Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, are heading home with no unit set to replace them in Europe.

U.S. Army Spc. Malik Heydon, left, and Cpt. Nighgell Davidson, both assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, scan their sectors for opposing forces during Combined Resolve 24-01 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center near Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 27, 2023.

Combined Resolve is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa exercise training U.S. Soldiers and NATO allies and partners, providing training in support of NATO deterrence initiatives. Approximately 4,000 soldiers from 14 nations are participating in Combined Resolve 24-01. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christian Aquino)

Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, will not be replaced when they return home, possibly marking the ebb of the U.S. military’s rush to shore up NATO’s eastern flank that began just prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

About 700 soldiers with the unit have been deployed to Germany, Romania, and Poland, according to the New York Times.

Despite the move, officials with U.S. Army Europe and Africa said “This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5. Rather, this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility.”

The U.S. military still has a “robust presence” in Europe and remains able to carry out President Donald Trump’s commitment to defend NATO allies, the statement says.

Staff Writer

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