New rotation of soldiers of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division in Poland

13 May 2022. Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby announced the deployment of U.S. troops to Europe to replace forces ordered there earlier this year.

Press Secretary for the United States Department of Defense John Kirby informed about the rotation of American forces in Europe, including soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division in Poland / Photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika, U.S. Army

Kirby said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered the deployment of around 10,500 personnel in the coming months to replace Army units ordered to the region in advance of, and in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Kirby stressed that these forces are not going to Ukraine, but are there to ensure the defense of NATO countries.

These deployments are a one-for-one unit replacements, which leaves our overall force posture in the region – approximately 100,000 — unchanged, he said at a Pentagon news conference. The units being replaced will return to their home stations following a proper turnover of responsibilities.

The 101st Airborne Division Headquarters, from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, will replace the 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters in the European Command area of responsibility. This will involve 500 soldiers.

Also from Fort Campbell, the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division will deploy approximately 4,200 soldiers to replace the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of Fort Bragg, North Carolina’s 82nd Airborne Division in Poland.

In addition, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas, will deploy approximately 4,200 soldiers to replace the 1st Armored Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Germany.

Finally, the 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade consisting of approximately 1,800 service members from Fort Bliss, Texas, will replace the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade to support the United States’ commitment to Atlantic Resolve.

These are not permanent moves, Kirby said. They are moves designed to respond to the current security environment, he said.

The Ukrainians continue to resist the Russian invaders in the Donbas region — Russia’s major push in the region now. They have prevented the Russians from achieving virtually any of their strategic objectives thus far in the war, Kirby said. Now, both sides have taken casualties. Both sides have lost capabilities, whether that’s actual hardware or defensive systems. That’s why we’re trying so hard to make sure that Ukraine continues to have available to it, the materials, the systems, the weapons to continue to defend themselves.

Video: U.S. Department of Defense

Press release