US Paratroopers,Frigate Bolster Eastern Europe

Four companies of US Army paratroopers from the 173d Airborne Brigade Combat Team have arrived in,or are en route to,Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia,Latvia and Lithuania.As well,the US Navy frigate USS Taylor(FFG 50) is to replace the destroyer USS Donald Cook(DDG 75) on station in the Black Sea.Both moves are in response to Russian activity in the region.
The soldiers will begin a series of infantry exercises across the four NATO allies that border Russia.They are initiating rotational deployments,so that about 600 troops-one company of 150 for each country-will be in place through at least the end of the year,and possibly into next year.The US-Polish exercises will begin Wednesday,and the US-Baltic states exercises will start on Monday.
These countries have requested more of a US presence in light of what the NATO alliance considers to be Russian agression against Ukraine in recent weeks.They will be live fire exercises.According to Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby,even more US forces could be dispatched to other NATO countries.It will be a persistent,protracted presence.The deployments will last through the end of 2014 at the very least.They were added to the normal schedule of bilateral exercises because of the tension in Ukraine,RADM Kirby said.
All the expanded land forces training activities will be in place by 28 April.When the first exercises are completed,we will rotate fresh troops in for more,RADM Kirby explained.Talks are ongoing about expanding them into other countries in the region.This may include other NATO forces and those of partner nations.We take our obligations very,very seriously on the continent of Europe,RADM Kirby stated.*
Meanwhile,the USS Donald Cook is finishing up its deployment to the Black Sea and will be replaced by the USS Taylor,which has been repaired at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay,Greece.Since March,18 US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons have been beefing up NATO air patrols over Poland and the Baltic states in response to Russian military activity in Ukraine and Kaliningrad,a Russian enclave adjacent to Northeast Poland.