press release on the Defense Department website as saying two of the four BCTs that are permanently stationed in Europe will be replaced with rotational units, similar to the way Marines and Special Forces units staff their European requirements.

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My Comment: I look at this development with trepidation. U.S. forces in Europe have always been a stabling influence .... from the heights of the Cold War to the brutality of the Yugoslav civil war .... but this is all now all about to change. For a different and positive review of this withdrawal, I suggest reading this post.