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1st Armored, 1st Infantry divisions to withdraw from Germany

By Vince Crawley
Times staff writer


Defense officials for the first time have confirmed plans to withdraw both heavy Army divisions from Germany and move them to bases within the United States later this decade. The 1st Armored and 1st Infantry divisions — actually just four combat brigades — would be transferred gradually to stateside installations over an extended period ranging from 2006 to 2009, officials said in a Pentagon news conference Monday.
Four senior officials from the Pentagon and State Department spoke to reporters on condition they not be identified.

They fleshed out some, but not all, of the details of President Bush’s announcement Monday that 60,000 to 70,000 U.S. troops now stationed overseas would be affected by global moves and that most would return to stateside bases.

Germany is currently home to 70,000 American troops. The removal of both divisions and their supporting elements would involve 30,000 to 40,000 troops.

About half of all U.S. installations in Europe would be vacated or returned to host nations, said one senior defense official, who stressed that most of the affected installations are quite small.

Troops remaining in Europe would be a new Stryker brigade in the Grafenwoehr/Vilseck region of Germany as well as the Army’s V Corps headquarters and associated combat-support units. In Italy, the Army would add a third battalion to the two existing battalions of the 173rd Airborne Brigade at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, the defense official said.


An exerpt form Pres. Bushs remarks:

As the new global posture takes shape over the next 10 years, Bush said, more U.S. troops will be stationed at, and deployed from, home bases in the United States.

"We'll move some of our troops and capabilities to new locations so they can surge quickly to deal with unexpected threats," Bush said. "We'll take advantage of 21st century military technologies to rapidly deploy increased combat power."

The new plan, the president said, will strengthen U.S. alliances and build new partnerships around the world, and will reduce stress on military people and their families.

"Although we'll still have a significant presence overseas, under the plan I'm announcing today, over the next 10 years, we will bring home about 60,000 to 70,000 uniformed personnel, and about 100,000 family members and civilian employees."






Edited by - rickusn on Aug 16 2004 1:47 PM