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John Vandiver

U.S. European Command headquarters at Stuttgart, Germany's Patch Barracks. Austere Challenge 2021, a classified drill that wrapped up Oct. 23, 2020, brought together some 4,400 troops from units across Europe, the U.S. and NATO to simulate how allies will respond in a war.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
U.S. European Command headquarters at Stuttgart, Germany's Patch Barracks. Austere Challenge 2021, a classified drill that wrapped up Oct. 23, 2020, brought together some 4,400 troops from units across Europe, the U.S. and NATO to simulate how allies will respond in a war.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

EUCOM tests war readiness with classified drill

The excercise scenario details for Austere Challenge are secret, but EUCOM said it involves bringing together the whole of allied power — land, sea, air, cyber and space assets – in the event of conflict.

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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and General Tod D. Wolters, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, greet each other at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 22, 2020.<br>NATO
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and General Tod D. Wolters, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, greet each other at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 22, 2020.<br>NATO

New space center at Ramstein is part of NATO's push to protect military infrastructure

NATO defense ministers officially agreed Thursday to launch a new space center at Ramstein Air Base, where more personnel will likely be added as allies seek to better protect military assets in orbit and elsewhere.

Military spending among the U.S.'s allies in Europe and Canada increased for the sixth consecutive year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.<br>NATO
Military spending among the U.S.'s allies in Europe and Canada increased for the sixth consecutive year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.<br>NATO

Ten NATO members now meet 2% defense spending benchmark, but not Germany

Germany, which has been accused by President Donald Trump of not spending enough on defense, spent only 1.57% of gross domestic product on its military, a NATO report said.

Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross approach the British tanker RFA Tidespring for a replenishment-at-sea in the Barents Sea, Sept. 9, 2020. The ship has returned to the Arctic, marking the third time this year that U.S. Navy destroyers have operated in the Barents Sea.<br>Christine Montgomery/U.S. Navy
Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross approach the British tanker RFA Tidespring for a replenishment-at-sea in the Barents Sea, Sept. 9, 2020. The ship has returned to the Arctic, marking the third time this year that U.S. Navy destroyers have operated in the Barents Sea.<br>Christine Montgomery/U.S. Navy

For the third time this year, a Navy destroyer enters the Barents Sea

The U.S. has once again sent a warship into the Barents Sea in what is becoming the new normal this year as Navy surface vessels navigate waters not visited since the height of the Cold War.

U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Stephen M. Neary, then the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade commanding general, answers questions during an interview at Morehead City, N.C., Sept. 28, 2018. Neary has been relieved of duty after an investigation found he used a racial slur in front of Marines.<br>Jered Stone/U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Stephen M. Neary, then the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade commanding general, answers questions during an interview at Morehead City, N.C., Sept. 28, 2018. Neary has been relieved of duty after an investigation found he used a racial slur in front of Marines.<br>Jered Stone/U.S. Marine Corps

Marine Corps general under investigation for using racial slur is relieved of command

Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary has been relieved of command of U.S. Marines in Europe and Africa while the service investigates allegations he used a racial slur that denigrates Black people, the Corps said Tuesday.

The headquarters building of NATO's Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. NATO is expected to approve plans this week for a new space center at Ramstein, which will serve as a hub against threats to military satellites.<br>NATO Allied Air Command
The headquarters building of NATO's Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. NATO is expected to approve plans this week for a new space center at Ramstein, which will serve as a hub against threats to military satellites.<br>NATO Allied Air Command

Ramstein Air Base to house new NATO space center

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and other military chiefs will review the plan Thursday, when NATO’s 30 member states begin a virtual two-day meeting.

A Bradley Fighting Vehicle is set up in front of the V Corps headquarters at Fort Knox, Ky., Oct. 14, 2020. V Corps officially activated Oct. 16, but it is still not clear when it will send troops to its forward headquarters in Poznan, Poland.<br>Facebook/V Corps
A Bradley Fighting Vehicle is set up in front of the V Corps headquarters at Fort Knox, Ky., Oct. 14, 2020. V Corps officially activated Oct. 16, but it is still not clear when it will send troops to its forward headquarters in Poznan, Poland.<br>Facebook/V Corps

Army’s V Corps, with a long history in Europe, is back in action

The Army’s storied V Corps officially reactivated Friday during a ceremony at Fort Knox, Ky., and a small portion of the unit is already on the ground in Poland to take up a new mission.

Stuttgart High School on Panzer Kaserne in Boeblingen, Germany, was closed Oct. 15, after numerous students tested positive this week for the coronavirus. <br>U.S. Army
Stuttgart High School on Panzer Kaserne in Boeblingen, Germany, was closed Oct. 15, after numerous students tested positive this week for the coronavirus. <br>U.S. Army

Coronavirus shuts down Stuttgart High School as Germany reels under record number of new cases

The closure of Stuttgart High School, which is attended by about 800 students, came as the number of new infections in Germany rose by more than 6,600 Thursday.

Numerous hiking trails in the area around the Austrian mountain town of Oetz offer great views that keep kids interested on long treks.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
Numerous hiking trails in the area around the Austrian mountain town of Oetz offer great views that keep kids interested on long treks.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

The Austrian Alps winter sports mecca of the Oetztal has spectacular scenery

The Oetztal in the heart of the Austrian Alps is a winter sports mecca, but there’s something to be said for getting there before the ski bums.

Spc. Christopher Andres of the Oregon National Guard, provides security for a 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130J Super Hercules during unloading and loading operations in Somalia on Feb. 6, 2020. President Donald Trump has reportedly told advisers that he wants to withdraw U.S. troops from Somalia.<br>Christopher Ruano/U.S. Air Force
Spc. Christopher Andres of the Oregon National Guard, provides security for a 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130J Super Hercules during unloading and loading operations in Somalia on Feb. 6, 2020. President Donald Trump has reportedly told advisers that he wants to withdraw U.S. troops from Somalia.<br>Christopher Ruano/U.S. Air Force

Trump tells Pentagon to devise a plan to leave Somalia, report says

President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to draw up plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Somalia where they are fighting al-Qaida backed militants, Bloomberg News reported.

A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle, assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron, departs RAF Lakenheath, England, for Keflavik, Iceland, on Oct. 8, 2020. The U.S. Air Force this week took over the NATO air policing mission in Iceland, operating out of Keflavik.<br>Jessi Monte/U.S. Air Force
A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle, assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron, departs RAF Lakenheath, England, for Keflavik, Iceland, on Oct. 8, 2020. The U.S. Air Force this week took over the NATO air policing mission in Iceland, operating out of Keflavik.<br>Jessi Monte/U.S. Air Force

F-15s out of Lakenheath patrol the skies above Iceland

U.S. fighter jets have taken over a NATO air policing mission in the North Atlantic, operating from a base in Iceland that is of growing importance to the alliance as it counters an aggressive and expansionist Russia.

People walk in downtown Stuttgart on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, hours after officials raised the health threat level to red following a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases. Face masks will be required in the city center starting Wednesday, as officials take steps to slow the spread of the virus. <br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
People walk in downtown Stuttgart on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, hours after officials raised the health threat level to red following a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases. Face masks will be required in the city center starting Wednesday, as officials take steps to slow the spread of the virus. <br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

Stuttgart, Spangdahlem step up coronavirus restrictions after spike in cases around Germany

A sharp increase in coronavirus cases in Stuttgart over the weekend has forced officials to raise the health threat in the city to Germany’s highest level and to order new restrictions on social gatherings.

People walk down Marktstrasse in downtown Kaiserslautern, Germany in late August 2020. A spike in coronavirus cases in Kaiserslautern led health officials to raise the health alert for the city to the second-highest level on Oct. 9, 2020.<br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES
People walk down Marktstrasse in downtown Kaiserslautern, Germany in late August 2020. A spike in coronavirus cases in Kaiserslautern led health officials to raise the health alert for the city to the second-highest level on Oct. 9, 2020.<br>MICHAEL ABRAMS/STARS AND STRIPES

Kaiserslautern area raised to second-highest health alert level as coronavirus cases surge in Germany

The Kaiserslautern area was raised to Germany’s second-highest health alert level last week after a sudden spike in coronavirus cases that some were pinning on members of the large U.S. military community, officials said.

U.S. military personnel visit the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center Oct. 6, 2020, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The U.S. military community is emerging as a hotspot for new coronavirus infections in the Kaiserslautern area, where the health warning system was elevated on Oct. 9, 2020, to the second-highest level after a sudden spike in cases, district officials said.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
U.S. military personnel visit the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center Oct. 6, 2020, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The U.S. military community is emerging as a hotspot for new coronavirus infections in the Kaiserslautern area, where the health warning system was elevated on Oct. 9, 2020, to the second-highest level after a sudden spike in cases, district officials said.<br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

US military community in Kaiserslautern may be coronavirus hot spot as cases surge around Germany

The U.S. military community was being eyed Friday as a hot spot for new coronavirus infections in the Kaiserslautern area, where the health warning system was raised to the second-highest level after a sudden spike in cases, district officials said.

Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli assumed command of the consolidated U.S. Army Europe and Africa Oct. 1, 2020. Before pinning on his fourth star and the consolidation, Cavoli was the commander of U.S. Army Europe, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany.<br>U.S. Army
Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli assumed command of the consolidated U.S. Army Europe and Africa Oct. 1, 2020. Before pinning on his fourth star and the consolidation, Cavoli was the commander of U.S. Army Europe, headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany.<br>U.S. Army

US Army Europe and Africa consolidate as Cavoli gets fourth star

Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli assumed command of the newly formed U.S. Army Europe and Africa on Oct. 1.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper welcomes Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca to the Pentagon, Oct. 8, 2020. The two defense leaders signed a 10-year road map for defense cooperation that puts increased focus on security around the Black Sea.<br>Jack Sanders/U.S. Air Force
Defense Secretary Mark Esper welcomes Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca to the Pentagon, Oct. 8, 2020. The two defense leaders signed a 10-year road map for defense cooperation that puts increased focus on security around the Black Sea.<br>Jack Sanders/U.S. Air Force

US, Romania sign defense cooperation deal

A 10-year road map could help pave the way for a larger U.S. military mission in Romania.

Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile launchers in Sevastopol in 2018. Two U.S. senators are demanding sanctions be imposed on Turkey after reports said Turkey has activated its S-400 system and used it to track a Greek F-16 in August.<br>Russian Defense Ministry
Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile launchers in Sevastopol in 2018. Two U.S. senators are demanding sanctions be imposed on Turkey after reports said Turkey has activated its S-400 system and used it to track a Greek F-16 in August.<br>Russian Defense Ministry

Turkey’s Russian air defense system may have tracked allied F-16s, US senators say

Two US senators also questioned whether Turkey had integrated NATO’s tactical data link into the S-400, which could allow Russia to gather information on alliance members.

U.S. soldiers participate in an exercise at the Panzer Range Complex in Boeblingen, Germany, April 16, 2019. The Army will move forward with a nearly $2 million project to soundproof the suburban Stuttgart firing range, despite plans to leave the area.<br>JASON D. JOHNSTON/U.S. ARMY
U.S. soldiers participate in an exercise at the Panzer Range Complex in Boeblingen, Germany, April 16, 2019. The Army will move forward with a nearly $2 million project to soundproof the suburban Stuttgart firing range, despite plans to leave the area.<br>JASON D. JOHNSTON/U.S. ARMY

Army proceeding with $1.7 million range project in Stuttgart despite troop drawdown plan

An upcoming range project and how it is being split financially was finalized before the Pentagon announced it intends to move U.S. European and Africa commands, as well as several subordinate units, out of the Stuttgart area.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu address reporters at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 5, 2020, as Stoltenberg began a two-day visit to the key ally.<br>NATO
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu address reporters at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 5, 2020, as Stoltenberg began a two-day visit to the key ally.<br>NATO

NATO chief calls on Turkey to help ease Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute

NATO’s top official on Monday called on Turkey to use its influence to reduce tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which are locked in a violent territorial dispute in which scores of civilians are reported to have died since July.

The first U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter lands on board the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 22, 2020, off the coast of the United Kingdom. <br>Zachary Bodner/U.S. Marine Corps
The first U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter lands on board the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 22, 2020, off the coast of the United Kingdom. <br>Zachary Bodner/U.S. Marine Corps

Marine F-35s deploy to UK carrier in a first among allies

Marine Corps F-35s are operating alongside British fighters aboard the U.K.’s new Queen Elizabeth carrier.

Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary, the two-star general in charge of U.S. Marines in Europe and Africa is under investigation for allegations that he used a racial slur during a recent training event with his troops, the Corps said Friday.<br>U.S. Marine Corps
Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary, the two-star general in charge of U.S. Marines in Europe and Africa is under investigation for allegations that he used a racial slur during a recent training event with his troops, the Corps said Friday.<br>U.S. Marine Corps

Marine general under investigation for allegations he used a racial slur, Corps confirms

Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary, who commands Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, is alleged to have used a derogatory term for Blacks in the presence of other Marines. The Marine Corps did not go into detail about the nature of the incident.

The expeditionary sea base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams navigates the Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 20, 2020. The Navy announced on Oct. 2, 2020, that the ship will be home-ported at Souda Bay in Greece.<br>Conner Foy/U.S. Navy
The expeditionary sea base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams navigates the Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 20, 2020. The Navy announced on Oct. 2, 2020, that the ship will be home-ported at Souda Bay in Greece.<br>Conner Foy/U.S. Navy

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams first major Navy ship to be based in Greece in decades

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams, which will homeport at Souda Bay, is an expeditionary sea base designed to carry Marines and special operations troops to hot spots or train with partners.

Russian troops march during the Victory Day military parade to celebrate 74 years since the victory in WWII in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2019. <br>Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
Russian troops march during the Victory Day military parade to celebrate 74 years since the victory in WWII in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 9, 2019. <br>Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP

Russian military strength at a post-Cold War high, report says

The Russian military is more capable than at any time since the end of the Cold War, the result of an effort to produce a more agile force, a new study found.

A Stryker armored vehicle from 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, moves to a forward position during an exercise in Hohenfels, Germany, in November 2019. Vilseck-based 2 CR is one of the units picked to leave Germany as part of the Pentagon's plan to cut troops in the country.<br>Ethan Valetski/U.S. Army
A Stryker armored vehicle from 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, moves to a forward position during an exercise in Hohenfels, Germany, in November 2019. Vilseck-based 2 CR is one of the units picked to leave Germany as part of the Pentagon's plan to cut troops in the country.<br>Ethan Valetski/U.S. Army

House lawmakers grill Pentagon officials over plan to pull US troops from Germany

The plan for a large-scale U.S. force reduction in Germany remains a work in progress, Pentagon officials said Wednesday as House lawmakers questioned whether the plan to pull 12,000 troops from the country makes fiscal or strategic sense.

Sgt. Cade D. Pendergraft, 24, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, died of his injuries, Sept. 19, 2020, after falling down a steep ravine while hiking the 52 Tunnels World War I site on Monte Pasubio. <br>173rd Airborne Brigade/Facebook
Sgt. Cade D. Pendergraft, 24, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, died of his injuries, Sept. 19, 2020, after falling down a steep ravine while hiking the 52 Tunnels World War I site on Monte Pasubio. <br>173rd Airborne Brigade/Facebook

173rd Airborne to memorialize paratrooper who died in hiking accident

A 173rd Airborne Brigade soldier who died after falling down a ravine while hiking a World War I military trail near Vicenza, Italy, will be remembered by his unit in a memorial ceremony, the Army said Tuesday.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Ronald Valdez administers a flu shot to a sailor aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, Oct. 16, 2018. While some military commands in Europe have begun mass vaccination campaigns for flu, U.S. Navy health officials in Naples, Italy, say they may not have the vaccine until December.<br>Kristopher Ruiz/U.S. Navy
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Ronald Valdez administers a flu shot to a sailor aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, Oct. 16, 2018. While some military commands in Europe have begun mass vaccination campaigns for flu, U.S. Navy health officials in Naples, Italy, say they may not have the vaccine until December.<br>Kristopher Ruiz/U.S. Navy

Flu shots might not arrive at Navy hospital in Naples until December, officials say

Getting a flu vaccine “is more important than ever” this year to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

The joint operations center at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. The command should swap Stuttgart for Charleston, say two South Carolina senators, whose sales pitch is likely to be the first of many, as the military searches for a new headquarters home. <br> U.S. Africa Command
The joint operations center at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. The command should swap Stuttgart for Charleston, say two South Carolina senators, whose sales pitch is likely to be the first of many, as the military searches for a new headquarters home. <br> U.S. Africa Command

South Carolina makes its pitch as the scramble for AFRICOM begins

Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott touted Joint Base Charleston as a potential location for AFRICOM headquarters if a location in Africa isn’t an option.

Oishi Sushi, in Stuttgart's Feuerbach section, offers both inside and outside seating. Perhaps lesser known than some other sushi spots, regulars say it offers some of the best sushi in the city.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
Oishi Sushi, in Stuttgart's Feuerbach section, offers both inside and outside seating. Perhaps lesser known than some other sushi spots, regulars say it offers some of the best sushi in the city.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

The seafood at Oishi Sushi in Stuttgart will melt in your mouth

Sushi in Stuttgart is something I’ve shunned.

An F-15C Eagle of the 493rd Fighter Squadron takes off from RAF Lakenheath, England, Sept. 21, 2020, to participate in exercise Astral Knight 2020 in Poland.<br>Jessi Monte/U.S. Air Force
An F-15C Eagle of the 493rd Fighter Squadron takes off from RAF Lakenheath, England, Sept. 21, 2020, to participate in exercise Astral Knight 2020 in Poland.<br>Jessi Monte/U.S. Air Force

US trains for attack in central Europe in Astral Knight drills

U.S. and other NATO forces are practicing how to fend off an attack in central Europe, bringing together B-52 bombers, fighters and missile defenses for a drill simulating a large-scale battle.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in a 2019 photo.<br>Stars and Stripes
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in a 2019 photo.<br>Stars and Stripes

NATO seeks to expand global political influence as China’s clout grows

China’s growing military and economic clout means NATO must forge ties with partners beyond Europe to expand its influence, the alliance’s top official said Monday.

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis and British Royal Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Betton host a ceremony at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, in Norfolk, Va., Sept. 17, 2020, to mark the start of operations of NATO's Atlantic Command. NATO<br>NATO
U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis and British Royal Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Betton host a ceremony at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, in Norfolk, Va., Sept. 17, 2020, to mark the start of operations of NATO's Atlantic Command. NATO<br>NATO

NATO's new Atlantic Command tasked with countering an increasingly assertive Russia

Set up to help allies move forces across the ocean in a crisis, the Norfolk, Va.-based command has been under development since 2018, when NATO approved the concept.

Brig. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commander of the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr, Germany, warned that those who violate coronavirus-related rules would face consequences, following official reports of an American employee of the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort violating a quarantine order and spreading the virus at local bars.<br>U.S. Army
Brig. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commander of the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr, Germany, warned that those who violate coronavirus-related rules would face consequences, following official reports of an American employee of the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort violating a quarantine order and spreading the virus at local bars.<br>U.S. Army

Army launches probe as three coronavirus cases are connected to Edelweiss quarantine violation

Three of 56 active cases in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district were traced directly to an Edelweiss Lodge and Resort employee’s night on the town after she was ordered into quarantine following a coronavirus test, district officials said.

The Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. <br>U.S. Army
The Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. <br>U.S. Army

Last week’s coronavirus case at military’s Edelweiss Lodge wasn’t the first, German officials say

A worker at the U.S. military’s vacation lodge in Bavaria who may have spread the coronavirus last week wasn’t the first case of the virus at the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort, German officials said.

The exterior of the Edelweiss Lodge in Garmisch, Germany, is adorned with three murals that tell the story of the Edelweiss flower, which in the Bavarian Alps is known as a legendary elixir of love.<br>Stars and Stripes
The exterior of the Edelweiss Lodge in Garmisch, Germany, is adorned with three murals that tell the story of the Edelweiss flower, which in the Bavarian Alps is known as a legendary elixir of love.<br>Stars and Stripes

Edelweiss to close for two weeks after getting blame for virus spread in Garmisch

U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria on Friday confirmed that it has experienced an outbreak inside the hotel, which will close Monday for at least two weeks as a precaution.

A B-1 Lancer arrives at Eilson Air Force Base, Alaska, Sept. 10, 2020, in support of a Bomber Task Force mission. Three B-1 bombers flew over the East Siberian Sea near Russia the week of Sept. 7, in the latest show of force by the Air Force. <br>Ted Daigle/U.S. Air Force
A B-1 Lancer arrives at Eilson Air Force Base, Alaska, Sept. 10, 2020, in support of a Bomber Task Force mission. Three B-1 bombers flew over the East Siberian Sea near Russia the week of Sept. 7, in the latest show of force by the Air Force. <br>Ted Daigle/U.S. Air Force

Air Force B-1 bombers fly over East Siberian Sea in latest US show of force

Three B-1 Lancer bombers flew above the East Siberian Sea near Russia on the eastern edge of U.S. European Command’s territory this week, the military said Friday.

The American flag flies over the U.S. embassy in Berlin, Germany. The embassy is getting involved in a dispute with Germany over whether troops and Defense Department civilians who have NATO Status of Forces Agreement protections, are obligated to pay German taxes.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
The American flag flies over the U.S. embassy in Berlin, Germany. The embassy is getting involved in a dispute with Germany over whether troops and Defense Department civilians who have NATO Status of Forces Agreement protections, are obligated to pay German taxes.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

US embassy to challenge Germany over attempts to tax American troops

Involvement of senior U.S. officials comes after Germany has threatened to impose hefty tax penalties — some in six figures — on troops and civilians who it says have special ties to the country.