A soldier assigned to 46th Aviation Support Battalion, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, pulls security at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. on Jan. 28, 2022. U.S. Army / Capt. Kyle Abraham
The Army Brief: European deployment; Equipment stockpiles; Vaccine refusers booted; and more...
Welcome to The Army Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the service’s future.
Troop movements to Europe. 3,000 U.S. troops are heading to Poland, Romania, and Germany as Russia continues to build its forces along the Ukrainian border, Defense One reports. The troops are in addition to the 8,500 already on ready to deploy orders if NATO activates its response force.
Equipment at the ready. The Army’s prepositioned stock in Europe is ready for soldiers deploying there to draw from, allowing them to move rapidly without waiting for their gear, Defense One reports. The equipment is in warehouses in four countries and includes trucks, tanks, and other supplies.
Separating soldiers for vaccine refusal. The Army is starting to kick out thousands of soldiers who have refused the COVID-19 vaccination and not received an exemption, Defense One reports. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth’s directive calls for commanders to process a soldier’s separation “as expeditiously as possible.”
Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On this day in 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the Bronze Star Medal. Col. Russell Reeder thought of the idea of the medal a year earlier for ground troops in the same vein as the Air Medal for airmen.
From Defense One
ISIS Leader Dead After US Raid in Syria, Biden Says // Jacqueline Feldscher
A U.S. helicopter malfunctioned and was intentionally destroyed during the mission, officials say.
DOD Debuts Office to Help It 'Move Faster' on Artificial Intelligence // Brandi Vincent
Two memos clarify the goals of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, which was created to coordinate AI efforts across DOD.
What China Is Actually Saying About Russia and Ukraine // Daniel Shatsand Peter W. Singer
Bits of pro-Russian rhetoric are a far cry from substantive support—or preparations for an invasion of Taiwan.