Texas soldiers test rapid deployment

BERLIN — More than 300 U.S. soldiers arrived Thursday in Germany from their base in Texas in the first test of a new American strategy to rapidly deploy U.S.-based troops to Europe to bolster the NATO deterrent against possible Russian aggression.

The soldiers, from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division, based in Fort Bliss, were part of a group of 1,500 to arrive this week in Berlin on charter aircraft, and are on their way to Poland for maneuvers with forces there.

They were given orders to move out only about a week ago. The Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and other equipment they will be using are being moved in from the Netherlands.

The soldiers were welcomed at Berlin’s Tegel airport by U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell, U.S. Maj. Gen. John Gronski and Maj. Gen. Carsten Breuer from the German military.

“The purpose is really all about readiness, building readiness, and also inter-operability with our NATO allies such as Germany and Poland, two very essential allies in the NATO alliance,” said Gronski.

The 1st Armored Division was based in southern Germany for decades during the Cold War and was the last American division to return to the U.S. in 2011 as Washington decided to focus on smaller, lighter units meant to be able to react more nimbly to modern threats.