Officials from the Pentagon announced Friday the deployment of more elements from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) out of Fort Campbell and into Europe.
Headquarters, the 101st Airborne Division and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team have been notified, with movement to Europe coming as soon as this summer. According to Fort Campbell officials, deploying units will join V Corps, in support of the nation’s “unrelenting commitment” to Europe and NATO allies — as part of the ongoing response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a public statement, Major General and Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division JP McGee noted the two division-wide training exercises conducted in the last six months greatly increased the “readiness” of Fort Campbell’s soldiers, units and families. As Fort Campbell has done for the last 80 years, McGee added the division stands ready to deploy anywhere to “support and defend the Nation, and our Allies.”
McGee added that since D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Screaming Eagles have “repeatedly answered the nation’s call in every major conflict.”
And once again, the Screaming Eagles are bound for Europe.
According to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and comments from Pentagon press secretary John Kirby made to thehill.com, roughly 500 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division will replace soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division already serving in Europe.
Furthermore, roughly 4,200 soldiers from the Second Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the 101st Airborne Division will replace troops from the Third Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division in Poland.
Reportedly, the units being replaced will return to the U.S. after an “appropriate” turnover of responsibilities, which will occur in the coming weeks and into the summer.
As of Friday and according to reports from the BBC, Russian troops recently made three unsuccessful attempts at building bridges across a river in eastern Ukraine. The first alleged war crimes since the conflict began and originated in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.
