US Army's last tanks depart from Germany

Roughly 2 heavy divisions worth of personnel. From all services. No Army combat units, but primarily Air Force and Navy personnel. IIRC the Marine units on Okinawa are stationed there on a rotational basis. A far smaller US footprint than in Germany prior to the 1990s. Certainly a case of apples and oranges to compare the two.

The US has over 36,000 personnel stationed in Japan/Okinawa, not including the ones on temporary duty there or naval personnel assigned to ships that use the two naval bases (Sasebo and Yokosuka) as liberty ports when deployed in the vicinity.

We hardly have any forces there in Japan. No ground troops, or ground combat units at least. A couple Air Force bases, one at either end essentially, and a Navy base. In Japan proper anyways. Then there are the forces on Okinawa. Of course the Japanese culture is traditionally not too keen on any foreign presence, and they way young Joes get themselves in trouble in foreign lands does not help... But if we want to maintain a power projection ability in that part of the world to supoort our treaty obligations.

I would guess that the German citizens might be happy to see that the cold war is over and that the occupation forces are finally leaving after almost 70 years. If there had been foriegn troops in my nation for that long, I know I would be, no matter how friendly and protective they may have been.

I wonder how the Japanese feel about our forces in their country.

You are correct, the last NG unit will rotate off the mission early summer, will be replaced by AC forces. Yes, many US bases here are Ghost towns, I am one of the last sections left here at USAREUR HQ in Heidelberg. It's sad to watch, but understandable.

Still US Army in Kosovo. They fall under USAREUR. In fact, I thought I heard that a regular army unit was taking over the US contingent for the first time since 2003. It's been a National Guard and Reserve only mission since 2003.

Agree with you coldsteel, the media and Korean propaganda portrays them as some juggernaut. If they want to play nuclear hardball, bring it on.

I think we can expect a few more in the foreseeable future. Good chunk of the planet is a desert and there are quite a few bad guys living in them.

And to be honest if Korea goes hot they wont need tanks from anywhere to get the job done. The north isn't the juggernaut the media likes to make them out to be.

Do we have another desert adventure in our future? Especially with all the focus on the Korean front.

nidan

Curious paint job for a tank in Germany. I wonder where they really worked their magic?

One. We no longer expect to fight battles in the traditional European theater.
Two. Having the tanks in Germany puts them closer to areas we anticipated needing them than being stateside. That means we can get them elsewhere faster.
Three. Keeping them in the scheme we anticipate needing them in is more efficient than painting/repainting them.

I would say that they were most likely in the Great Bavarian Desert.

Curious paint job for a tank in Germany. I wonder where they really worked their magic?

i feel old

3-33AR 3AD kirch-goens BRD 1975-78

redleg12

It is amazing.....then again since the 94 draw downs began and in this kinder gentler budget cutting society....it figures.

Rounds Complete!!

  you Big Gun Arty guys crack me up   

It is amazing.....then again since the 94 draw downs began and in this kinder gentler budget cutting society....it figures.

Rounds Complete!!

Divisions are basically just nominal command and control now. Everything's stand alone brigades with the ability to internally support themselves as opposed to requiring slices from within the division.

not even a single division left there... its basicly a support command now...

That's all that left of MANEUVER brigades in Europe; there are still other forces like aviation brigades, support brigades, military police brigade, and the rest of the ash & trash.

Although the list is outdated due to current unit deactivations, here is a list of the units still in USAREUR:

www.eur.army.mil/.../units.htm

Ah ok. so I presume it is the 2nd ACR at Vilseck and 173rd Airborne at Vicenza that are gonna stay in Europe? Kinda hard to picture two combat brigades as all that is left of USAEUR...

stikpusher

Oh I am sure the Bundeswehr will be happy to have Graf & Hohenfels all for themselves...

I believe you are making the incorrect assumption that because the last two heavy brigades are leaving Germany with their tanks, that all US forces are leaving Germany. We'll still have two brigades in Europe, just not heavy (i.e. armored) brigades.

The USAREUR is maintaining control of Graf & Hohenfels. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment is still at Vilseck (which is adjacent to Graf). The 2nd Cav is a Stryker Brigade. The 170th Infantry Brigade deactivated last fall at Baumholder and the 172nd SIB is doing so now.

My son was part of the 172nd. They found out the unit was deactivating upon return to Germany while downrange in Afghanistan last year. He PCSd to Fort Huachuca, Arizona last month.

Oh I am sure the Bundeswehr will be happy to have Graf & Hohenfels all for themselves...

I feel old.....I remember Reforger....now that is ancient history. Graf as a park...LOL

Rounds Complete!!

Wow... An age has now passed...

Sure is an "End of an Era"

'spose they will make Graf. a national park now  

Looks like the bustle rack sitting on the back deck next to the gun tube.

Because the money poured into several training areas in Germany during the last 50 years were unmatched by tank ranges in the US.

Onward to South Korea.  J/K I wonder why this event took so long?