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Ready Forces

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U.S. European Command’s mission is to maintain Ready Forces to conduct a full range of operations. Forces are assigned to, trained and equipped by service-specific headquarters or joint and multinational trainers when participating in joint operations or joint exercises.

U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR), U.S. Marine Forces Europe (MARFOREUR), U.S. Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR), U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), and Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) provide the forces for all military-to-military engagements with partner nations, provide a deterrence function in the region, and serve as deployable units for contingency operations.

As a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United States is obligated to provide troops to contingency operations. Having Ready Forces in Europe allows a closer relationship between EUCOM and partner nations. It has the ability to train with and when necessary instruct partner nation militaries to build regional partner capacity in various types of missions – from combat and counterinsurgency operations to cyber security and logistics.

EUCOM often works with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition partners to prepare units to deploy to Afghanistan, like the MARFOREUR-led Georgia Deployment Program (GDP-ISAF). Training partner nation forces allows them to step up deployments and share the burden in conflicts that require extensive manpower.

Ready Forces are also involved in peace operations throughout the region. Alongside other NATO troops, they help maintain a safe, secure environment and citizens’ freedom of movement, regardless of ethnic origin. Additionally, EUCOM forces provide humanitarian assistance, improving infrastructure and responding during disasters. 

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  • October 18, 2012

    US, Israel prep for largest ballistic missile defense bi-lateral exercise

    Senior leaders for the exercise Austere Challenge 2012 announced the arrival of U.S. troops and equipment in Israel for the event and provided background to reporters via telephone Wednesday from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
  • October 16, 2012

    Saber Junction tests U.S., partners’ interoperability

    Approximately 1,800 forces from 18 European nations train for the post-Afghanistan fight using the U.S. Army’s most-current doctrine for unified land operations. At the Grafenwoehr Training Area, also called GTA, and Hohenfels Training Area, or HTA, and more than 1,300 square miles in-between installation facilities 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, also known as 2CR, engages a complex enemy.
  • October 12, 2012

    Parliament tour encourages cross-nation partnership

    Leadership from the 52nd Fighter Wing toured the Rheinland-Pfalz parliament in Mainz Oct. 10, 2012.
  • October 10, 2012

    Bayonet brigade deactivates at Baumholder

    The 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted a casing of the colors ceremony Oct. 9 in the Hall of Champions on Smith Barracks. The ceremony marked the end of an era which saw the presence of combat Soldiers in Baumholder for more than 50 years.
  • October 4, 2012

    JMTC’s new Driver’s Training Complex officially opens

    Under cloudy autumn skies the Joint Multinational Training Command’s Training Support Activity Europe, officially opened a new state-of-the-art Advanced Driver’s Training Complex on the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Oct. 4.
  • October 2, 2012

    Despite the cold: U.S. military partnerships key to Arctic crisis response

    The scenario used during SAREX 2012— a multinational exercise held recently in Greenland’s eastern sea – tested military and civilian capabilities for search and rescue missions above the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile, during exercise Northern Eagle, a U.S. Navy destroyer joined Russian and Norwegian vessels in the Barents Seas to prepare for similar rescues, plus anti-piracy operations and joint air defense.
  • October 1, 2012

    Civic leaders receive preview of Baumholder's future

    Leaders of the U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder, the 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and local civic leaders came together for a garrison hosted civic leaders working luncheon recently in the Rheinlander Community Club to discuss issues affecting the military and civilian communities.
  • September 27, 2012

    USACE forward engineers train with Italians

    A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Forward Engineering Support Team-Advance (FEST-A) conducted training and remote engineering missions in partnership with Italian Army Reconnaissance Engineers here September 9-21, 2012.
  • September 26, 2012

    EIAMDC officially opens

    The Warrior Preparation Center opened the European Integrated Air and Missile Defense Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony here Sept. 26.
  • September 24, 2012

    Princess unveils WWII memorial at RAF Greenham Common

    Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal officially dedicated three memorial stones for U.S. Visiting Forces at the Greenham Business Park in Greenham Common, United Kingdom, Sept. 21.

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  • October 19, 2012

    Up North

    Just back from Sweden and Finland -- not NATO allies, but certainly premier partners both. I visited both in my hat as Commander of US European Command.
  • October 15, 2012

    Brussels and the Balkans

    I spent the early part of the week at the meeting of the NATO Defence Ministers at NATO Headquarters up in Brussels, about 45 minutes north of my operational command in Mons, Belgium. The second was with the NATO and additional troop contributing nations to our ongoing mission in Kosovo.
  • September 27, 2012

    Last LOGEX conference before the exercise

    The LOGEX 13 Final Coordination Conference and associated workshop was held in Tirana, at the Albanian Military Training Doctrine Center.
  • September 24, 2012

    Missiles and Pirates

    In the week ahead, I'll focus on two topics that don't always get a huge amount of attention, but are very important: piracy and missile defense.
  • September 12, 2012

    EUCOM and SHAPE Senior Enlisted Leaders talk NCO leadership

    SHAPE Command Senior Enlisted Leader and EUCOM's Command Senior Enlisted Leader spotlight on the superb character of senior enlisted leadership
  • August 21, 2012

    An Active Autumn Ahead

    As we wrap up high summer, it's a sensible time to look ahead at the fall and think about the big tasks facing the NATO Alliance and US European Command. The Olympics and the Jubilee fade to memory, and hopefully most folks have managed to break away for a short vacation to recharge. The autumn will be a busy time.
  • August 20, 2012

    Is it easier to train a cyber warrior to be a soldier or train a soldier to be a cyber warrior?

    Some say it’s easier to train a cyber warrior (military specialists, law enforcement officials, computer forensics experts and civil engineers who defend national and economic security assets) to be a soldier while others say it’s easier to train a soldier to be a cyber warrior. So, which is it?
  • July 25, 2012

    Rejoinder to "Punch Them in the Nose ... and Then Leave" by CDR John Kuehn, Proceedings

    While I certainly sympathize with the thrust of John Kuehn's title in his energetic article about the situation in Afghanistan, I'd like to offer a somewhat different perspective from my position as the Supreme Allied Commander for all NATO operations, including the 140,000, 50-nation coalition in Afghanistan.
  • June 4, 2012

    NATO: A Summer Agenda

    As NATO finishes up the successful Chicago Summit and moves into the summer months, several key issues are bubbling.
  • February 23, 2012

    Prepping for Congressional Testimony

    One of the most important things I do each year is to testify in front of the US Congress. I'm at home this weekend preparing carefully for this annual opportunity to lay out the challenges, linkages, and initiatives of U.S. European Command.

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  • September 20, 2012

    Kansas NG partners with Armenia for demining

    YEREVAN, Armenia - (Sept. 20, 2012) Sgt. 1st Class Travis Eichhorn, a Pittsburg, Kansas native, gives an update on today's training with humanitarian demining soldiers in Armenia. Kansas National Guardsmen and the HDTC representative are instructing Armenian peacekeepers and engineer battalions on international demining standards as part of the Humanitarian Mine Action program and will assist the Armenian government in developing a national standard operating procedure for demining.
  • September 19, 2012

    Kansas NG partners with Armenia for demining

    YEREVAN, Armenia - (Sept. 19, 2012) Kansas National Guard Capt. Michael Liotta takes viewers to some on site demining classes with the Armenian engineering and demining battalions. Kansas and Armenia have a long partnership stretching back to Senator Bob Dole being nursed backed to health in World War II by an Armenian doctor and calling for the U.S. to be the first to recognize Armenia’s independence.
  • September 18, 2012

    Environmentally friendly military bases

    In an era of decreasing financial resources, it’s even more important to use all of our resources in a responsible manner. AFN’s Aaron Talley reports on an Assistant Secretary of the Army whose job is to ensure soldiers have the resources they need to complete their mission.
  • September 18, 2012

    Welcome to the Air Assault Course

    Soldiers from more than fifteen units throughout US Army Europe are in Schweinfurt, Germany to take on the challenges of earning the Air Assault Badge. SGT Benjamin Boggess has more.
  • September 18, 2012

    Jackal Stone 12 Training Demonstration

    President Ivo Josipovic of Croatia and SOCEUR commander visit Udbina Airbase during Jackal Stone 12 to view the joint special operations training demonstration.
  • September 17, 2012

    Honoring fallen crew members

    Naval Station Rota held a memorial ceremony for seven Navy Airmen who perished in 1987.
  • September 17, 2012

    Cleaning-up the school

    They’re not architects, designers, or professional landscapers, but as TSgt Kevin Dennison shows us, that doesn’t stop them from lending a helping out in the local community.
  • September 14, 2012

    Ceremony Marks Opening of multinational exercise Combined Endeavor 2012

    International agencies and partner nations mark the beginning of the multinational computer and communications exercise Combined Endeavor 2012 Sept 6. Air Force Tech Sgt. Esteban Esquivel reports from Grafenwoehr, Germany.
  • September 11, 2012

    Empowering to make a difference

    Servicemembers in Naples, Italy gather to observe the 11th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Seaman Apprentice Nicole VanderGriend takes us to the remembrance ceremony.
  • September 11, 2012

    United we stand

    Remembrance of September 11th takes place all over the US and internationally every year. SSgt Amanda Wowk shows us how RAF Lakenheath in England is no exception.