US,Netherlands Forces Put On Alert for NATO Call-Up

Some 8500 US troops have been notified today that they are on alert for call-up by NATO for the NATO Response Force (NRF) over the Ukraine crisis.NRF is a tripwire force of 40,000 multinational sea,air and land personnel,including Special Operations Forces.The Netherlands has also put its land forces and a Royal Netherlands Navy frigate on standby for this crisis response unit,which includes the 20,000 member Very High-Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).The exact criteria for NRF activation have not been disclosed,yet Russia is being put on notice that this activation will happen if it reaches certain milestones.The decision to heighten the alert by Secretary of Defense General Lloyd Austin III,US Army retired is about getting the units,all of them based in the US,on heightened alert for short notice deployment to Europe.Some of the units must be able to deploy in as little as five days.No final decision to deploy has been reached yet,according to Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby,US Navy retired.It is entirely up to NATO,which is commanded by General Tod Wolters,US Air Force,the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).The bulk of the troops are for the NRF,but some are for the VJTF.They include the combat credible units,the Brigade Combat Teams;aviation units;Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaisance;logistics,transportation,medical and engineering personnel. The US troops,a comprehensive package,are also available if other contingencies develop or the European security situation deteriorates.We have about 60,000 troops already in Europe.The call-up would primarily be to reinforce NATO'S Eastern Flank.Policy makers are working their way through the NRF activation criteria.Said Mr.Kirby: I can't rule out that there may be some deployment before an invasion.We've seen Vladimir Putin add to his military capability.We don't believe he's made that decision.He is increasing the military options available to him.* At the same time,Denmark has sent a frigate to the Baltic Sea Region and is also bulking up the NATO Air Policing Mission in Lithuania by providing four of its F-16 Fighting Falcons.* House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has requested a bi-partisan briefing on the alert for Congressional leaders.*