Thousands of soldiers to leave Europe

Thousands of soldiers to leave Europe

Staff report
Posted : Friday Mar 1, 2013 10:09:26 EST

Ten thousand soldiers now stationed in Europe will be returned to the United States under new re-alignment plans announced by the Defense Department.
The realignment of the Europe-based 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team will begin later this year, including the transfer of some forces from Germany to Italy.
The moves are part of an ongoing strategy to reduce U.S. Army Europe from a force of 40,000 soldiers and one corps headquarters and four brigade combat teams to 30,000 soldiers and two brigade combat teams.
Key actions announced Friday by the Pentagon include the relocations of the 173rd ABCT’s headquarters, and the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, from Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy to the newly refurbished Del Din facility, also in Vicenza.
Two Germany-based units, the 173rd Special Troops Battalion and the 173rd Support Battalion will move from Bamberg, to the Del Din facility
The 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment in Schweinfurt, Germany, and the 4th Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment in Bamberg will move to Grafenwoehr.
The later moves will facilitate the closure of U.S. installations in Bamberg and Schweinfurt.
The 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment of the 173rd ABCT will remain at Caserma Ederle.
In addition to the previously announced inactivation of V Corps Headquarters and the 170th and 172nd Infantry Brigades, here is the outcome for 2,500 enabling forces:
In 2012:
• 170th Infantry Brigade, Smith Barracks, Baumholder, Germany: inactivated
• 167th Medical Detachment (Optometry), Grafenwoehr, Germany: inactivated
In 2013:
• 535th Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: inactivates
• 12th Chemical Company, Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany: inactivates
• V Corps Headquarters, Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany: inactivates
• 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany: inactivates
• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 391st Combat Service Support Battalion, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: inactivates
• B Detachment, 106th Finance Company, Katterbach Kaserne, Ansbach, Germany: inactivates
• 42nd Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: returns to the United States.
• 99th Movement Control Team, Aviano Air Base, Italy: returns to the United States.
In 2014:
• Headquarters, 18th Engineer Brigade, Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany: inactivates
• 243 Engineer Detachment, Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany: inactivates
• 54th Engineer Battalion, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: inactivates
• 370th Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: inactivates
• 7th Signal Brigade, Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany: inactivates
• 72nd Signal Battalion, Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany: inactivates
• Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 95th Military Police Battalion, Sembach Kaserne, Kaiserslautern: inactivates
• 630th Military Police Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: inactivates
• 464th Military Police Platoon, Camp Ederle, Italy: inactivates
• 511th Military Police Platoon, Livorno, Italy: inactivates
• 541st Engineer Company, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany: returns to the United States.

In 2015:
• 230th Military Police Company, Sembach Barracks, Kaiserslautern, Germany: inactivates
• 3rd Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment (Airfield Operations Battalion), Storck Barracks, Illesheim, Germany: returns to the United States.
In 2016:
• 69th Signal Battalion, Grafenwoehr, Germany: inactivates
• 525th Military Police Detachment (Military Working Dogs), Baumholder, Germany: returns to the United States.
• 1st Battalion, 214th General Support Aviation Regiment structure is reduced at Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, by 190 soldier spaces and at Landstuhl Heliport by 50 soldier spaces.