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The United States military is ensuring that members of the U.S. Army are in position and trained to go, if necessary! As tensions continue to rise with Ukraine and Russia, the Pentagon has ordered several soldiers to head overseas. According to the AP News, 3,800 troops from the 1st Armored Brigade of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, based at nearby Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia, have been quickly ordered to deploy and support U.S. forces in Europe amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
With not quite a week to prepare and get their affairs in order, soldiers have hopped onto a plane to Germany, where their mission is to train alongside military units of NATO allies. This mission is geared to show a display of force aimed at deterring further aggression by Russia. Reports indicate it’s similar to the brigade’s role last year during a scheduled rotation in South Korea. Army Staff Sgt. Ricora Jackson spoke out about the process.
“It’s been very hectic and stressful, but overall it’s worked out,” stated Sgt. Jackson. He was one of the dozens of soldiers who boarded a chartered flight at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA. Currently, the Pentagon has ordered about 12,000 service members from various U.S. bases to be stationed in Europe. In addition, a couple of thousands more are already stationed abroad, shifting to other European countries.
While U.S. forces aren’t intervening in Ukraine due to increased tensions in neighboring NATO countries, Sgt. Jackson said this deployment feels different. Maj. Gen. Charles Costanza, the 3rd Infantry’s commander, said the fast deployment garnered mixed impact on morale within the brigade. “They [soldiers] were in the field shooting gunnery when we got the official word that it was time for them to go,” said Maj. Gen. Costanza.
He continued explaining the soldiers and their families were told to expect the deployment to last six months, which could be extended or shortened, depending on developments in Ukraine. He also added, “There is no intent to have any U.S. service member fight in Ukraine.”
Roommates, we will continue to keep ya’ll updated as more developments become available.
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