This event demonstrates another positive step in support the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) to Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), a defensive capability for U.S. and European NATO Allies which provides collective defense against established and emergent threats.

Army Sergeant Jeffrey Hernandez takes us to the groundbreaking of a Ballistic Missile Defense site at Deveselu Air Base for the establishment and operation of an Aegis Ashore site, part of the U.S. contribution to NATO's collective security and missile defense in Europe.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with Romania's Minister of Defense Mircea Dusa today at the Pentagon, a meeting that produced a number of significant agreements, which Pentagon Spokesman George Little said will enhance the strong and productive partnership the U.S. enjoys with Romania.

I would like to give you a quick overview of the status of the United States European Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense, or for short the E-P-A-A. I will touch on the extensive missile defense cooperation within NATO. I will say a few words about our efforts to cooperate with the Russian Federation on missile defense. Then I’ll close with a few remarks on the cooperation going on right here in Romania.

Frank A. Rose, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, talks on European Phased Adaptive Approach and Ballistic Missile Defense.

NATO’s relationship with Russia is a complicated partnership with many facets.

US European Command and the Israel Defense Forces successfully concluded Austere Challenge 2012 Tuesday, a large-scale air defense exercise that included both field training and command post simulations.

Soldiers from Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command convoy from Tzuk, Israel to conduct a validation drill while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Joint Task Force Commander Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin and Israel's Air Defense Force Commander Brig. Gen. Shachar Shohat hold a press conference at Tzuk, Israel about Austere Challenge 2012 . Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command work alongside Israel's IDF soldiers to decontaminate vehicles and personnel after a notional chemical attack while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command convoy from Tzuk, Israel in preparation for DECON exercise while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

Soldiers from Delta Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command participate in medical drill reacting to a simulated rocket attack on their post in Israel while participating in Austere Challenge 2012. Austere Challenge 2012 (AC 12) is a large-scale air defense field training and command post simulation exercise designed to improve interoperability between the U.S. and Israeli militaries.

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.

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.

Capt. Dan Shaffer, commander, Destroyer Squadron 60 and commander, Task Force (CTF) 65, visited Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) during a visit to Souda Bay, Greece, July 25.

At the semiannual joint committee meeting, Sebastian Hulaban, State Secretary for Defense Policy and Planning in the Romanian Ministry of Defense, and Major General Mark O. Schissler, Director, Plans and Policy, at Headquarters U.S. European Command, signed two implementing arrangements and three amendments to existing implementing arrangements related to the construction and operation of the planned missile defense facility in Deveselu, June 29.

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

As the North Atlantic Council finished up the 25th Summit it is clearly evident that it was a summit of commitment. The Alliance made the commitment to complete transition in Afghanistan and to support Afghans in achieving a stable future. It also made the commitment to ensuring NATO is capable of dealing with 21st century challenges, as well as the commitment to further strengthen connections with our global partners. Most importantly, the Chicago Summit demonstrated our commitment to each other - the unbreakable bond between North America and Europe, which remains the bedrock of our security.

The American Admiral praised the Europeans for their engagement in the Hindu Kush. But to remain militarily important, they will have to increase their defense spending. And in his last interview before the NATO Summit begins in Chicago Sunday, Admiral Stavridis promised that the (American) partnership with Europe will remain strong.

It’s been almost a dozen years since the USS Cole bombing. The destroyer recently pulled into Rota, Spain, to showcase its advanced weapons systems and visitors to the ship are finding out she’s more powerful than ever. Petty Officer Ryan Seelbach has the story.

We've just concluded the two big warm-up events that have brought into focus what we'll be doing at the NATO Summit in mid-May, scheduled to be held in Chicago.

As I look back on 2011, I think we had a reasonably good year in the operational sense. Lots of good “end of the year” retrospectives are appearing in various magazines and on-line sites, and I thought I’d chip in with my own top five operational moments for the Alliance this past year – and a hope that it stays at least relatively quiet between now and the end of the year.Stavridis

My visit was part of NATO’s outreach and desire to develop a “true strategic partnership with Russia,” as it says in the Strategic Concept approved at the Lisbon Summit last fall. In my role as the Supreme Allied Commander, I continue to search for zones of cooperation with the Russian military.

Statement by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Stationing Aegis Ships at Rota, Spain

The Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) arrived in Naples, Italy, April 10, during a regularly scheduled port visit.

Along with two of the youngest members of the command, I cut a birthday cake to celebrate the moment sixty years ago, on 2 April 1951, when SACEUR Dwight D. Eisenhower activated Allied Command Europe – the predecessor to today’s Allied Command Operations – and its headquarters, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.

USS Monterey (CG 61) hosted 300 multinational dignitaries from NATO as a part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach for missile defense during a port visit to Antwerp, Belgium, March 29-31.

USS Monterey (CG 61) arrived in Antwerp, Belgium, Mar. 27, as part of a scheduled port visit.

Many of you know that we have a Notable Author and Film series at both my EUCOM and SHAPE headquarters, which allows us to routinely take a step back from our desk work and learn from some of the authors and artists who are observers, critics and practitioners of national security.

We finished the Lisbon summit last week – really a high point thus far in the nearly 18 months I’ve been the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). While not without some challenges, overall the summit must be judged a real success.

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia, Nov. 21, 2010 – The NATO summit that concluded yesterday in Lisbon, Portugal, was a “tremendous success” from the U.S. standpoint, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Currently, 28 NATO Heads of States and Governments (HoSG) are expected to convene at the NATO Summit. Over a series of meetings, our leaders will discuss a handful of issues central to the future security of Europe and North America, focusing on the new strategic concept and its subsequent implementation: crisis management; missile defense; the comprehensive approach; cyber security; and NATO headquarters and command structure reform.

I had an experience last week I never expected when I began my naval career in the 1970s during the Cold War period: a four-day visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg, hosted by the Russian Chief of Defense.

American and Polish soldiers conduct a joint patriot missile training exercise