Europe and Middle East Unit Rotations Modified After Fatal Training Incident

A new round of unit rotations in Europe and the Middle East has been confirmed by the U.S. Army. As part of routine operations, several brigades will be exchanged. It is important to note that the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division is returning home from Europe after a nine-month rotation that was marked by a tragic vehicle accident in Lithuania in March, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers.

In their stead, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Cavazos, Texas, will provide ongoing support for Operation Atlantic Resolve. This operation involves approximately 6,000 U.S. forces participating in training exercises throughout Eastern and Central Europe, in conjunction with NATO allies.

The 3rd ID soldiers conducted operations in Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland during their deployment. During operations in a remote region of Lithuania, a vehicle plunged into a pond, resulting in a week-long joint recovery effort by U.S. and Lithuanian forces. This incident was a training disaster.

To supplant the 101st Airborne Division's aviation brigade, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division is deploying to the Middle East. Their objective is to assist in the ongoing U.S. operations that are directed at the Islamic State group, as well as to mitigate Iranian proxy assaults in Iraq and Syria, which have intensified as a result of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The ongoing volatility of the region was underscored in January by the loss of three U.S. soldiers in a drone attack in Jordan.

The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kansas, is also scheduled to deploy to Europe this summer. They will replace the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, from Fort Bliss, Texas, which has been in Poland and participating in multinational exercises since last December.

Before deployment, elements of the 1st Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions undertook rigorous rotations at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, as a means of preparing for the operational requirements of their respective assignments.

The United States' dedication to global readiness, NATO deterrence operations in Eastern Europe, and counterterrorism operations in the Middle East is maintained through these rotations.

‍