The Pentagon wants to boost troop numbers in Europe to 'counter' Russian aggression
Currently, the US Army maintains two brigades in Europe. Each brigade has approximately 3,500 soldiers, with an additional brigade based in the US that rotates into and out of Europe.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum over the weekend, US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said he would like to increase both the number of brigades based in Europe and the number of US-based brigades intended for rotation into the European theater.
The Journal notes that Milley said during the forum that ideally, the newly formed US brigades would include mixed capabilities, including helicopter-attack teams, artillery units, and engineering groups.
However, Milley noted during the forum that the key to increasing US troop placements throughout Europe was a delicate balancing act. He noted that although Russian aggression demanded a strong response to deter future aggression, too large a deployment could only further heighten hostilities.