WASHINGTON — President Bush has approved what officials are describing as the most significant reorganization of American ground forces since World War II, signing off on a plan that will keep more troops than previously envisioned in Europe and add large numbers of soldiers to bases in Colorado, Georgia and Texas, Army officials said Wednesday.
The basing plan unveiled Wednesday is the final step in a detailed program for deciding where an army that is scheduled to grow by 65,000 will live and train for years to come. It significantly changes the military footprint that existed before terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and also alters a plan adopted with great fanfare by the Pentagon in 2004.
Specifically, the Army will keep one heavy brigade in Germany until 2012 and another until 2013 rather than rapidly reducing Army forces in Europe, as originally planned. Even after the return of those two brigades to the United States, two brigades will remain in Europe — one in Germany and one in Italy — along with a large contingent of service and support personnel. Altogether, the Army will sustain a total of 37,191 troops on the continent.
The commitment for thousands of extra troops in Europe was advocated as necessary to sustain training and other exercises with foreign militaries and as a hedge against risks to American security. In addition, their new housing was not yet ready at bases in the United States.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/washington/19cnd-army.html?_r=2&ref=us&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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