United States European Command
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United States European Command |
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|---|---|
 United States European Command emblem |
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| Lineup | August 1, 1952 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Armed forces | United States Armed Forces of America |
| Armed forces | (comprehensive) |
| Type | Geographical Combatant Command |
| Subordinate troops | |
| Strength | approx. 1000 (rod only) |
| Insinuation | DoD |
| Patch Barracks (HQ EUCOM / ECPA) | Stuttgart |
| motto |
Stronger Together ( Stronger Together ) |
| Commander | |
| Commander | General Tod D. Wolters , United States Air Force |
| Deputy Commander | Lt. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty, United States Army |
| Civilian Deputy to the Commander and Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) to the US European Command | Ambassador Philip T. Reeker |
The United States European Command ( USEUCOM or EUCOM ; German European Command of the United States ) is one of eleven Unified Combatant Commands of the armed forces of the United States .
It is based in the Patch Barracks (formerly Kurmärker Kaserne) in Stuttgart-Vaihingen and was the only US command outside the United States until the US Africa Command was established in 2007. In 2007, around 72,000 soldiers were under the command of EUCOM.
The chain of command runs from the US President via the Secretary of Defense to the EUCOM commander.
history
The United States European Command was established on August 1, 1952 as part of the Unified Command System created by the United States Department of Defense in 1947 and rebuilt in 2001 . It was conceived as the successor to the US Forces, European Theater (USFET), which was established after the Second World War but was still established in 1945, with its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main . The National Command Authority ( NCA ) has operational control over these regional commands .
First housed in the IG-Farben building in Frankfurt am Main for two years, the USFET headquarters moved to Heidelberg in 1947 to the Großdeutschland barracks (on August 23, 1948, this was renamed Campbell Barracks ) and was renamed on March 15, 1947 reclassified to the European Command (EUCOM). A new, cross-armed headquarters (USEUCOM) was then founded on August 1, 1952 in Frankfurt am Main and finally relocated to Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the Camp des Loges near Paris . At the same time, the EUCOM headquarters in Heidelberg was renamed United States Army, Europe ( USAREUR ), which was then renamed again on December 1, 1966 to Headquarters, United States Army, Europe, and Seventh Army (HQ USAREUR / 7A) . After all US troops had to leave France in accordance with Charles de Gaulle's demands in 1966 , a new location was needed. Since March 14, 1967, the headquarters has been in the Patch Barracks in Stuttgart-Vaihingen .
In 2004, the US operated around 500 bases in Europe, including just over 200 military airfields and associated facilities. In 1990 there were 47 larger US bases in the Federal Republic of Germany alone, including ten air force bases. By 2005, 21 bases had been closed, nine were kept in full size and the rest were downsized. Of the last two major units in Germany, only the 1st US Armored Division remains since the 1st US Infantry Division was relocated to Fort Riley , Kansas in July 2006 and a brigade of the 1st US Armored Division followed it to the same base a little later .
At the end of the transformation, only the airmobile 2nd US Cavalry Regiment , then possibly in brigade strength, in Vilseck , the 173rd US Airborne Brigade in Vicenza and two F-16 squadrons in the Aviano Air Base ( stay in Italy). New installations of the National Missile Defense missile defense system are being built .
This is how the change takes place from the dominant armored troops, who were supposed to fight a war with the Warsaw Pact in Europe, to units that can be quickly relocated to all regions of the world. In addition, Europe will continue to maintain efficient bases for supplying US troops in Europe, Africa and West Asia with supplies, for training soldiers and for medical care.
New bases in Eastern Europe
A number of Eastern European countries are among the regions within the EUCOM area in which troops are to be increased despite the overall reduction in troops. The USA had already stationed troops in Romania during the Third Gulf War , but they withdrew in 2003. In 2004 the Romanian government offered the USA the renewed use of the Mihail Kogălniceanu military airfield and the nearby port facilities in Constanța , as well as the naval port of Mangalia and a training facility in Babadag . On December 6, 2005, the two states signed a contract that provides for the establishment of a forward operating site . In addition to Kogălniceanu Airport, which is the only base with a permanent crew of around 100 men, and Babadag, US troops are said to use facilities in Cincu and Smârdan . For Bulgaria, see United States military bases in Bulgaria . The Southeast European countries are of particular interest to the USA because of their proximity to the current hot spots in the Middle East .
The Polish government has been trying to get US bases on its territory since the end of 2003. So far the USA has not responded to these offers and is only considering Poland and the Czech Republic as NMD locations.
Russia criticizes the US military presence in the former Warsaw Pact states as a threat to its own security. The host governments welcomed the stationing as an opportunity to lean more closely to NATO and protect oneself from Russia's drive for power. However, there is also resistance to the US stationing in the opposition and the population of the states concerned, especially in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Mission and responsibility
- EUCOM maintains operational armed forces to carry out operations in full, alone or in cooperation with the coalition partners
- Increasing transatlantic security through support from NATO
- Ensure regional stability
- War on terrorism
- Representing US interests in the region
The area of responsibility until 2008 comprised all military actions of the USA in Europe , most of Africa and the Asian part of Russia . In October 2008 AFRICOM took over this task for all of Africa with the exception of Egypt.
The command was responsible for the American military presence during numerous operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom , Operation Joint Guardian JTF Falcon ( KFOR presence in Kosovo ), Operation Allied Forces JTF Noble Anvil (air operations at the beginning of the Kosovo War) and Operation Restore Hope ( Supporting US security efforts in Somalia ).
Subordinate commands and units
- 7th US Army or US Army Europe (USAREUR)
- US Air Forces Europe (USAFE)
- US Naval Forces Europe (USNAVEUR)
- US Marine Corps Forces Europe (MARFOREUR)
- US Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR)
- Task Force Eagle [KFOR]
- Joint Analysis Center in Molesworth , UK
- US National Military Representative to SHAPE
- Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) in Berlin , branch in Bonn (belongs to the US embassy in Germany )
The major part of the troops under EUCOM are the 7th US Army, the 6th US Fleet, and the 3rd and 16th Air Force .
7th Army / US Army Europe
The Sixth Fleet the US Navy is inserted in the Mediterranean and so forms the southern edge of the NATO . She is u. a. responsible for protection against terrorist attacks by sea through the Strait of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal .
The flagship and headquarters of the Sixth Fleet is the USS Mount Whitney , based in Gaeta (Italy). The fleet consists of about 40 ships, 175 aircraft and 24,000 men in combat (12,000) and support units ( 12,000), which consist of at least one carrier group , an amphibious group, a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), a logistics group and a U- Split boot group.
In times of crisis, the Sixth Fleet can be subordinated to other units. For example, during the invasion of Iraq , the fleet had two carrier combat groups , each led by the aircraft carriers USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Harry S. Truman , and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the USS Iwo Jima and more than 150 aircraft were subordinate to them.
3rd and 17th Air Fleet of the US Air Force
The 3rd US Air Force ( Third Air Force ) on Ramstein Air Base in Germany, together with the 17th Air Force, which is also stationed there, but which forms the air component of the US Africa Command , and other units form the US Air Forces Europe (USAFE ). USAFE's troop strength was greatly reduced after the Cold War and today forms a pool of air units that are strategically more favorable for EUCOM operations than air bases in the United States .
In 2005 the USAFE had a staff of around 42,000 men, including 26,000 airmen, 400 reservists and 5,700 civilian employees.
The equipment includes around 175 F-15 "Eagle" , F-16 "Falcon" , A-10 "Thunderbolt II" , 30 transport aircraft of the C-9 "Nightingale" , C-21 "Dolphin" , C- 130 “Hercules” , 15 tanker aircraft KC-135 “Stratotanker” and some helicopters HH-60 “Blackhawk” .
At the end of 2005 the Rhein-Main Air Base was closed and 2/3 of its capacities were relocated to Ramstein and 1/3 to Spangdahlem as part of the Rhein-Main Transition Program . Since then, Frankfurt Airport has been using the freed-up capacities.
The headquarters of USAFE has been Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach since 1973 , the largest air base for American troops outside the USA. Before that, the headquarters was stationed in Erbenheim .
The subordinate units of the USAFE in detail:
Germany: 3rd US Air Force
- Ramstein Air Base - 435th Air Ground Operations Wing , 86th Airlift Wing , 401st Air Expeditionary Group
- Spangdahlem Air Base - 52nd Fighter Wing
- Kapaun Air Station - Kisling Noncommissioned Officer Academy
17th U.S. Air Fleet
- no own units; Support from 3rd US Air Force
Great Britain:
- RAF Lakenheath - 48th Fighter Wing
- RAF Mildenhall - 100th Air Refueling Wing
- RAF Alconbury - 501st Combat Support Wing
Italy:
- Aviano Air Base - 31st Fighter Wing
Iceland:
- Keflavík Air Station - 85th Group
Portugal:
- Lajes Air Station - 65th Air Base Wing
Turkey:
- Incirlik Air Base - 39th Air Base Wing
Norway:
- Stavanger - 426th Air Base Squadron
Spain:
- Moron Air Base - 712th Air Base Group
guide
Rod
General Tod Wolters has been in command since May 2, 2019. At the same time, the commander of EUCOM is also the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) of NATO and thus has supreme command over all NATO operations.
Commander
| No. | Surname | image | Beginning of the appointment | End of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18th | General Tod D. Wolters ( USAF ) |
|
2nd May 2019 | --- |
| 17th | General Curtis M. Scaparrotti ( USA ) |
|
May 3, 2016 | 2nd May 2019 |
| 16 | General Philip M. Breedlove (USAF) |
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May 10, 2013 | May 3, 2016 |
| 15th | Admiral James G. Stavridis ( USN ) |
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June 30, 2009 | May 10, 2013 |
| 14th | General Bantz J. Craddock (USA) |
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4th December 2006 | June 30, 2009 |
| 13 | General James L. Jones ( USMC ) |
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January 16, 2003 | 4th December 2006 |
| 12 | General Joseph W. Ralston (USAF) |
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May 2, 2000 | January 16, 2003 |
| 11 | General Wesley K. Clark (USA) |
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July 10, 1997 | May 2, 2000 |
| 10 | General George A. Joulwan (USA) |
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October 21, 1993 | July 10, 1997 |
| 9 | General John M. Shalikashvili (USA) |
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June 23, 1992 | October 21, 1993 |
| 8th | General John R. Galvin (USA) |
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June 25, 1987 | 5th June 1992 |
| 7th | General Bernard W. Rogers (USA) |
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June 27, 1979 | June 25, 1987 |
| 6th | General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. (USA) | 1st November 1974 | June 27, 1979 | |
| 5 | General Andrew J. Goodpaster (USA) |
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5th May 1969 | 1st November 1974 |
| 4th | General Lyman L. Lemnitzer (USA) |
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November 1, 1962 | 5th May 1969 |
| 3 | General Lauris Norstad (USAF) |
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November 20, 1956 | November 1, 1962 |
| 2 | General Alfred M. Gruenther (USA) |
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July 11, 1953 | November 20, 1956 |
| 1 | General Matthew B. Ridgway (USA) |
|
August 1, 1952 | July 11, 1953 |
See also
literature
- Zdzislaw Lachowski: Foreign Military Bases in Eurasia, SIPRI Policy Paper No. June 18, 2007. PDF file
Web links
- The US European Command official website (English)
- General information about the US European Command (English)
- Complete list of EUCOM operations ( Memento of July 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.eucom.mil/civilian-deputy-to-the-commander-polad
- ↑ see: withdrawal of American troops from France
- ↑ See 1ad.army.mil ( Memento from July 15, 2008 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on August 15, 2008
- ↑ : (translation from the official EUCOM website)
- ↑ Office of Defense Cooperation ( Memento of the original from September 5, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , US Embassy and Consulates in Germany
United States Army Europe (USAREUR) |
United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) |
United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) |
Marine Corps Forces Europe-Africa (MARFOREUR / AF) |
US Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR)
Regional commands
US Northern Command |
US Central Command |
US European Command |
US Indo-Pacific Command |
US Southern Command |
US Africa Command |
US Space Command (since 2019)
Functional commands
US Special Operations Command |
US Strategic Command |
US Transportation Command |
US Cyber Command
Former
US Atlantic Command (1947–1999) |
US Joint Forces Command (1999-2011) |
US Strike Command (1961–1972) |
US Readiness Command (1972-1987) |
US Space Command (1985-2002)