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WIESBADEN, Germany -- As the year 2016 comes to a close, U.S. Army Europe takes time to reflect on the many successes from the Strong Europe team across the European region.
JANUARY
Kicking off the year, U.S. Army Europe formally recognized 14 junior officers for their excellence in leadership at the 29th Annual U.S. Army Europe-level Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award ceremony held in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 13.
Three of the 14 recipients were chosen to represent U.S. Army Europe at the Department of the Army-level competition: Capt. Brian Baggett, a medical planner assigned to 7th Army Training Command; Capt. Dana Gingrisch, an assistant operations officer assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan Flores, an aviation tactical operations officer assigned to 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.
At the same ceremony, held during U.S. Army Europe Commanders' Conference, winners of the Eisenhower Professional Writing Competition were named.
A total of 70 articles were submitted from more than 20 different units, commands and organizations assigned or attached to U.S. Army Europe. Taking home the top honors were Col. Gary Graves from the Joint Multinational Readiness Center; Capt. Christopher Elam from the 15th Engineer Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command; and Staff Sgt. Jesse Kelley from the 2nd Calvary Regiment.
Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander, U.S. Army Europe, was awarded the German Federal Armed Forces Golden Cross of Honor by German Lt. Gen. Joerg Vollmer, the chief of staff of the German Army, in a ceremony, Jan. 14.
The ceremony was held as part of the commanding general's annual New Year's reception, which brought together dozens senior military members from across U.S. Army Europe, its subordinate units, and allied and partner nation leaders.
Soldiers, assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, received more than 50 vehicles, to include 17 Stryker combat vehicles during a rail offload operation at Gaiziunai, Lithuania, Jan. 15.
The receiving of this equipment now makes the Lightning Troop, based out of Vilseck, Germany, fully-mission capable as it begins its rotation in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment recently replaced the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division as U.S. Army Europe's regionally-allocated force.
Senior leaders from 21st Theater Sustainment Command's 16th Sustainment Brigade spent the week of Jan. 19-22 in Washington, D.C., meeting with Congress, Department of Defense officials and leading think tanks to discuss current operations in Europe, focusing on sustainment and logistics and leader development within the theater.
Four Soldiers and one Department of the Army civilian were recognized for their excellence in human resources at Army Europe's 6th Annual Frederick E. Vollrath Awards ceremony, Jan. 28.
Recognized were Capt. Sean Raleigh, U.S. Army NATO Brigade; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Enrius Collazo, 21st Theater Sustainment Command; Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Stephens, 173rd Airborne Brigade; Spc. Travis Chenette, 5th Signal Command; and Dustin Oakes, U.S. Army NATO Brigade.
Capt. Kate Alfin, a Black Hawk pilot with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, headquartered in Ansbach Germany, graduated from NATO's Allied Winter Course at the Norwegian School of Winter Warfare, Jan. 28. Alfin is the first female Soldier from an allied NATO military to complete the course, which took place Jan. 4-30 at the Terningmoen Infantry Training Camp, 140 kilometers northeast of Oslo.
FEBRUARY
Under clearing skies, Polish soldiers, leaders and media gathered to watch both Polish artillerymen as well as artillerymen of C Battery, Field Artillery Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment prepare to fire M777A2 Howitzers, Feb. 10, in Torun, Poland, as part of a joint live fire exercise during exercise Dragoon Shock.
Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, departed for Yavoriv, Ukraine, Feb. 10-14, in support of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, or JMTG-U. The unit focused on developing the Ukrainian Army's ability to conduct defensive operations at a battalion level and defend the sovereignty of their nation.
Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, U.S. Army Europe's commanding general, represented the United States at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) High-Level Military Doctrine Seminar, held in Vienna, Austria, Feb. 16-17. The seminar focused on changes in the military doctrines of participating countries, and the impact of those changes on security.
U.S. Army Europe announced the winners of the U.S. Army Europe-level 2015 Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Public Affairs competition Feb. 24. More than 30 broadcast, print and web products from across the theater won awards. Many products went on to represent the command at the Department of the Army-level competition.
MARCH
Installation Management Command-Europe announced the winners of its 2016 Best Warrior Competition before an audience of Soldiers, leaders and distinguished visitors during a ceremony at Patch Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, March 23.
Spc. Samuel Latimore, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, received Best Warrior Soldier of the Year honors, with Staff Sgt. Brendan Hagens, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, earning the title of Best Warrior Noncommissioned Officer.
Twenty-three allied candidates earned the prestigious Expert Field Medical Badge after a week of grueling testing conducted by U.S. Army Europe and 421st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional) personnel March 24 in Baumholder, Germany.
Candidates who earned the badge came from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's 21st Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 30th Medical Brigade and 18th Military Brigade; as well as the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Regional Health Command - Europe, 2nd Calvary Regiment and the Danish Army's 2nd Medical Coy.
The U.S. government authorized the ordered departure of Defense Department dependents from certain areas of Turkey, March 29. Many families went to the United States or Ramstein Air Base, but five families chose to move to U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, where they received a warm welcome from the installation and its support service organizations.
Closing out March, U.S. European Command announced its European Reassurance Initiative implementation plan. As part of the United States' commitment to increased assurance and deterrence, U.S. Army Europe is set to begin receiving continuous troop rotations of U.S.-based armored brigade combat teams to the European theater beginning in February 2017, bringing the total Army presence in Europe up to three fully-manned Army brigades.
APRIL
The 102nd Signal Battalion Network Enterprise Center was named the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command's NEC of the Year for 2015 on April 5. This is the fourth year in a row that the unit has won the award, carrying on what has become a winning tradition of excellence in network service and customer support.
Sgt. 1st Class Adan L. Barron and Spc. Robert W. McCoy, both of Company D, 80th Civil Affairs Battalion, 85th Civil Affairs Brigade, were presented the Romanian Emblem of Merit "Partner for Defense" (3rd Class) award by Maj. Gen. Dumitru Scarlat, Romanian Land Forces chief of staff, and Brig. Gen. Ovidiu Pop, Romanian 2nd Division deputy commander, during a ceremony at the Romanian Land Forces Combat Training Center in Cincu, Romania, April 7. They were recognized for running to the aid of three Romanians injured in a rollover car accident in March.
While visiting Germany, Gen. David Perkins, commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command said the Army's future training environment is already the present in today's European theater.
"It's an environment that is very unpredictable," Perkins said. "Constant change and the threat of the constant change of the operating environment here is exactly what the Army operating concept was written for. So U.S. Army Europe … has actually helped us visualize what the future (training environment) is going to be like by looking at (Europe's) current operating environment."
The 212th Combat Support Hospital successfully completed a week-long NATO evaluation April 22 that is expected to lead to the unit being the first ever NATO certified combat hospital.
At the end of a week of detailed inspections and tests, the unit was found 'fully capable' or 'capable' in all areas. To ensure the 212th met all NATO operational standards, evaluators from 13 -- Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States along with a member from the SHAPE Medical Branch, conducted an evaluation of all hospital operations.
Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe and Serbia made history in April as they participated in the first ever joint route survey that spanned the entire length of Serbia. The 352-mile survey was part of joint exercise Sapper Shock.
Once again, Troopers assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment received an up close and personal history lesson on the lineage of their regiment by participating in Operation Cowboy, April 30, in the Czech Republic.
The celebration commemorated the 71st anniversary of an operation that took place at the end of World War II in which Alpha Troop, 42nd Cavalry Squadron rescued several hundred Lipizzaner horses from captivity and preserved the lineage of the world-famous breed.
MAY
For most of the month of May, U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment's Regiment Engineer Squadron, and Soldiers from the Republic of Moldova participated in exercise Dragoon Pioneer at Codru Training Area, in order to learn from each other, improve interoperability and build a stronger relationship. In addition to the combined training, the engineering Soldiers worked together on reconstruction projects at the training area.
Soldiers from both Europe- and US-based units spent the month preparing for exercise Anakonda 16 from shooting gunnery with allied and partner nations, to setting the joint operations area by emplacing movement control personnel to provide freedom of movement, to ensuring safety is taken into consideration at the largest exercise of the year.
A German platoon took top honors in the Strong Europe Tank Challenge, a competition that tested offensive and defensive operations and mounted orienteering, May 10-12. Seven platoons from six NATO nations took part in the U.S. Army Europe and German Bundeswehr-sponsored competition. This was the first multinational tank challenge that took place since 1991, and the event fostered military partnership while promoting NATO interoperability.
Closing out a busy month for the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, troopers loaded their last bags, checked their communications, took accountability of equipment and conducted their last preventive maintenance check on their vehicles before they rolled out for Dragoon Ride II, May 27.
JUNE
More than 380 service members from across Europe and affiliated history D-Day units participated in the 72nd anniversary of the invasion of Normandy in early June. EUCOM spearheaded a task force, based in Sainte Mere Eglise, France, to support local events across Normandy to commemorate the selfless actions by all the Allies on D-Day.
U.S. Army Europe welcomed three new generals to the command in a traditional "patch" ceremony, June 2. Arriving were Maj. Gen. Timothy McGuire, the command's deputy commanding general, who was promoted at the ceremony; Maj. Gen. John Gronksi, the command's deputy commanding general for Army National Guard; and Brig. Gen. Timothy Daugherty, the command's deputy chief of staff, G-3.
Exercise Anakonda 16, a Polish-led exercise involving more than 31,000 participants from more than 20 nations, was held throughout Poland, June 7-17. It was a premier training event for U.S. Army Europe and participating nations.
All around Europe, the command's 74th birthday was celebrated June 8 and the U.S. Army's 241st birthday was celebrated June 14, which is also Flag Day.
Nicholas Kaechler, P.E., Office Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineer, U.S. Army Europe, was recognized being awarded the 2015 Outstanding Civilian Award in a ceremony, June 21. He earned the award for his exceptional technical support to U.S. Army Europe's European Reassurance Initiative and other engineer efforts across the European theater.
JULY
The first flight of Soldiers from the 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade, from Fort Bliss, Texas, arrived in Nuremberg, Germany, July 4. The Soldiers make up Task Force Apocalypse, and are operating in U.S. Army Europe as the regionally allocated force intended to augment the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Ansbach, Germany.
An official transfer of authority ceremony from the 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, and the 1st Armored Division took place July 19.
Soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, arrived in Yavoriv, Ukraine, July 9 and immediately got to work in preparation for their five-month long mission at Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine. An official transfer of authority from the 3rd Battalion 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, took place July 16.
On July 11 a helicopter task force of four UH-60L Black Hawks and Soldiers from the Colorado, Utah and Kansas Army National Guards arrived in Illesheim, Germany, to support components of Special Operations Command Europe during training and exercises throughout Europe.
The mission, which lasted several months, allowed National Guard Soldiers the opportunity to strengthen their unit deployment readiness while at the same time augmenting the training of U.S. and partner nation special operations forces.
In mid-July, the 7th Joint Multinational Training Command, headquartered in Grafenwoehr, Germany, returned to its roots and changed its name back to the unit's original designation, the 7th Army Training Command.
Military leaders from the U.S. Army NATO Brigade, U.S. Army Europe and various NATO commands throughout Europe gathered for the 15th annual Senior Army Leaders Meeting July 25-28 in Garmisch, Germany.
Over 150 American, British, German, French, Israeli, Dutch, and Kosovan paratroopers participated in International Jump Week, an annual event conducted to build partnerships through airborne operations, July 25-29.
AUGUST
U.S. Army Europe and the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense signed a cross-service agreement for a long-term lease of 18 heavy equipment transport systems in a ceremony, in Wiesbaden, Germany, Aug. 3. The lease will partially satisfy a shortfall identified and addressed over the last two years, where current U.S. systems cannot operate within many European nations' weight restrictions.
U.S. Army Europe's Band and Chorus represented the U.S. Army with daily performances at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Aug. 5-27, at the historic Edinburgh Castle.
U.S. Army Europe unveiled the region's top troops as the 2016 European Best Warrior Competition reached a thrilling climax before an enthusiastic audience of over 200 Soldiers, leaders and distinguished visitors Aug. 11 at the Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Germany.
The 2016 Junior Officer of the Year is 1st Lt. Kendall Ward of the 173rd Airborne Brigade; the 2016 NCO of the Year is Staff Sgt. Ethan Rodgers of 7th Army Training Command; and the 2016 Junior Soldier of the Year is Spc. Daniel Guenther of 7th ATC. Both Rodgers and Guenther went on to represent U.S. Army Europe at the Department of the Army-level Best Warrior competition, held Sept. 26-Oct. 3 at Fort A.P. Lee, Virginia.
Nearly 200 commanders and senior enlisted leaders met at U.S. Army Europe's headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, to attend the Summer Commander's Conference, Aug. 24-26. The conference brings commanders and senior enlisted leaders from throughout Europe together to discuss operations, readiness and other key issues to enhance the understanding the command's strategic vision.
Lt. Gen Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, officially handed over five field litter ambulances to the Ukrainian armed forces in Yavoriv, Ukraine, Aug. 27. The ambulances, part of the train-and-equip program with Ukraine, were presented to Ukraine's Minister of Health, Dr. Ulana Suprun.
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, cased its colors at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, Aug. 30. The unit was in Eastern Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. It was the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team's third rotation and the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment's second rotation to Europe since March 2015.
SEPTEMBER
More than three hundred vehicles and pieces of equipment arrived in Germany and Belgium in early September, and hundreds more arrived throughout the month, in an effort to setup and maintain additional in-theater vehicles and equipment for potential us by U.S. forces in support of NATO operations and other efforts throughout the region. The equipment is part of the Army Prepositioned Stock program.
Six Swedish service members and one Armenian NCO were the first from their countries to attend and graduate from the Basic Leader's Course at the 7th Army Training Command's Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Sept. 8.
U.S. Army Europe honored units and organizations throughout the European theater for excellence in the areas of maintenance, deployment and supply excellence with a ceremony honoring recipients of the 7th annual Combined Logistics Excellence Awards, Sept. 12.
The ceremony recognized more than 30 logistics organizations from across Europe, was hosted by Maj. Gen. Duane E. Gamble, commanding general 21st Theater Sustainment Command and himself an ordnance officer.
American forward observers participating in Brave Warrior 16 made history, Sept. 21, by being the first to send fire missions to Hungarian artillery. This historic training event would not have been possible if it wasn't for the hard work, dedication, and detailed planning between the 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment Fires Support Element and the 101st Artillery Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, Hungarian Defense Forces Field Artillery Soldiers.
The Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Eric Fanning, met up with the command and staff of the 7th Army Training Command, Sept. 21, while they were on a staff ride to the 72nd anniversary of Operation Market Garden in Holland, Sept. 19-23.
OCTOBER
The International Special Training Centre in Pfullendorf, Germany, debuted a NATO Special Operations Combat Medic pilot course, Oct. 3. The newly developed 22-week course will take international special operations forces and operators with basic combat lifesaver skills and train them to be combat medics who are able to sustain casualties up to 36 hours.
Commanders, senior enlisted advisors and other leaders from U.S. Army Europe helped tell the Strong Europe story at panels, meetings and forums during the annual AUSA conference in Washington, D.C., Oct. 3-5. The conference is one of the largest land power exposition and professional development forums in the United States.
U.S. Army Europe announced it is expanding and building capabilities and capacity for dynamic presence in and around the Black Sea region, especially at the port of Port of Constanta and its logistical and training hubs Camp Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase Romania and Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria.
More than 130 infantrymen assigned to U.S. Army Europe, ally and partner nations earned the coveted Expert Infantry Badge at the training and evaluation hosted by the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Oct. 17-27.
Senior land forces commanders from 38 European nations, the U.S. and Canada discussed opportunities and challenges within Europe at the 24th annual Conference of European Armies held in Wiesbaden, Germany, Oct. 24- 26.
The 569th Human Resources Company, the newest part of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's 16th Sustainment Brigade's 16th Special Troops Battalion, was activated Oct. 25. The unit will provide personnel accountability, casualty liaison, and postal support among other valuable services.
The first prototype Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle, known as the Dragoon, outfitted with a 30mm cannon, was delivered to the Army Oct. 27. The upgraded Stryker vehicle features a new fully-integrated commander's station, upgraded driveline componentry and hull modifications, according to a press release from Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, headquartered in Vilseck, Germany, will field the new vehicle beginning in May 2018.
The largest single Army-run shipment of ammunition to Europe in more than two decades, more than 600 shipping containers worth, arrived in Germany Oct. 29. The ammunition arrived at the port in Nordenham, Germany, where it was loaded onto trains and shipped to Miesau Army Depot, Germany, for storage and distribution.
NOVEMBER
Twenty-one NATO and partner nations attended the second annual NATO Aviation Rotary Wing Summit in Garmisch, Germany, Nov. 1-3. The summit was hosted by the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade and allowed attendees to assess challenges to tactical interoperability, build training opportunities to meet those challenges and to foster trust through formal and social interactions.
The Department of the Army announced the first rotational units to deploy to Europe in support of U.S. Army Europe's efforts to prepare for an increased presence across the European theater to contribute to and strengthen the alliance's deterrence and defense, Nov. 3. The two units coming to Europe are the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Colorado, and the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Drum, New York.
Multinational Battle Group-East welcomed a new team of aviators to their formation during a transfer of authority ceremony, held on Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, Nov. 5, 2016. During the ceremony, the Indiana National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment assumed command of the MNBG-E's southern command post, from the Arizona National Guard's 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment.
The 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, began its movement to Europe, loading the first trains in early November that will send a heavy brigade's worth of tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and other equipment overseas in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
More than 50 senior enlisted leaders representing the U.S. European Command, U.S. African Command, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the Department of the Army attended the 2016 U.S. Army Europe Senior Enlisted Symposium, Nov. 9-10, in Wiesbaden, Germany. Attendees and presenters interacted and shared ideas, plans, communicated recent changes in the U.S. Army and shared best practices.
From the Baltics to Ukraine, Soldiers celebrated Thanksgiving with a taste of home, senior leader visits and competitions with the allied and partner Soldiers they've been training with.
DECEMBER
Soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, began wrapping up their five-month deployment in support of Join Multinational Training Group-Ukraine.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford and his senior enlisted advisor, Army Command Sgt. Maj. John W. Troxell, wrapped up their annual celebrity-filled USO Holiday Tour with Soldiers and families in Grafenwoehr, Germany, the headquarters of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Dec. 8.
A heavy equipment transporter team from the 16th Sustainment Brigade verified main supply routes capable of moving an M1A2 Abrams tank on a HET convoy, Dec. 6-12 that started in Romania en route to Bulgaria.
Soldiers from around U.S. Army Europe joined the thousands of people who followed the footsteps of Allied forces through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium on the city of Bastogne's annual historical walk that commemorates the Battle of the Bulge, Dec. 10. The battle lasted Dec. 16, 1944-Jan. 25, 1945 and is often referred to as the greatest battle in American military history.
U.S. Army Europe named its top career counselors and retention advisors after two days of intense competition, Dec. 12. The 2016 Career Counselor of the Year is Sgt. 1st Class Aimee Fields, a career counselor assigned to the 212th Combat Support Hospital, 30th Medical Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command; and the 2016 Reserve Component Career Counselor of the Year is Sgt. 1st Class Brian Green, a reserve component career counselor assigned to U.S. Army Europe Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion.
U.S. and Estonian military and diplomatic leaders participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for European Reassurance Initiative infrastructure and construction projects at Tapa Military Base, Estonia, Dec. 15. The 27 completed projects will support U.S. and NATO heel-to-toe rotations scheduled to begin in February 2017.
On the same day, U.S. and Dutch military and diplomatic leaders cut a ribbon to officially open the Army Prepositioned Stock site in the Netherlands, which will store and service about 1,600 U.S. Army vehicles. Located at the Eygelshoven Army Depot-BENELUX, the 500,000 square foot storage space is part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will house a brigade's worth of equipment. Three more APS sites are scheduled to open in Europe through 2017, allowing more freedom of movement for the U.S. and its allies.
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