GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Soldiers from the 10th Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division joined Soldiers from 11 NATO countries and one Partner for Peace country for an International Bridge Assessment Course at Ingolstadt, Germany July 11.

Command Sgt. Maj. Peter D. Johnson (bottom middle left), Squadron command sergeant major assigned to 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, stands with Vlad Oprea (bottom middle), mayor of Sinaia, along with Brig. Gen. Michael J. Tarsa (bottom middle), 4th Infantry Division deputy commanding general, and Lt. Col. Theodore A. Johnson (bottom middle right), 2nd Squadron commander, as they pose with other leaders from the Romanian Land Forces and 2nd Squadron, at Peles Castle located in Sinaia, Romania, during the unit's Cavalry March from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base to the Cincu Training Center, May 14, 2015. This event will not only focus on transporting troopers and their equipment to a new Romanian training facility, but it will also give the unit a chance to interact with the local populace while improving on relations with their host nation in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve-South. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William A. Tanner/released)

Stryker Combat Vehicles belonging to 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, along with Romanian tactical vehicles belonging to the Romanian Land Forces, are put on display for spectators in Ploiesti, Romania, during the unit's demonstration of partnership with its NATO allies while participating the squadron's Cavalry March from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base to the Cincu Training Center, May 13, 2015. This event will not only focus on transporting Troopers and their equipment to a new Romanian Training Facility, but it will also give the unit a chance to interact with the local populace while improving on relations with their host nation in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve-South. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William A. Tanner/released)

Troopers assigned to 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, place American, Romanian and NATO flags on their Stryker Combat Vehicles in preparation for the unit's Cavalry March to the Cincu Training Center, at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, May 13, 2015. This event will not only focus on transporting troopers and their equipment to a new Romanian training facility, but it will also give the unit a chance to interact with the local populace while improving on relations with their host nation in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve-South. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William A. Tanner/released)

The Department of Defense announced today the consolidation of some U.S. infrastructure in Europe, including the return of 15 sites to their host nations. These actions, taken as part of the European Infrastructure Consolidation (EIC) process, will save the U.S. government approximately $500 million annually. The DoD also announced the first F-35 basing in Europe at RAF Lakenheath, UK, which will bring new opportunities for collaboration between the U.S. and UK air forces.

Albanian soldiers race to a new position during exercise Combined Resolve III at the Hohenfels Training Area (Germany), Oct. 27, 2014. Albanian is one of over a dozen NATO and European partner nations participating in the bi-annual exercise at the U.S. Army's major training areas in southeastern Germany to enhance connections -- personal, professional, technical and tactical -- in a multinational brigade training environment. (U.S. Army photo by Gertrud Zach)

Twenty-nine nations and three international organizations participated in the Combined Endeavor Main Planning Conference. The conference deliverables assisted in designing a mission network that utilized an interoperable “bring your own devices model” and ensured the international coalition audience was able to participate. Ultimately, the mission network contributed toward constructing an exercise operational scenario across land, air and cyberspace domains.

Combined Endeavor 13 kicks off in Grafenwoehr, Germany.

For the first time in history, American armed forces instructed its JFO course to international students. A keystone of the training was to enhance strategic capabilities of allied and NATO forces.

Gillison responded that while blanket waivers cannot be granted, each waiver package will include a copy of the Air Force command letter stating the debt was incurred "through no fault of the employee."

The Pentagon outlines how the Department of Defense will concentrate on the core mission of defending the United States and its interests during the furlough.

SOCEUR continues to focus on expanding theater-wide SOF capabilities in a manner that "thickens our lines” by training, developing, and enabling European SOF Allies and partners to deploy to Afghanistan as part of Combined Special Operations Task Force 10 (CSOTF-10), which serves under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

June 22 in Kiel, Germany: In Kiel, BALTOPS' events include a post exercise discussion; ship tours of the BALTOPS Maritime Force by local government officials, military members and the public; a reception aboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20); as well as participation in Kiel Week.

HENRI CHAPELLE, Belgium – Hundreds of people gathered May 25 at Henri Chapelle American Cemetery, where amid the rolling hills of Belgium’s countryside is the final resting place of 7,992 U.S. troops who died in World War II.

What a voyage! Certainly I've had my fair share of challenges along the way but we have also had plenty of great successes (due largely to the hard work of those on my various teams), and a few tie scores as well. As I look back over these past four years in particular, there were a number of solid accomplishments and a few stubborn difficulties -- but at the center of it all were wonderful human relationships.

On April 24, 2013, the A-10 Thunderbolt took flight over Grafenwoehr Training Area’s impact area for the last time.

Representatives from 10 nations met to plan the 41st Exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) at the naval base in Kiel, Germany, Apr. 9-11. BALTOPS 13, annually hosted by the United States Navy, aims to improve maritime security in the Baltic Sea through increased interoperability and cooperation among regional allies.

In coordination with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa, the community of U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and USAG Stuttgart had “hands-on” experience with the MV-22B Osprey during a capabilities exercise.

Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa commander, presented the USAFE-AFAFRICA Medal of Distinction to a German politician here March 8.

Germany continues to emphasize close ties with the United States. U.S.-German relations have been a focal point of American involvement in Europe since the end of World War II. Germany stands at the center of European affairs and is a key partner in U.S. relations with Europeans in NATO and the European Union.