A total of 1,500 U.S. soldiers arrived in Germany this March 19th 2019, to be deployed in Europe to exercise the U.S. Army’s ability to rapidly alert, recall and deploy under emergency conditions. This U.S. exercise also involves the participation of allies.

1,500 U.S. soldiers arrived in Germany on March 19, 2019, in the first test of a new rapid deployment strategy meant to bolster NATO's presence in eastern Europe. (Picture source Twitter account 1st Armored Division)

The ability of U.S. armed forces to rapidly surge combat-ready forces into and across the theater is critical in projecting forces at a moment’s notice to support the NATO alliance. However, this deployment is not in response to any real world situation.

The 1,500 Soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, began arriving in Berlin today. They will now travel to Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, where they will utilize more than 700 pieces of equipment pulled from the Army Prepositioned Stock (APS) site in Eygelshoven, Netherlands.

Prior to the unit’s arrival, elements of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command prepared and transported the APS equipment to Poland via line haul and rail.

The 2nd ABCT, 1st AD will conduct reception and integration procedures, and live-fire training with their Polish counterparts over the next few weeks. The training will culminate with a gunnery and a combined live-fire exercise. Once the exercise is complete, the unit will return to Fort Bliss and the APS equipment will return to Eygelshoven.

APS sites in theater reduce deployment timelines, improve deterrence capabilities and provide additional combat power for contingency operation by storing equipment and ammunition required to support an armored unit if and when the combatant commander requires additional capabilities.