Beginning in early January 2017, the U.S. Army’s 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division (3/4 ABCT) will deploy to Poland and establish its brigade headquarters in Żagań. The brigade will also deploy to NATO’s other eastern member countries in order to enhance deterrence, increase interoperability, and meet U.S. commitments to NATO Allies. The 3/4 ABCT will first assemble in Poland and then units will spread out to other Allied countries throughout the region. The full 3/4 ABCT deployment in the region amounts to over 4,000 troops and 2,000 vehicles, including tanks, armored personnel carriers, supply trucks, and trailers. A significant portion of the troops and equipment will remain garrisoned at Polish military bases in Żagań, Świętoszów, Skwierzyna and Bolesławiec. The troops will conduct training and exercises in Poland and other countries for nine months, and will then be replaced by units of the same size.
The purpose of this deployment is to move from an assurance to deterrence posture in order to be able to respond to potential crises and to assist in the defense of our Allies and partners in Europe. The arrival of American troops is also a fulfillment of the United States’s 2016 and 2014 NATO Summit (held in Warsaw, Poland and Newport, Wales respectively) commitments to enhance regional security.
The arrival of the 3/4 ABCT also begins a new phase of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is the United States’s military action to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the security of NATO Allies on air, land, and sea. Their arrival marks the beginning of continuous back-to-back rotations of U.S. troops and equipment to Poland and the region. Since April 2014, U.S. Army Europe has led land force efforts on behalf of the U.S. military, by conducting continuous, enhanced multinational training and security cooperation activities with Poland and other Allies and partners in Central and Eastern Europe. In addition to Poland, these multinational training and security cooperation activities are also taking place in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. They aim to improve interoperability, strengthen relationships and trust among Allied armies, contribute to regional stability, and demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO. It is also a demonstration of continued U.S. dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region.
The U.S. 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division deploys from Fort Carson, Colorado. The 3/4 ABCT is commanded by Col. Christopher R. Norrie. This initiative is funded by the U.S. Government’s European Reassurance Initiative.
