U.S. troops train in Eastern Europe

After more than a decade spent fighting Islamic insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Army is scrambling to relearn Cold Warera skills to confront potential threats from Russia here in Eastern Europe, territory formerly defended by the Soviet army.

The adjustments to the new threats are wide ranging. Hundreds of desert-tan battle tanks and armored fighting vehicles must be repainted dark green to blend into European terrain.

Soldiers accustomed to operating from large, secure bases in Iraq and Afghanistan must now practice using camouflage netting to disguise their positions and dispersing into smaller groups to avoid sophisticated surveillance drones that could direct rocket or missile attacks against personnel or command posts.

A 10-day exercise last month involving 25,000 U.S. and allied forces spread across three former Warsaw Pact countries — Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria — offered a window into how a generation of senior Army commanders are rehearsing updated tactics and strategies once used to counter Soviet troops, tanks and artillery.

The commanders are training a younger force that has mainly faced terrorist foes in the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

“We have to figure out how to adapt to this new environment,” said Col. Clair A. Gill, who commands the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Drum, New York.

“I don’t think we’re there yet.”