Sustaining Combat Power:Army Winter Rotation to Europe

On 9 November 2022,the Department of the Army announced the upcoming winter deployment of 1st Cavalry Division,2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team to Europe.Out of Fort Hood,Texas, the 2nd ABCT is to replace the 3rd ABCT in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve,which was established in 2014 following Russia's first invasion of Ukraine,in which it annexed Crimea.Said Colonel Christopher J. Kilpatrick,commander of 2nd ABCT: We are part of the most modern and lethal armour formation on Earth.We are "all in" to reassure our European Allies and deter any potential adversaries from doing anything they would regret.* Indeed,the 2nd ABCT equipment,stationed at Fort Riley,Kansas,off-loaded at ports in Alexandroupoli and Thessaloniki,Greece,as well as Gdynia,Poland in the 18-30 November time frame.From these ports,the equipment was moved by rail and commercial trucking to follow-on locations in Central and Eastern Europe.The deployment of ready,combat-credible U.S. forces in support of Atlantic Resolve shows the strong and unremitting U.S. commitment to NATO and Europe.It builds readiness,increases interoperability and enhances bonds between Ally and Partner militaries,the Army said.No specific dates or destinations were mentioned.It should be noted,however,that 2nd ABCT was still in Fort Hood as of 2 December,when Command Sergeant Major Steven Campbell relinquished responsiblity of the brigade to CSM Brian Adams at a ceremony on Cooper Field in Fort Hood.* Previous deployments of 2nd ABCT were in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn in Iraq,as well as Atlantic Resolve.Operation New Dawn was a train,advise and assist sequel to Iraqi Freedom,including a counterinsurgency role.It ran from 2010-2011.The official casualty report for New Dawn stated that there had been 66 total deaths,including 38 attributed to enemy action,with 305 wounded.It was commanded by the current Secretary of Defense,then Lieutenant General Lloyd J. Austin III.* An ABCT is the largest brigade combat team formation,having 4743 Soldiers.It consists of 87 Abrams tanks and 152 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs),as well as associated wheeled tankers for a limited refueling capability.* General Dynamics (GD)

NATO Approves USAF General as Next Commander

NATO's decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council,has approved the nomination of GEN Tod D. Wolters,US Air Force, for Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the Alliance's top military post, first filled by GEN Dwight D. Eisenhower.*
Upon US Senate approval,GEN Wolters is expected to assume command at a ceremony in Spring 2019 at NATO'S military headquarters in Mons, Belgium,an Alliance press release said.He is currently Commander,US Air Forces Europe and US Air Forces Africa; Commander, Allied Air Command; and Director,Joint Air Power Competence Centre.*
GEN Wolters,a US Air Force Academy graduate, received a Master's degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.He has more than 5,000 hours of flying time in aircraft such as the F-15C and F-22.A combat veteran of Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom,GEN Wolters has been decorated with the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters and the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster,as well as the Air Force Combat Action Medal.

AV-8B Still a Marine Corps Mainstay

With the F-35B Lightning II program trundling along,the US Marine Corps is very glad it has the AV-8B Harrier II jump jet to rely on for fire support,close air support and interdiction missions.The Harrier is to be in service till 2030.
Several upgrades over the years have kept the Harriers in fighting trim,such as equipping 74 of them for night operations with a Forward-Looking Infrared senso;,APG -65 radar;and night-vision-goggle-compatible cockpit.
The Lintening targeting pod gave the aircraft a video downlink capability for improved close air support;time-sensitive targeting;and intelligence,search and rescue.The latest upgrade,6.0 Block,provides a new bomb rack;countermeasure dispensing system;and advanced radar software.
In their essential role with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force,these short-takeoff,vertical-landing warplanes offer the fastest response time of any fixed-wing aircraft.From both austere forward operating bases and amphibious assault ships,the AV-8B has been critical to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,as it was to Operations Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and Operations Oddysey Dawn/Unified Protector in Libya.
The Marines had 117 of the Harrier jump jets as of late 2012.

The USS Enterprise Begins Final Missions

On Sunday 11 March,the USS Enterprise(CVN-65)departed her homeport of Norfolk,Virginia on her final deployment,the 22nd since being commissioned in 1961.Headed for the Middle East,the Big E will possibly transit the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf,braving Iranian threats.
The Enterprise served as part of the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.She also participated in the Vietnam War,helping evacuate Saigon in its tumultuous final days as a free city in 1975.In 1986,she was featured in the classic film "Top Gun."The Big E has provided major support to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom,as she will continue to do on her final missions.
In recent years,the crew have valiantly struggled through innumerable maintenance issues on the vintage warship,plagued by the unavailability of many parts.Upon decommissioning scheduled for 1 December,the Enterprise's eight nuclear reactors will be removed,leaving her riddled with holes prohibitively expensive to repair.
We salute the men and women of the Big E and her carrier strike group past and present,and wish them a safe sunset.

Intrepid Rededicated

The USS Intrepid(CV11) was rededicated on Tuesday,Veterans Day,following extensive repairs.The old aircraft carrier has been a floating museum in New York harbor since 1982.She saw service in both World War II and Vietnam.She was even pressed back into service on 9-11,when she was used as a landing pad for helicopters responding to the attack,President Bush noted at the rededication ceremony.Also among the thousands attending were General James T. Conway,Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps,wounded service members,veterans of the Intrepid,Navy,Marine and Coast Guard officers and enlisted,as well as Gold Star families who lost members in Operation Iraqi Freedom.Anchored alongside the Intrepid was the USS Bataan(LHD5),an amphibious assault ship homeported in Norfolk,Virginia.At next year's Veterans Day ceremony,the USS New York(LPD21),an amphibious transport dock,will be commissioned,said David Paterson,Governor of New York.

Veterans Day Honors

Aviation Boatswain Mate 3rd Class Daniel R. Verbeke of Exton,Pennsylvania died on 14 July of wounds received in December 2005 while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.A crewmember of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt(CVN 71),Petty Officer Verbeke was 25 at the time of his ultimate sacrifice.Exactly one month later,another Daniel,Private First Class Daniel A.C. McGuire, was killed in action on 14 August in Anbar Province,Iraq.Pfc.McGuire,of Mashpee,Massachusetts,was a member of 3rd Battalion,6th Marine Regiment,2nd Marine Division,2nd Marine Expeditionary Force,based at Camp Lejeune,North Carolina.He was 19 years old when he died for his friends.

Cruise Missile Retrofitted

The Navy has retrofitted hundreds of cruise missiles with an upgrade that makes them a more precise and effective weapon.The AGM-84k Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response,or SLAM-ER,is launched against land or sea targets from F/A-18,P3C and S3B aircraft,as well as South Korea's F15K.The 1463 pound weapon has been utilized in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.It matches its Imaging Infrared seeker's target image with a reference photographic target image.The aim may be further refined by the pilot of the launching aircraft.SLAM-ERs have a range of over 150 nautical miles.They are manufactured by Boeing(BA).