United States European Command

May 26, 2012

American WWI veterans honored during Memorial Day ceremony

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U.S. and French service members, veterans and civilians honored American World War I veterans during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial.

May 25, 2012

Joint Humanitarian Operations Course Helps Build Connections Before a Disaster Strikes

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Hurricanes, floods, volcano eruptions and other disasters do not wait for humans to get up to speed.

May 25, 2012

NAVEUR-NAVAF Fleet Master Chief Retires After 30 Years

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Fleet Master Chief Bradley LeVault, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Fleet Master Chief, retired following 30 years of loyal service at a ceremony held at the Naval Support Activity Naples in Naples, Italy, May 24.

May 24, 2012

Colorado Airmen, C-130s to participate in commemorative D-Day airdrop

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Airmen and an Air Force Reserve Command C-130 Hercules from Colorado’s 302nd Airlift Wing left here today and will be one of three Air Force Reserve C-130 wings participating in events commemorating the 68th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion of France.

May 24, 2012

493rd EFS flies to protect Iceland's air sovereignty

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The 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is conducting Icelandic air policing missions here until June 7.

May 23, 2012

Monte Kali: More than 1,500 participants take part in international shooting contest

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Bundeswehr Staff Sgt. Eugene Nagel had one main reason for standing in a long line with about 100 other German Soldiers at the 29th International Monte Kali Cup Shooting.

May 22, 2012

This Week in EUCOM History: May 21-27, 1972

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During a week of summit meetings with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and other Soviet officials, the United States and the USSR reached a number of agreements, including one that laid the groundwork for a joint space flight in 1975.

May 22, 2012

Striking Force NATO arrives in Lisbon

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OEIRAS, Portugal – Vice Adm. Frank C. Pandolfe, Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet and Commander, Striking and Support Forces NATO, commemorated the arrival of the NATO command to its new location during a ceremony here May 17.

May 22, 2012

Mass Casualty Drill Brings PE12 Shore Training to a Close

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Service members from Algeria, Greece, Morocco, Turkey and the U.S. teamed up aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56) to conduct a mass casualty drill in support of Exercise Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12) in Souda Bay, Crete, May 18.

May 18, 2012

"I Am Cautiously Optimistic About Afghanistan," NATO Commander-in-Chief James Stavridis talks about the future of the Alliance and its operations in the Hindu Kush

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The American Admiral praised the Europeans for their engagement in the Hindu Kush. But to remain militarily important, they will have to increase their defense spending. And in his last interview before the NATO Summit begins in Chicago Sunday, Admiral Stavridis promised that the (American) partnership with Europe will remain strong.

May 17, 2012

Exercise introduces negotiating tactics to students

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The elective at this Department of Defense Regional Center is one of a handful offered to complete the Program in Advanced Security Studies, a 10-week look at international law and the frame work for the program’s namesake.

May 16, 2012

Enter the Viper Pit: U.S. Army Europe Soldiers teach CLS to Bundeswehr and German police

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U.S. Army Europe Soldiers from the 421nd Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 30th Medical Command, hosted a combat life saver course for Bundeswehr service members from NATO and reserve units, and German Polizei, May 12.

May 16, 2012

RAF Mildenhall hosts European Tanker Symposium

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The 100th Air Refueling Wing hosted the European Tanker Symposium here May 9 through 11with attendees from Royal Air Force 101 Sq., French air force "Bretagne" Sq., Italian air force 14 Wing, Belgium air component, and the 603rd Air and Operations Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

May 14, 2012

V Corps cases colors in Wiesbaden on way to Afghanistan

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"Today is a bittersweet occasion," said Lt. Gen. James Terry, during a casing of the V Corps colors ceremony at the Wiesbaden Fitness Center May 10.

May 12, 2012

PE12 Continues Multinational Training, Promotes Teamwork

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Sailors assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson participated in a multinational training exercise aboard the Hellenic navy training ship Aris at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Center in support of exercise Phoenix Express 2012 in Souda Bay, Crete, May 12.

May 10, 2012

100th Bomb Group veteran shares tales of war

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Albert Lochra, an 86-year-old World War II and 100th Bomb Group veteran, was part of the 100th BG reunion visit to RAF Mildenhall May 7 and 8 - on the 67th anniversary of V-E Day.

May 7, 2012

Phoenix Express 2012 Begins in Souda Bay

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Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12), a multi-national exercise between Southern European, North African and U.S. Naval forces, officially kicked off at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operation Training Center (NMIOTC) in Souda Bay, May 7.

May 7, 2012

This Week in EUCOM History: May 7-13, 1972

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Sabena Flight 571 was a scheduled passenger flight from Vienna to Tel Aviv operated by the Belgian national airline, Sabena. On May 8, 1972 a Boeing 707 passenger aircraft operating that service was hijacked by four terrorists from the Black September organization and landed at Lod Airport (later Ben Gurion International Airport) near Lod.

May 6, 2012

Black Sea Rotational Force 12 Rescues Romanian Family

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Members of the Special-Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task Force Black Sea Rotational force 12 came to the aid of a Romanian family who lost control of their vehicle during a rainstorm on Romanian highway E60. After leaving the road the vehicle penetrated a guardrail and came to rest 500 meters down a steep embankment trapping the family.

May 5, 2012

From the Liberation of Pilsen to NATO Partnerships, Sixty-seven Years of Doing the "Right Thing"

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The people of Pilsen are not the only ones this weekend honoring the World War Two veterans who liberated this city in 1945. Mixed into the crowd, taking in all the exhibits, the food and local culture are modern day soldiers from the U.S. Army Europe, the soldiers who carry the torch today, following in the footsteps of the greatest generation from sixty-seven years ago.

May 25, 2012

Memorial Day: Honoring 60 Years of EUCOM Sacrifices that Kept our Nation Secure

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Memorial Day is a time of reflection for our nation – and especially for our service members – as we honor those who gave their lives so that others may live. However, this year’s Memorial Day is even more significant, as August 1, 2012 marks the 60th anniversary of the inception of U.S. European Command (EUCOM).

May 23, 2012

Commitment to 2014 and Beyond

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As the North Atlantic Council finished up the 25th Summit it is clearly evident that it was a summit of commitment. The Alliance made the commitment to complete transition in Afghanistan and to support Afghans in achieving a stable future. It also made the commitment to ensuring NATO is capable of dealing with 21st century challenges, as well as the commitment to further strengthen connections with our global partners. Most importantly, the Chicago Summit demonstrated our commitment to each other - the unbreakable bond between North America and Europe, which remains the bedrock of our security.

May 22, 2012

A Doorway to Education and Opportunities in Romania

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Recently, EUCOM partnered with the City and the County Education Department to renovate $380K worth of doors, flooring, windows, interior walls, electrical fixtures and construct playground cover for Pinocchio, Lumea Prichindeilor, and Armonia elementary schools.

May 17, 2012

Cyber Defense Partnerships Lead to Lasting Relationships

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Increasing our partners’ cyber defense postures to protect and defend against threats and vulnerabilities which disrupt free use of the global information grid is a top priority here at EUCOM where we are committed to building enduring cyber defense partnerships with Albania and other NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries.

May 16, 2012

Smart Civic Engagement in Latvia

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On Monday, Judy Garber, U.S. Ambassador to Latvia; members of the U.S. Embassy in Riga and EUCOM; the Latvian Ministry of Interior (State Fire and Rescue Service) and National Guard members; and local government officials broke ground on a EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance project modernizing eight fire and rescue stations in Latvia.

May 14, 2012

Twenty Great Novels for Summer Reading

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As we head into the summer, I went back to some of the great reads of the last century in fiction. Some are famous and well known to generations of high school and college students -- but might deserve a re-read. Others are less well known to broad audiences.

April 30, 2012

Sailing on to the NATO Chicago Summit

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We've just concluded the two big warm-up events that have brought into focus what we'll be doing at the NATO Summit in mid-May, scheduled to be held in Chicago.

April 25, 2012

Happy 60th Birthday to Baden-Württemberg, EUCOM’s Partner and Host

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Today, Baden-Württemberg (BW), Germany celebrates the 60th anniversary of officially becoming a state. I heartily congratulate them on this historic occasion.

April 23, 2012

Words and Swords

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Francois Bellon, the Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross to both the EU and NATO, visted the command last week, the first senior ICRC visit to EUCOM in nearly two decades.

April 18, 2012

The 21st Century Force Multiplier: Public-Private Collaboration

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The Department of Defense and most other U.S. government agencies are also looking for ways to improve effectiveness and efficiencies by reaching out to collaborate with private businesses, non-profit organizations and academia. EUCOM has already been working on initiatives like this for some time in areas such as cyber-security, communications, and humanitarian assistance, among others.

April 17, 2012

Risks, Opportunities, and Open Source Security

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In the world of security, we are generally focused on "risk." We worry about the chances of war, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the likelihood of a ballistic missile attack, or the possibility of a biologic contagion. Understanding risk allows us to calculate how much we should spend on defense compared to what our potential opponents are spending.

April 10, 2012

Final Four and Interagency

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As I followed the Final Four I was reminded that there were four common requirements necessary both for this basketball tournament and for interagency partnering, my line of work at US European Command (EUCOM).

March 28, 2012

Connecting public and private efforts to create security in the 21st century

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I'm thinking about how to connect public and private efforts to create security. In this turbulent 21st century, security is not about creating walls. We won't deliver a secure world strictly from the barrel of a gun.

March 13, 2012

First-Ever Regional Cyber Endeavor Seminar Held in Montenegro

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I spent last week in the warm and hospitable city of Podgorica, Montenegro, with a EUCOM team executing the first-ever regional Cyber Endeavor event.

March 2, 2012

LOGEX 13: workshop in wintery Montenegro

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For this, the second of five scheduled LOGEX workshops, we drove to a training center in Danilovgrad, Montenegro, to meet with 17 Montenegro military personnel and observers from Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan and Serbia.

February 24, 2012

Cyber Endeavor 2012 – Building Cyber Defense Capacity in our Partner Nations

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Shaun Cavanaugh here again to give you an update on what’s been going on with Cyber Endeavor since my last update in June of last year.

February 23, 2012

Prepping for Congressional Testimony

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One of the most important things I do each year is to testify in front of the US Congress. I'm at home this weekend preparing carefully for this annual opportunity to lay out the challenges, linkages, and initiatives of U.S. European Command.

February 18, 2012

The future of U.S. forces in Europe

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The United States and European militaries have a history of enduring partnerships and respect based on mutual core values and ideals including democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, and the right to liberty and justice for all.

February 17, 2012

Happy Birthday, Lithuania!

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Lithuania is a steadfast ally and friend of the United States. Also, US European Command is a bilateral partner with Lithuania’s new national Energy Security Center

February 13, 2012

Back From Afghanistan

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As always, Afghanistan presents a mixed picture; but I remain cautiously optimistic that we can execute our planned transition to Afghan security responsibility across the country by the end of 2014. We are continuing to build on a successful 2011 from a security perspective.

May 22, 2012

A cemetery in Margraten

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When a service member dies overseas it’s tradition to bring the body back to the home front. But, during WWII that wasn’t always an option. Many troops are laid to rest in American cemeteries throughout Europe. SGT Joshua Blair tells us how service members are cared for here at the American cemetery in Margraten, Natherlands.

May 22, 2012

The Henri-Chapelle Cemetery

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Several American service members have paid the ultimate sacrifice...many being laid to rest in American cemeteries throughout Europe. A1C Benjamin Landon tells us about one cemetery that remembers these fallen heroes.

May 18, 2012

European Tanker Symposium

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NATO forces must work together during global military conflicts and seamless integration isn’t possible without training and an exchange of ideas. Enter the European Tanker Symposium; where members of the Royal Air Force as well as Italian, French, and Belgian air forces talk shop to increase NATO’s Air Power. SSgt Lance Daigle reports.

May 18, 2012

USS Cole drops anchor in Rota, Spain

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It’s been almost a dozen years since the USS Cole bombing. The destroyer recently pulled into Rota, Spain, to showcase its advanced weapons systems and visitors to the ship are finding out she’s more powerful than ever. Petty Officer Ryan Seelbach has the story.

May 17, 2012

Maritime partnership

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Nobody performs combat on the sea better than the Marines. Seaman Brent Pyfrom reports from Souda Bay, Crete, on how the Greek service members benefit from this kind of training with the United States.

May 17, 2012

Precious cargo

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Shoving a helicopter into the belly of a C-17 Globemaster is not an easy task, especially when the helo belongs to a partner nation. SSgt Lana Mills takes us to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, for the details.

May 15, 2012

Keeping jets in the air

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Bulgarian and American pilots are honing their skills at Exercise Thracian Star. Before they can take to the sky, there’s some prep work on the ground that needs to be done. Robert Sekula has more.

May 14, 2012

The ability to communicate

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Exercise Thracian Star allows the U.S. and Bulgarian Air Forces to train together. But before pilots can take to the skies the communication between the two nations needs to be locked in tight.

May 11, 2012

The 172nd Infantry Brigade recently returned from Afghanistan.

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After a year-long deployment, nothing feels as good as being in the loving arms of family. The 172nd Infantry Brigade recently returned from Afghanistan. SGT Chris Jackson, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, tells us just what they came home to.

May 11, 2012

USAREUR Band and Chorus, Chiperceni Middle School, Moldova

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The U.S. Army Europe Band and Chorus played to enthusiastic audiences in Chisinau and Balti over the weekend. On Monday, the band split into smaller groups and visited three Moldovan schools and one orphanage in Straseni, Congaz and Singerei, performing for an estimated 1,400 very appreciative children.

May 9, 2012

Setting up save landing zones for Airbornes

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U.S. Army pathfinders make up a small part of the military. They undergo intense training to make sure they always accomplish their mission. SGT Benjamin Boggess explains.

May 9, 2012

Serving as Ambassadors

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The joint training exercise Thracian Star, in Bulgaria, provides more than an opportunity for bilateral Air Force training. Robert Sekula explains.

May 2, 2012

President Obama Speaks on Ending the War in Afghanistan

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President Obama addresses the nation from Afghanistan after signing a historic agreement between the United States and Afghanistan that defines a new kind of relationship between our countries -- a future in which Afghans are responsible for the security of their nation, we build an equal partnership between two sovereign states, and a future in which the war ends, and a new chapter begins.

April 13, 2012

Training allied nurses for deployment

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NATO allies often train together to strengthen their skills and enhance our ability to work side by side. A1C Shane Mitchell tells us about a class in Landstuhl, Germany, that helps prepare Belgian nurses to be ready for any emergency situation.

April 10, 2012

Navy aviators share skills with Italian air force academy cadets

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We head to Naples, Italy, where members of the Air Force are sharing their skills and experience with their counterparts from the Italian air force academy.

April 10, 2012

Hit the deck

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Getting the mission done is easier with help from our partner nations. A1C Erin Mills takes us to RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom where U.S. helicopter pilots and members of the Royal Navy teamed up to take on one of the most difficult kinds of landings.

April 10, 2012

U.S. Ambassador to Italy visits Dal Molin construction site

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The construction of a new military installation in Italy has caught the attention of one very special person. SPC Adam Dineen tells us more.

April 5, 2012

Agile Spirit 2012

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Service members have a knack for overcoming and adapting. SSgt Nathan Parry tells us how 250 Marines handled training Georgian Soldiers during exercise "Agile Spirit 2012". It meant overcoming the language barrier and a few snags courtesy of "Mother Nature."

April 4, 2012

Third Air Force has a new Boss

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The 3rd Air Force has a new boss. Lt Gen Craig Franklin assumes command after a tour at the Pentagon as the Vice Director of the Joint Staff. SSgt Paul Gonzales has more from Ramstein Air Base.

March 30, 2012

City of Culture

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We head to Mannheim, Germany, where a community gathers to discuss the evolution of their city following a half-century of American military presence. SSG Jarrett Simpkins has the story.

May 25, 2012

Francois Hollande announces French troop withdrawal in Kabul visit

(AFP) - French President Francois Hollande arrived in Kabul today for talks with his Afghan counterpart and to tell French troops why he will pull them out of the war-torn country by the end of 2012 - two years ahead of NATO allies.

May 25, 2012

Strong quake hits Norwegian Sea: USGS

(IANS) - An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted Norwegian Sea Thursday, the US. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

May 25, 2012

Russia asks US for return of convicted pilot

(AFP) - Russia has asked the United States for the return of a pilot who was convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced by a US court to 20 years in prison, the Russian justice minister said Thursday.

May 23, 2012

Afghans back Chicago deal, warn West to keep promises

(Reuters) - People in Afghanistan were surprisingly optimistic on Tuesday about NATO's plan to pull combat troops out of their war-ravaged nation by the end of 2014, but warned Western leaders to stick to aid and security promises.

May 23, 2012

NATO summit brings BMD details into focus

(DoD Buzz) - Europe has “interim operational capability” on its American missile defense shield, alliance leaders agreed on Sunday. They also answered some — but not all — of the pressing questions about how it might actually work in practice.

May 23, 2012

Armenia, US sign agreement on border security

(News.am) - Armenia’s Deputy FM Ashot Hovakimyan and US Ambassador John Heffern signed, on Tuesday at the MFA, the agreement “On Cooperation, between the Armenian National Security Service and the US Department of Defense, toward Assistance in the Field of Border Security and Prevention of the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction.”

May 23, 2012

Keep calm and tweet: Bulgarians turn to blogs for quake info

(AFP) — Twitter's ubiquitous "Keep calm and tweet on" poster caption acquired new meaning for quake-hit Bulgarians Tuesday.

May 22, 2012

Military to take charge of air space for Olympics

(AFP) - Military is to take charge of London's airspace for the first time since 1945 as part of the huge security operation set up to police the Olympic Games, according to The Times.

May 22, 2012

Bus with students falls off Albania cliff; 12 die

(AP) — A bus carrying university students on a pre-graduation trip toppled off a mountain cliff in southern Albania, killing 12 people and injuring another 21, authorities said.

May 22, 2012

Pilgrims allowed back into Azerbaijan monastery

(AP) — Pilgrims to one of former Soviet Georgia's most renowned monasteries, part of which lies in Azerbaijan, are again able to visit the entire complex after an agreement between two countries.

May 22, 2012

Moderate 5.6 magnitude earthquake shakes Bulgaria near capital Sofia

(AP) - - The U.S. Geological Survey says a moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck near the Bulgarian capital of Sofia early Tuesday. There are no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage.

May 22, 2012

NATO releases sweeping Chicago Summit Declaration

(Xinhua) -- NATO on early Monday morning released a sweeping summit declaration adopted by heads of state and government as they gathered for the security bloc's summit in Chicago.

May 21, 2012

Strong quake kills 4 in Italy cheese region

(AP) — A magnitude-6.0 earthquake shook several small towns in northeast Italy, killing four people, knocking down a clock tower and other centuries-old buildings and causing millions in losses to the region known for making Parmesan cheese.

May 21, 2012

Nationalist wins Serb presidential runoff

(AP) — Nationalist candidate Tomislav Nikolic won the Serbian presidency on Sunday, a result that adds to the political turmoil in the Balkan country and could slow down its attempts to join the European Union.

May 21, 2012

Cameron calls for euro contingency plans

(Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron urged countries on Saturday to put in place strong contingency plans to deal with fallout from the euro zone debt crisis as fears grow that Greece could be forced out of the European single currency.

May 18, 2012

US stresses future France role in Afghanistan

(AFP) - The United States stressed Thursday that France would still contribute to the NATO operation in Afghanistan, despite new President Francois Hollande's promise to withdraw combat troops this year.

May 18, 2012

US to bolster Israel's anti-rocket shield: Panetta

(AFP) - The United States plans to bolster an Israeli anti-rocket system with $70 million in assistance this year and more funding is likely in the future, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday.

May 18, 2012

Russian opposition leader sentenced to 10 days

(AP) - A prominent Russian opposition leader was sentenced Thursday to 10 days in jail, a day after being arrested at a rally as activists try to keep up the pressure on President Vladimir Putin and his government.

May 16, 2012

Moscow police detain 23 breaking up protest

(AFP) - Moscow police detained 23 people on Wednesday breaking up an eight-day occupy protest that sprung up on a scenic square following strongman Vladimir Putin's swearing in for a third Kremlin term.

May 16, 2012

IDF Considering Iron Dome Deployment Near Eilat

The IDF is preparing a launch site for the Iron Dome rocket-defense system near Eilat ahead of the possibility that the system will be deployed there if terrorists in Sinai increase their rocket fire into the Red Sea resort town.

May 15, 2012

Russia Warns Against Training Syrian Rebels in Kosovo

(RIA Novosti) - The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday urged international bodies operating in Kosovo to prevent the region from turning into a training ground for Syrian rebels.

May 15, 2012

Hunger strikers ink deal with Israel to end mass fast

(AFP) - Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike agreed a deal with Israel on Monday to end their fast in return for an easing of their conditions, officials on both sides said.

May 15, 2012

EU decides to 'wait-and-see' on Ukraine football boycott

(AFP) - The European Union failed to agree Monday on whether to call a political boycott of the Ukraine half of the Euro 2012 football championships as Kiev demanded Brussels listen to its point of view.

May 15, 2012

Russia says killed 7 Islamist militants - agencies

Reuters) - Security forces killed seven Islamist militants in Russia's turbulent southern region of Dagestan, news agencies quoted its top anti-terror agency as saying on Monday.

May 15, 2012

NATO Summit to Focus on Afghanistan, Missile Defense

(AFPS) - Afghanistan will top the agenda items at the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago as coalition members consider an agreement on a long-term strategic partnership that promotes security and stability there, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe reported.

May 14, 2012

NATO chief determined to move ahead with missile shield

(AFP) - The NATO chief expressed the Western alliance's determination to push ahead with building a missile defense system, following what he called the first successful comprehensive test of the concept.

May 14, 2012

NATO to Conduct Mine Clearing Drills off Estonia Coast

(RIA Novosti) - NATO will begin its Open Spirit 2012 mine clearing exercises in Estonia’s territorial waters on Monday, the country’s defense authorities said.

May 14, 2012

Russian writers lead 10,000 on opposition march

(AFP) - About 10,000 people, including several acclaimed writers, joined a march against Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, the biggest rally since his inauguration to a third term last week.