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John Vandiver

At Hoehenfreibad in Stuttgart, Germany, there are two pools situated in a large greenway next to Killesberg Park. The atmosphere makes for a relaxing place to spend a hot summer day.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
At Hoehenfreibad in Stuttgart, Germany, there are two pools situated in a large greenway next to Killesberg Park. The atmosphere makes for a relaxing place to spend a hot summer day.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

europe quick trips

Hoehenfreibad in Stuttgart is a relaxing, refreshing spot to spend a hot day

When the dog days of summer hit hard in Germany, Hoehenfreibad helps you escape the heat with a swim and some shade.

Click photo for caption and to enlarge

 

<br>Image Source/Zuma Press/TNS
<br>Image Source/Zuma Press/TNS

Damaged data lines cause billing confusion at Patch commissary

Damaged data lines at the Patch Barracks commissary meant thousands of debit and credit card transactions had to be manually processed last month, resulting in late bank postings and billing confusion for some customers.

Nigerien forces train with the 20th Special Forces Group during the Flintlock 18 exercise in Niger on April 16, 2018. U.S. Africa Command wants to pull hundreds of troops from Africa and downsize special operations missions.<br>Jeremiah Runser/U.S. Army
Nigerien forces train with the 20th Special Forces Group during the Flintlock 18 exercise in Niger on April 16, 2018. U.S. Africa Command wants to pull hundreds of troops from Africa and downsize special operations missions.<br>Jeremiah Runser/U.S. Army

Report: General wants to pull hundreds of US troops out of Africa

U.S. Africa Command wants to pull hundreds of troops from Africa and downsize special operations missions there in a move that coincides with the Pentagon’s shift to threats posed by Russia and China.

A C-5 Galaxy rolls toward the runway at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. U.S. military bases in Europe rely heavily on Russian energy supplies to operate. Lawmakers are now putting more pressure on the Pentagon to find alternatives amid concerns that Russia could cut access in a crisis.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
A C-5 Galaxy rolls toward the runway at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. U.S. military bases in Europe rely heavily on Russian energy supplies to operate. Lawmakers are now putting more pressure on the Pentagon to find alternatives amid concerns that Russia could cut access in a crisis.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

Lawmakers move to limit US military use of Russian gas in Germany

The Senate approved legislation Wednesday that would force the Pentagon to look for alternatives to Russian energy supplies in Germany, partly out of concern over a power source for a new U.S. military hospital that will receive aeromedical evacuees from combat zones.

The USS Preble launches its MH-60 helicopter while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Jan. 11, 2018.<br>Rheannon Ayalacortez/U.S. Navy
The USS Preble launches its MH-60 helicopter while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Jan. 11, 2018.<br>Rheannon Ayalacortez/U.S. Navy

US military watching closely as Iranian ships gather at key oil shipping route

The Iranian navy is increasing its presence at the Strait of Hormuz, sparking concerns that Tehran is showcasing its ability to block international access to the world’s most important oil transit point.

Sporadic city power outages connected to an ongoing heatwave in southern Germany have affected some operations at U.S. military installations in the Stuttgart area.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
Sporadic city power outages connected to an ongoing heatwave in southern Germany have affected some operations at U.S. military installations in the Stuttgart area.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

Heatwave causing power blips at US bases in Stuttgart

Sporadic city power outages connected to a heatwave in southern Germany have affected some operations at U.S. military installations in the Stuttgart area.

Maj. Michael Centola, executive officer of the 4-319 Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 173rd Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), pulls his parachute towards his pack during a live-fire artillery exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2018. In a restructuring in Europe, the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr will now assume oversight of the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the Germany based 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.<br>Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes
Maj. Michael Centola, executive officer of the 4-319 Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 173rd Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), pulls his parachute towards his pack during a live-fire artillery exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2018. In a restructuring in Europe, the 7th Army Training Command in Grafenwoehr will now assume oversight of the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the Germany based 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.<br>Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes

Oversight of Army’s 3 Europe-based brigades shifts to a one-star general

The change takes effect Wednesday when all three brigades begin reporting to Brig. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, whose Grafenwoehr headquarters is taking on higher-level responsibilities.

In June 2017 a group of workers at a U.S. Army warehouse on Tower Barracks in Dulmen, Germany, were exposed to a toxic agent after mishandling a shipment of material that contained cadmium, according to the Army. <br>U.S. Army
In June 2017 a group of workers at a U.S. Army warehouse on Tower Barracks in Dulmen, Germany, were exposed to a toxic agent after mishandling a shipment of material that contained cadmium, according to the Army. <br>U.S. Army

Army says workers in Germany exposed to toxic cadmium last year

Cadmium, which is used in batteries, can be dangerous when not handled properly. It is a cancer-causing agent and can cause damage to kidneys and lungs depending on dosage and frequency of contact.

President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at the NATO summit in Brussels, July 12, 2018. A group of senators has proposed a bill that would prohibit a U.S. president from leaving the alliance without Senate consent.<br>Photo courtesy of NATO
President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at the NATO summit in Brussels, July 12, 2018. A group of senators has proposed a bill that would prohibit a U.S. president from leaving the alliance without Senate consent.<br>Photo courtesy of NATO

Senators seek to prohibit Trump from quitting NATO

A group of U.S. senators worried about President Donald Trump’s commitment to NATO introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit a U.S. president from pulling out of the alliance.

The game is called The News Hero and is hosted on Facebook. It allows players to assume the role of a news publisher and learn to identify fake news.<br>YouTube screen grab
The game is called The News Hero and is hosted on Facebook. It allows players to assume the role of a news publisher and learn to identify fake news.<br>YouTube screen grab

NATO battles fake news, one video game at a time

At the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence in Latvia, a hub focused on countering misinformation campaigns, an online game has been launched to help citizens learn to identify fake news.

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon flies over the Mediterranean Sea in March 2017. A Navy Poseidon and a Air Force MQ-9 drone are searching for hot spots in Greece, where wildfires tore through a coastal village earlier this week.<br>Ford Williams/U.S. Navy
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon flies over the Mediterranean Sea in March 2017. A Navy Poseidon and a Air Force MQ-9 drone are searching for hot spots in Greece, where wildfires tore through a coastal village earlier this week.<br>Ford Williams/U.S. Navy

US drone, surveillance plane supporting fire response effort in Greece

U.S. military aircraft continue to search for hot spots in Greece, where wildfires tore through a coastal village earlier this week outside of Athens, U.S. European Command said Thursday.

Hamburgers are the main menu item at Bellevue Bar and Grill in Stuttgart, Germany. The eatery also offers a range of cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
Hamburgers are the main menu item at Bellevue Bar and Grill in Stuttgart, Germany. The eatery also offers a range of cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

Burger-focused Bellevue Bar & Grill adds food truck-like option in Stuttgart

The food truck trend hasn’t taken root in any meaningful way in Stuttgart, Germany, but a new burger-focused venture is giving it a go on the city’s north side. Bellevue Bar & Grill, near Killesberg Park, has a lot going for it. There’s seating with a view, a range of drink options and plenty of foot traffic.

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa commander Gen. Tod D. Wolters during an interview with Stars and Stripes at USAFE headquarters on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 4, 2016. Wolters said Wednesday that his command was examining how military infrastructure is spread out across Europe as part of a broader review of potential vulnerabilities.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa commander Gen. Tod D. Wolters during an interview with Stars and Stripes at USAFE headquarters on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 4, 2016. Wolters said Wednesday that his command was examining how military infrastructure is spread out across Europe as part of a broader review of potential vulnerabilities.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

USAFE chief: Military doing '360-degree' review of basing in Europe

Since Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine, the military has expanded missions in Eastern Europe, where U.S. troops rotations have steadily increased. USAFE has a year-round mission in Poland manned by a rotating group of troops.

Seventh-grade students receive their schedules during the first day of school at Kaiserslautern Middle School, Vogelweh, Germany, in August 2017. U.S. lawmakers are demanding that Defense Department schools do a better job of protecting students from sexual harassment and assault.<br>Stars and Stripes
Seventh-grade students receive their schedules during the first day of school at Kaiserslautern Middle School, Vogelweh, Germany, in August 2017. U.S. lawmakers are demanding that Defense Department schools do a better job of protecting students from sexual harassment and assault.<br>Stars and Stripes

DODEA must do more to protect students from sexual assaults, lawmakers say

U.S. lawmakers are demanding that Defense Department schools do a better job of protecting students from sexual harassment and assault, calling for a centralized database to track cases that critics say are frequently ignored.

U.S. Army soldiers with the 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, exit a Stryker during training at Orzysz, Poland. Congress wants the Pentagon to study permanently basing soldiers in the country.<br>Hubert D. Delany III/U.S. Army
U.S. Army soldiers with the 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, exit a Stryker during training at Orzysz, Poland. Congress wants the Pentagon to study permanently basing soldiers in the country.<br>Hubert D. Delany III/U.S. Army

Lawmakers prod Pentagon to consider more Europe-based troops

A House and Senate panel agreed on Monday to a reconciled version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which could come up for a vote in the House as early as this week. For Europe, the NDAA spells out steps to counter and “if necessary, defeat Russian aggression.”

An MQ-9 Reaper, armed with GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, flies a combat mission over southern Afghanistan. The U.S. military is now conducting armed drone flights over Niger, which the country's top defense official says is intimidating local extremists.<br>Leslie Pratt/U.S. Air Force
An MQ-9 Reaper, armed with GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, flies a combat mission over southern Afghanistan. The U.S. military is now conducting armed drone flights over Niger, which the country's top defense official says is intimidating local extremists.<br>Leslie Pratt/U.S. Air Force

Armed US drones up and running in Niger

Earlier this year, U.S. Africa Command quietly began armed unmanned surveillance flights in Niger, adding more firepower in the country where the Oct. 4 attack on a team of Green Berets raised questions about whether troops were carrying out dangerous missions without sufficient backup.

Soldiers with the armed forces of Montenegro conduct a counter-improvised explosive device training exercise at Camp Marmal, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, May 29, 2018. Montenegro has supported the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan since 2010 and celebrated its one-year anniversary as a NATO ally on June 5, 2018. <br>Jordan Belser/NATO
Soldiers with the armed forces of Montenegro conduct a counter-improvised explosive device training exercise at Camp Marmal, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, May 29, 2018. Montenegro has supported the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan since 2010 and celebrated its one-year anniversary as a NATO ally on June 5, 2018. <br>Jordan Belser/NATO

Trump: Supporting tiny NATO ally Montenegro could start WWIII

Last week, President Donald Trump gave his backing to NATO after a contentious meeting of heads of state in Brussels, where Trump reportedly threatened to go it alone if members didn’t spend 2 percent of their respective gross domestic products on defense.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Pokego charges up a beach dune during a simulated amphibious assault as part of Baltic Operations 2018 in Klaipeda, Lithuania, June 4, 2018. President Donald Trump on Thursday did not rule out curtailing war games in the Baltics should the issue come up during his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.<br>Adam C. Stapleton/U.S. Navy
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Pokego charges up a beach dune during a simulated amphibious assault as part of Baltic Operations 2018 in Klaipeda, Lithuania, June 4, 2018. President Donald Trump on Thursday did not rule out curtailing war games in the Baltics should the issue come up during his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.<br>Adam C. Stapleton/U.S. Navy

Trump doesn’t rule out ending military exercises in the Baltics

President Donald Trump on Thursday did not rule out curtailing military exercises in the Baltics should the issue arise during his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President Donald Trump arrives at NATO headquarters in Brussels for the second day of the organization's summit, July 12, 2018.<br>Courtesy of NATO
President Donald Trump arrives at NATO headquarters in Brussels for the second day of the organization's summit, July 12, 2018.<br>Courtesy of NATO

After two days of criticism, Trump says NATO now in better shape

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that NATO was “much stronger” than when the two-day summit of world leaders began, citing progress toward increased defense spending.

Paratroopers with the 173rd Brigade Combat Team get artillery rounds ready for an artillery live-fire exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2018. A YouGov survey has found that a plurality of Germans want U.S. troops to withdraw from the country.<br>Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes
Paratroopers with the 173rd Brigade Combat Team get artillery rounds ready for an artillery live-fire exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, May 18, 2018. A YouGov survey has found that a plurality of Germans want U.S. troops to withdraw from the country.<br>Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes

Poll: 42% of Germans want US troops out of country

Many Germans want U.S. troops to withdraw from their country, where nearly 35,000 American servicemembers are stationed, according to a new poll.

Meeting between NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and President Donald Trump in Brussels on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.<br>Courtesy of NATO
Meeting between NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and President Donald Trump in Brussels on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.<br>Courtesy of NATO

Trump labels ally Germany ‘captive of Russia’ as NATO summit opens

President Donald Trump, flanked by a stone-faced Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, also criticized a multibillion dollar energy deal between Moscow and Berlin that he says NATO “needs to look at.”

A German tank team fires at targets from its Leopard 2A6 tanks during the Strong Europe Tank Challenge in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, June 8, 2018. President Donald Trump criticized NATO partners, singling out Germany, for not carrying their share of the alliance's costs.<br>Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes
A German tank team fires at targets from its Leopard 2A6 tanks during the Strong Europe Tank Challenge in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Friday, June 8, 2018. President Donald Trump criticized NATO partners, singling out Germany, for not carrying their share of the alliance's costs.<br>Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes

Trump on NATO burden sharing: ‘We are the schmucks’

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the coming NATO summit will be a venue for confrontation with member states, just hours after his top representative at the alliance played down tensions by saying the goal of the summit was to showcase unity.

President Donald Trump talks to other participants at a working dinner during a meeting of NATO heads of state in Brussels in May 2017. Next week, heads of state will again gather in Brussels for a major alliance summit.<br>NATO
President Donald Trump talks to other participants at a working dinner during a meeting of NATO heads of state in Brussels in May 2017. Next week, heads of state will again gather in Brussels for a major alliance summit.<br>NATO

Analysis

Ex-NATO commander: Trump's disdain for US-led alliance leads to ‘new and dangerous’ situation

Growing doubt about President Donald Trump’s commitment to the U.S.-led NATO alliance and concerns that a looming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin could weaken the security pact cloud an upcoming summit of world leaders in Brussels next week, former U.S. military commanders in Europe said.

American soldiers salute during the playing of the national anthem during a welcoming ceremony for them at a base in Zagan, Poland, in January 2017. The U.S. is said to be considering a large force reduction in Germany, which could involve sending many troops back to the U.S. and perhaps sending some to Poland.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
American soldiers salute during the playing of the national anthem during a welcoming ceremony for them at a base in Zagan, Poland, in January 2017. The U.S. is said to be considering a large force reduction in Germany, which could involve sending many troops back to the U.S. and perhaps sending some to Poland.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

Former Army Europe boss: Pulling US troops from Germany would be a big win for Russia

A large military drawdown in Germany would be a “colossal mistake,” says the former top Army commander in Europe about a possible scaling back of the U.S. presence on the Continent, at a time when Russia has become more assertive.

A NATO E-3A aircraft leaves formation after performing mid-air refueling training over Central Europe with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 171st Air Refueling Wing, May 17, 2018. Advances in air defense, cyber and electronic warfare systems will threaten allied dominance in the years ahead, according to a new NATO air power strategy document.<br>Shawn Monk/U.S. Air Force
A NATO E-3A aircraft leaves formation after performing mid-air refueling training over Central Europe with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 171st Air Refueling Wing, May 17, 2018. Advances in air defense, cyber and electronic warfare systems will threaten allied dominance in the years ahead, according to a new NATO air power strategy document.<br>Shawn Monk/U.S. Air Force

Cyberwarfare and future megacities threaten air dominance, NATO report says

Advances in air defense and electronic warfare systems by adversaries will threaten allied dominance in the years ahead, according to a new NATO air power strategy billed as the first of its kind since the U.S.-led alliance was founded in 1949.

A small World War II-era bomb was discovered June 26, 2018, at this construction site on Robinson Barracks in Stuttgart. It was safely removed.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
A small World War II-era bomb was discovered June 26, 2018, at this construction site on Robinson Barracks in Stuttgart. It was safely removed.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

WWII bomb discovered at US Army post in Stuttgart

A 4-pound, World War II-era, British incendiary bomb was removed from the U.S. Army’s Robinson Barracks on Tuesday after being discovered at a construction site on post.

An infantry soldier-in-training assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, traverses Eagle Tower March 4, 2017, at Fort Benning, Ga. The Army announced it will extend its one-station unit training for infantry soldiers from 14 weeks to 22 weeks.<br>Patrick A. Albright/U.S. Army
An infantry soldier-in-training assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, traverses Eagle Tower March 4, 2017, at Fort Benning, Ga. The Army announced it will extend its one-station unit training for infantry soldiers from 14 weeks to 22 weeks.<br>Patrick A. Albright/U.S. Army

Soldiers to shoot more, stay longer in infantry school

The Army will add two more months to infantry school, marking the biggest change to the institution in nearly a half-century in a move designed to develop a more lethal force, the service said.

Doctors perform a surgery at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Patient medical bills are getting processed months late by Regional Health Command Europe, where staffing shortages have created a backlog, health officials said Monday.<br>Courtesy US Army
Doctors perform a surgery at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Patient medical bills are getting processed months late by Regional Health Command Europe, where staffing shortages have created a backlog, health officials said Monday.<br>Courtesy US Army

Army medical command sends out overdue-bill notices, asks patients to call insurance companies to find out what they owe

The Army’s Regional Health Command Europe is sending out incomplete delinquency notices and asking patients to contact their insurance companies to find out how much they really owe, due to a billing backlog the command attributes to staffing shortages.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis greets German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen Wednesday at the Pentagon for talks on NATO and security matters. Mattis lauded Germany's efforts to boost defense spending.<br>Courtesy of Defense Department
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis greets German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen Wednesday at the Pentagon for talks on NATO and security matters. Mattis lauded Germany's efforts to boost defense spending.<br>Courtesy of Defense Department

After Trump’s tough talk on Germany, Mattis offers praise

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis lauded German efforts to boost military spending and the country’s contributions to global security, offering support for a longtime U.S. ally that has come under withering attack from President Donald Trump in recent weeks.

The city museum for Stuttgart, called StadtPalais, opened in 2017 and features an array of exhibits that document the city's history.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
The city museum for Stuttgart, called StadtPalais, opened in 2017 and features an array of exhibits that document the city's history.<br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

europe quick trips

Museum fuer Stuttgart tells city’s stories in building that was once a palace, Nazi headquarters

The building of the new city museum that aims to tell the story of Stuttgart, Germany, encapsulates itself a big part of that history.

Tech. Sgt. Brian Agulgui, left, and Tech Sgt. James Lam, Louisiana Air National Guard air controllers from the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron Technical, conduct close air support at Adazi Military Base, Latvia, June 15, 2018, during the Saber Strike 18 exercise. <br>John Rohre/Courtesy of Air National Guard
Tech. Sgt. Brian Agulgui, left, and Tech Sgt. James Lam, Louisiana Air National Guard air controllers from the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron Technical, conduct close air support at Adazi Military Base, Latvia, June 15, 2018, during the Saber Strike 18 exercise. <br>John Rohre/Courtesy of Air National Guard

US European Command moves forward with plan to bring more war games to southern Europe

U.S. commanders are reorganizing major exercises in Europe in a move expected to bring more large drills into the southern part of the Continent, where U.S. European Command is expanding resources even as the military has curtailed war games in South Korea.

U.S. soldiers with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment drive their Stryker armored fighting vehicles during their 680-mile road march from Vilseck, Germany, to Orzysz, Poland. They will be part of Battle Group Poland in support of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence initiative, which is intended to deter potential Russian aggression.<br>Jennifer Bunn/U.S. Army
U.S. soldiers with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment drive their Stryker armored fighting vehicles during their 680-mile road march from Vilseck, Germany, to Orzysz, Poland. They will be part of Battle Group Poland in support of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence initiative, which is intended to deter potential Russian aggression.<br>Jennifer Bunn/U.S. Army

Russian bunkers near Poland could be storing nuclear weapons, report says

A series of satellite images analyzed by the Washington-based Federation of American Scientists show one of three underground bunkers in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad being excavated, renovated and then covered.

President Donald Trump, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Angela Merkel walk with other leaders during a NATO meeting in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. Merkel said Friday that Germany will fail to meet a key NATO defense spending deadline, putting Berlin at odds with Washington one month ahead of a major alliance summit.<br>Courtesy of NATO
President Donald Trump, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Angela Merkel walk with other leaders during a NATO meeting in Brussels, Belgium, May 25, 2017. Merkel said Friday that Germany will fail to meet a key NATO defense spending deadline, putting Berlin at odds with Washington one month ahead of a major alliance summit.<br>Courtesy of NATO

Merkel, at odds with Trump, confirms Germany will miss NATO target on spending

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that her country will fail to meet a key NATO defense spending deadline, putting Berlin again at odds with Washington one month ahead of a major alliance summit where NATO’s unity could be challenged.

Coalition advisors prepare for another night of fire missions at an outpost near Dashisha, in northeast Syria, on June 8, 2018. <br>Timothy R. Koster/U.S. Army
Coalition advisors prepare for another night of fire missions at an outpost near Dashisha, in northeast Syria, on June 8, 2018. <br>Timothy R. Koster/U.S. Army

US, Turkey discuss dispute over Syrian town where US forces operate

U.S. and Turkish military officials worked on a deal to resolve a dispute over the contested Syrian town of Manbij. U.S. forces have been operating there, working alongside Kurdish partners who have been key to the campaign against the Islamic State group in the region. The partnership has infuriated Turkey, which regards the U.S.-aligned Kurdish People’s Protection Units as terrorists.

After capturing a ''terrorist,'' special operations forces speed away from the scene during an exercise hosted by the U.S. Special Operations Command Europe at Baumholder, Germany, in 2014. SOCEUR's Green Berets and SEALs are slated to move to a new home in this sleepy garrison town, which is poised to become the main hub for some of the military's most elite troops.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
After capturing a ''terrorist,'' special operations forces speed away from the scene during an exercise hosted by the U.S. Special Operations Command Europe at Baumholder, Germany, in 2014. SOCEUR's Green Berets and SEALs are slated to move to a new home in this sleepy garrison town, which is poised to become the main hub for some of the military's most elite troops.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

Special Forces, SEAL units to join mix of elite troops at rural Baumholder

Green Berets and SEALs operating out of a congested Stuttgart Army post are slated to move to a new home in Baumholder, Germany, a small garrison town now poised to become the main hub for some of the military’s most elite troops.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Kirk W. Smith, the new commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Europe.<br>NATO
Air Force Maj. Gen. Kirk W. Smith, the new commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Europe.<br>NATO

Special operations troops in Europe get a new boss

Maj. Gen. Kirk W. Smith took command Tuesday of special operations troops in Europe, where he will lead a team of Green Berets and SEALs working to bolster allied militaries along NATO’s eastern flank.