Quantcast

John Vandiver

Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, presents a challenge coin to operations specialist Petty Officer 1st Class Anthony Woods in the pilot house aboard the destroyer USS John Paul Jones, in the Persian Gulf, Jan. 13, 2021. <br>U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations, presents a challenge coin to operations specialist Petty Officer 1st Class Anthony Woods in the pilot house aboard the destroyer USS John Paul Jones, in the Persian Gulf, Jan. 13, 2021. <br>U.S. Naval Forces Central Command

Navy's top officer visits Nimitz group in Gulf amid Iran tensions

The Navy’s top officer visited a warship in the Persian Gulf this week after ongoing tensions with Iran led the Pentagon to extend an aircraft carrier group’s deployment to the region.

Click photo for caption and to enlarge

 

A U.S. Army soldier with the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade disembarks a C-130 Hercules at Nevatim Air Base, Israel, in 2019. Israel now falls under the responsibility of U.S. Central Command, taking over a job that for decades was the task of U.S. European Command, The Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 15, 2021.<br> Aaron Smith/U.S. Army
A U.S. Army soldier with the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade disembarks a C-130 Hercules at Nevatim Air Base, Israel, in 2019. Israel now falls under the responsibility of U.S. Central Command, taking over a job that for decades was the task of U.S. European Command, The Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 15, 2021.<br> Aaron Smith/U.S. Army

CENTCOM mission expands to include Israel

U.S. Central Command is now responsible for coordinating military activities with Israel, taking over a job that for decades was the task of U.S. European Command, The Wall Street Journal reported.

A roadside memorial of flowers and candles was created for a German teenager killed after a car crash with Tolman D. Roman Bahena, a Ramstein Air Base airman, near Weilerbach, Germany, in February 2019. Two local lawmakers say Germany should have more jurisdiction over criminal cases involving U.S. troops. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
A roadside memorial of flowers and candles was created for a German teenager killed after a car crash with Tolman D. Roman Bahena, a Ramstein Air Base airman, near Weilerbach, Germany, in February 2019. Two local lawmakers say Germany should have more jurisdiction over criminal cases involving U.S. troops. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

Two German lawmakers urge greater control of criminal cases involving US troops

Two German lawmakers are calling for changes in an international treaty that leaves most criminal cases involving U.S. troops in the hands of the military justice system, saying local authorities should have more say in such matters.

The Kusel-Landstuhl tax office and some others contend that if U.S. personnel have motives for being in Germany other than just their jobs, they can be forced to pay local income taxes. The tax levies have upended long-standing interpretations of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement and resulted in tax bills that have reached six figure sums for some in the military community. <br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
The Kusel-Landstuhl tax office and some others contend that if U.S. personnel have motives for being in Germany other than just their jobs, they can be forced to pay local income taxes. The tax levies have upended long-standing interpretations of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement and resulted in tax bills that have reached six figure sums for some in the military community. <br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

German lawmaker raises objections over attempts to tax US forces

A key German lawmaker says it is “legally problematic” for local authorities to levy tax bills on U.S. forces and that Berlin must end double income taxation, which has financially devastated some military families.

The dakgalbi - chicken served with a spicy sauce - at Stuttgart's newest Korean restaurant, C1, delivers spicy heat to the palate, but probably nothing like you'd get in Seoul. <br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
The dakgalbi - chicken served with a spicy sauce - at Stuttgart's newest Korean restaurant, C1, delivers spicy heat to the palate, but probably nothing like you'd get in Seoul. <br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

C1 restaurant in Stuttgart is just good, old-fashioned Korean food

With coronavirus cases climbing fast in early November and a second lockdown looming in Germany, there was no time to lose to try the newest Korean restaurant in Stuttgart.

Trump supporters, including one waving a Confederate flag, watch rioters storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the unrest and called for the results of the November election in the U.S. to be respected. <br>Robert Reid/Stars and Stripes
Trump supporters, including one waving a Confederate flag, watch rioters storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the unrest and called for the results of the November election in the U.S. to be respected. <br>Robert Reid/Stars and Stripes

‘Shocking scenes’: NATO chief voices alarm as rioters storm the US Capitol

Several diplomats and high-ranking military, government and NATO officials condemned the unrest at the Capitol.

Airmen assigned to the 301st Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, prepare to launch F-16C Fighting Falcons at Campia Turzii, Romania, in May 2019. The Air Force is moving 90 airmen and an unspecified number of MQ-9 Reaper drones to the Cold War-era base, boosting military capabilities in a region where Russia has been flexing its military muscle. <br>Andrew Layton/U.S. Air Force
Airmen assigned to the 301st Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, prepare to launch F-16C Fighting Falcons at Campia Turzii, Romania, in May 2019. The Air Force is moving 90 airmen and an unspecified number of MQ-9 Reaper drones to the Cold War-era base, boosting military capabilities in a region where Russia has been flexing its military muscle. <br>Andrew Layton/U.S. Air Force

Air Force moves drones, airmen to base in Romania

The Reapers will boost surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the Black Sea region, where the U.S. has regularly accused Russia of dangerous intercepts of aircraft, and other incidents have caused tensions to flare.

Twelve service members died while serving overseas in designated combat zones in 2020, and one was killed in an attack by militants on a base in Kenya. <br>Stripes illustration
Twelve service members died while serving overseas in designated combat zones in 2020, and one was killed in an attack by militants on a base in Kenya. <br>Stripes illustration

Remembering service members who died in combat zones in Africa, Kosovo, Arabian peninsula region in 2020

The most deadly incident for American forces overseas last year was a helicopter crash in the Sinai Peninsula in November, in which five American troops died and one was injured.

The Turkish army will take the lead of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force on Jan. 1, 2021, placing thousands of soldiers on standby. <br>NATO
The Turkish army will take the lead of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force on Jan. 1, 2021, placing thousands of soldiers on standby. <br>NATO

Turkey takes command of NATO crisis response force

NATO touted the Turkish military’s ability to carry out the crisis response mission despite Ankara being at odds with members of the alliance, including the U.S., over its close ties to Russia.

A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet flies alongside a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber conducting operations over Black Sea international waters, Aug. 28, 2020. About 90% of the more than 400 NATO warplane scrambles in 2020 were connected to Russian military aircraft, marking a slight increase from 2019, the alliance says. Capture from U.S. Air Force video<br>Capture from U.S. Air Force videp
A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet flies alongside a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber conducting operations over Black Sea international waters, Aug. 28, 2020. About 90% of the more than 400 NATO warplane scrambles in 2020 were connected to Russian military aircraft, marking a slight increase from 2019, the alliance says. Capture from U.S. Air Force video<br>Capture from U.S. Air Force videp

NATO jets intercepted hundreds of Russian flights in 2020

NATO warplanes had to scramble more than 400 times across Europe in 2020, mostly to check Russian aircraft flying unannounced near allied air space, the U.S.-led alliance said Monday.

The U.S. Army fired three M982A1 Excalibur weapons from its Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototype, with one round striking a direct hit a target at a range of 43.5 miles, Dec. 19, 2020. <br>U.S. Army
The U.S. Army fired three M982A1 Excalibur weapons from its Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototype, with one round striking a direct hit a target at a range of 43.5 miles, Dec. 19, 2020. <br>U.S. Army

New Army cannon hits target 43 miles away in test

For the Army, extending the reach of its cannons is a priority as it seeks to counter advanced potential adversaries like Russia and China.

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs with the15th Marine Expeditionary Unit prepare to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island in the Indian Ocean, Dec. 18, 2020. <br>Patrick Crosley/U.S. Navy
U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs with the15th Marine Expeditionary Unit prepare to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island in the Indian Ocean, Dec. 18, 2020. <br>Patrick Crosley/U.S. Navy

US naval armada sent to Somalia to relocate 700 troops and gear

The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which includes an array of support ships, joins the Navy’s USS Hershel “Woody” Williams off the coast of Somalia.

Nizar Farhat, 63, a former Defense Department official at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, has been charged with taking kickbacks to help a private contractor obtain $6.4 million in extra government payments. <br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
Nizar Farhat, 63, a former Defense Department official at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, has been charged with taking kickbacks to help a private contractor obtain $6.4 million in extra government payments. <br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

Former DOD official charged with taking kickbacks for work at US base in Djibouti

A former Defense Department official was charged in connection with allegations he received $34,000 in illegal gratuity from a private party while serving in a government position, the U.S. Attorney’s central district office in California said.

A soldier supervises the delivery of her household items in 2017. The Army will allow reservists on two-year overseas assignments to ship their household belongings, but isn't granting dual housing allowances to reservists paying mortgages in the U.S. and rent at their overseas duty location. <br>Karen A. Iwamoto/ U.S. Army
A soldier supervises the delivery of her household items in 2017. The Army will allow reservists on two-year overseas assignments to ship their household belongings, but isn't granting dual housing allowances to reservists paying mortgages in the U.S. and rent at their overseas duty location. <br>Karen A. Iwamoto/ U.S. Army

Army extends more benefits to reservists on overseas tours as lawsuit over housing allowances continues

Previously, permanent change of station entitlements weren’t offered to unaccompanied reservists “due to many factors, one being the traditional tour length of one year or less.”

A simulation of how it will look when people receive their vaccine shots during a presentation for reporters at the coronavirus vaccination center in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Dec. 17, 2020. <br>Marcus Kloeckner/Stars and Stripes
A simulation of how it will look when people receive their vaccine shots during a presentation for reporters at the coronavirus vaccination center in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Dec. 17, 2020. <br>Marcus Kloeckner/Stars and Stripes

Military in Europe to receive coronavirus vaccines soon; Germany stands up vaccination centers

The U.S. military could begin administering the coronavirus vaccine to health care workers and emergency responders in Europe within days, while German authorities are readying vaccination centers that could be open to military-affiliated Americans in some locations.

The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel ''Woody'' Williams conducts a passing exercise with a Senegalese navy patrol vessel in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa in September 2020. The ship is now off the east African coast in an operation to remove U.S. forces from Somalia.<br>Megan Roses/U.S. Marine Corps
The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel ''Woody'' Williams conducts a passing exercise with a Senegalese navy patrol vessel in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa in September 2020. The ship is now off the east African coast in an operation to remove U.S. forces from Somalia.<br>Megan Roses/U.S. Marine Corps

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams helps get US troop withdrawal from Somalia underway

U.S. Africa Command, citing security concerns, declined to say Friday how many troops have already been moved or when the withdrawal will be completed.

A Russian Tu-160 bomber launches a cruise missile in 2015 against Islamic State targets in Syria. The U.S. Air Force is looking for help defending military bases in Europe from hypothetical attacks by Chinese drones and Russian cruise missiles. <br>Russian Defense Ministry
A Russian Tu-160 bomber launches a cruise missile in 2015 against Islamic State targets in Syria. The U.S. Air Force is looking for help defending military bases in Europe from hypothetical attacks by Chinese drones and Russian cruise missiles. <br>Russian Defense Ministry

Air Force in Europe seeks defense against Chinese drones and Russian cruise missiles

The Air Force wants help from the defense industry to maintain Ramstein Air Base’s defense system, and to develop and deploy air base defense systems for other locations in Europe.

Soldiers and civilians shop at the Grafenwoehr Exchange at Tower Barracks on Dec. 15, 2020, in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The exchange and commissaries on bases in Bavaria, Stuttgart, Wiesbadent and Rheinland-Pfalz will remain open in the coming weeks, despite tougher German coronavirus restrictions that are in effect from Dec. 16 until Jan. 10. <br>Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes
Soldiers and civilians shop at the Grafenwoehr Exchange at Tower Barracks on Dec. 15, 2020, in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The exchange and commissaries on bases in Bavaria, Stuttgart, Wiesbadent and Rheinland-Pfalz will remain open in the coming weeks, despite tougher German coronavirus restrictions that are in effect from Dec. 16 until Jan. 10. <br>Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes

US military exchanges, commissaries to stay open despite new German coronavirus restrictions

Shopping malls and other facilities at U.S. military bases in Germany will remain open in the coming weeks, even as many host nation retailers are forced to shut their doors starting Wednesday when tougher coronavirus rules take effect, officials said.

A U.S. Army Europe poster with the ''Strong Europe'' slogan. The organization is looking for a new motto following its consolidation with U.S. Army Africa. <br> Ashley L. Keasler/U.S. Army
A U.S. Army Europe poster with the ''Strong Europe'' slogan. The organization is looking for a new motto following its consolidation with U.S. Army Africa. <br> Ashley L. Keasler/U.S. Army

Army in Europe in search of new ‘mantra’ that includes Africa mission

The Army says it wants a slogan that captures the spirit of both its Europe and Africa missions.

A screenshot from a video released by U.S. Africa Command showing the impact of the airstrikes conducted Dec. 10, 2020, that killed eight al-Shabab bomb makers in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia. <br> U.S. Africa Command
A screenshot from a video released by U.S. Africa Command showing the impact of the airstrikes conducted Dec. 10, 2020, that killed eight al-Shabab bomb makers in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia. <br> U.S. Africa Command

Somalia strike killed eight expert bomb makers, AFRICOM says

U.S. airstrikes killed eight al-Shabab bomb makers this week in Somalia, marking the first such attack in the country since the Pentagon directed the military to withdraw its forces from the country by early next year.

A construction crew worked last year on a new bridge that eventually will connect the new Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center with Ramstein Air Base. Lawmakers are cutting appropriations for the new facility, slashing more than $100 million from a requested $200 million in 2021. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes
A construction crew worked last year on a new bridge that eventually will connect the new Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center with Ramstein Air Base. Lawmakers are cutting appropriations for the new facility, slashing more than $100 million from a requested $200 million in 2021. <br>Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes

New US military hospital in Germany takes a budget hit in defense bill

The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act cuts more than $100 million from the Pentagon’s $200 million request, which was to be used for construction on a facility slated to replace the aging Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center this week reported 96 soldier and Army civilian accidental deaths for fiscal year 2020, making it the safest year on record, besting the previous low of 109 accidental deaths in 2016. Many of the deaths involved traffic accidents. <br>U.S. Army
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center this week reported 96 soldier and Army civilian accidental deaths for fiscal year 2020, making it the safest year on record, besting the previous low of 109 accidental deaths in 2016. Many of the deaths involved traffic accidents. <br>U.S. Army

Army accidental deaths fall in 2020, likely due to pandemic

A reduction in accidental deaths for the Army was probably because of restrictions and possibly curtailed training activities brought on by the pandemic, a safety report said.

Brig. Gen. Wanda N. Williams took command of 7th Mission Support Command and became deputy commander of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command at a ceremony in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Dec. 8, 2020. She is the first Black woman to hold the job. <br>U.S. Army
Brig. Gen. Wanda N. Williams took command of 7th Mission Support Command and became deputy commander of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command at a ceremony in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Dec. 8, 2020. She is the first Black woman to hold the job. <br>U.S. Army

In a first, a Black woman takes command of Army reserve command in Europe

Brig. Gen. Wanda N. Williams, one of only three Black women now serving as a general officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, will lead more than 1,000 soldiers and civilian personnel spread out across nearly 20 countries.

U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa 19.2, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, prepare to extract from a landing zone during a quick response force rehearsal in Thiés, Senegal, Aug. 5, 2019. U.S. Africa Command is set to get more money in the 2021 defense budget than the Pentagon requested, to help with casualty evacuations and force protection. <br>Margaret Gale/U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa 19.2, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, prepare to extract from a landing zone during a quick response force rehearsal in Thiés, Senegal, Aug. 5, 2019. U.S. Africa Command is set to get more money in the 2021 defense budget than the Pentagon requested, to help with casualty evacuations and force protection. <br>Margaret Gale/U.S. Marine Corps

AFRICOM set for budget boost; says troops pulled out of Somalia will stay in East Africa

U.S. Africa Command is slated to get almost $40 million more than the Pentagon sought for it after lawmakers added funds to the headquarters’ budget, citing concerns it lacks casualty evacuation capabilities.

Soldiers with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment demonstrate how to fire an M777 Howitzer, during an exercise in March 2019. U.S lawmakers are halting a Pentagon plan to remove 12,000 troops from Germany, according to a new defense bill. The regiment was one of the units slated to leave under the proposal. <br>Stars and Stripes
Soldiers with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment demonstrate how to fire an M777 Howitzer, during an exercise in March 2019. U.S lawmakers are halting a Pentagon plan to remove 12,000 troops from Germany, according to a new defense bill. The regiment was one of the units slated to leave under the proposal. <br>Stars and Stripes

Proposed cut to US troop levels in Germany halted under defense bill

The final version of the defense spending bill released by Congress says the defense secretary cannot reduce force levels in Germany below the current 34,500 number until 120 days after an analysis that examines possible security implications.

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress, of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flies below a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England, after receiving fuel during a mission in September 2020. B-52s flew in a show of force mission over the Barents Sea Dec. 3, but one plane had to be diverted because of safety problems. <br>U.S. Air Force
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress, of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flies below a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England, after receiving fuel during a mission in September 2020. B-52s flew in a show of force mission over the Barents Sea Dec. 3, but one plane had to be diverted because of safety problems. <br>U.S. Air Force

US B-52s take part in Barents Sea mission, one diverted for mechanical problem

A mission over the Barents Sea originally involved two bomber aircraft, but one aircraft safely diverted to RAF Fairford in England for a maintenance issue, EUCOM said.

A U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey, assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing, trains near Amari, Estonia, in September 2019. A new special operations site in Latvia that officially opened in November 2020 includes two helipads that can be used by the Ospreys. <br>Elizabeth Pena/U.S. Army
A U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey, assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing, trains near Amari, Estonia, in September 2019. A new special operations site in Latvia that officially opened in November 2020 includes two helipads that can be used by the Ospreys. <br>Elizabeth Pena/U.S. Army

New US special operations site activated in heart of the Baltics

A new special operations site that will allow elite U.S. troops to expand operations in the Baltic region is up and running in the Latvian capital of Riga, military officials said Thursday.

The Army in Europe has more than $1 billion worth of projects planned to improve housing at all of its garrisons, many of which have received poor quality marks in the past year. <br>U.S. Army
The Army in Europe has more than $1 billion worth of projects planned to improve housing at all of its garrisons, many of which have received poor quality marks in the past year. <br>U.S. Army

Army has big spending plans to improve housing in Europe

All seven Army garrisons in Europe will benefit from a program that involves construction on 1,300 new dwellings and improvements at 3,500 existing units.

Opening remarks by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the meeting of the organization's North Atlantic Council foreign ministers' session via teleconference from NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 1, 2020.<br>NATO
Opening remarks by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the meeting of the organization's North Atlantic Council foreign ministers' session via teleconference from NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 1, 2020.<br>NATO

NATO high-level panel recommends 'much more' focus on China

NATO needs an updated strategy to meet challenges posed by a rising China, which until now hasn’t been a major focus for the 30-nation Atlantic security pact, a new report commissioned by the alliance’s top official said.

A blotter of lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as LSD or acid. The 2nd Marine Division has started randomly testing troops at Camp Lejeune, N.C., for LSD following a series of drug-related incidents, officials said on Nov. 30, 2020. <br>Drug Enforcement Administration
A blotter of lysergic acid diethylamide, better known as LSD or acid. The 2nd Marine Division has started randomly testing troops at Camp Lejeune, N.C., for LSD following a series of drug-related incidents, officials said on Nov. 30, 2020. <br>Drug Enforcement Administration

‘We have a drug problem’: Camp Lejeune starts random LSD testing

A series of drug-related incidents involving Marines and sailors was behind the decision to test for LSD in random screenings, the Marine Corps said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and and then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden talk in 2016. <br>NATO
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and and then-U.S. Vice President Joe Biden talk in 2016. <br>NATO

NATO preps for a Biden summit and decisions on Afghanistan in early 2021

At a summit early next year, NATO allies are expected to decide whether to continue their nearly 20-year-old mission in Afghanistan.

Gays who faced discrimination in the German military will receive financial compensation and have their records cleared, the German government decided this week.<br>Andrea Bienert/German armed forces
Gays who faced discrimination in the German military will receive financial compensation and have their records cleared, the German government decided this week.<br>Andrea Bienert/German armed forces

Gay veterans in Germany to be eligible for compensation as nation deals with past discrimination

There hasn’t been any indication that the U.S. intends to go in the direction of Germany by offering financial compensation to gay veterans who were discriminated against in years past.

Tanks of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas are loaded on railway cars in this photo taken from the unit's official Facebook page. The brigade formally takes over the Atlantic Resolve mission on Nov. 30, 2020, when it replaces the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division as the Army's rotational tank brigade in Europe. <br>U.S. Army
Tanks of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas are loaded on railway cars in this photo taken from the unit's official Facebook page. The brigade formally takes over the Atlantic Resolve mission on Nov. 30, 2020, when it replaces the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division as the Army's rotational tank brigade in Europe. <br>U.S. Army

‘Wild Bill’ platoon brings new electronic warfare skills to Army’s force in Europe

With the 'Wild Bill' platoon, the unit can see whenever an adversary emits a signal from a cell phone, smart watch or other wireless device.

The U.S. Army's V Corps officially established their forward headquarters in Poznan, Poland, on Nov. 20, 2020. <br>Facebook/U.S. Army Europe
The U.S. Army's V Corps officially established their forward headquarters in Poznan, Poland, on Nov. 20, 2020. <br>Facebook/U.S. Army Europe

V Corps takes up position at new Poland headquarters

About 200 V Corps troops will eventually be assigned to the forward element in Poland while an additional 400 will work from Kentucky.

A U.S. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires its rockets into the Black Sea during Exercise Rapid Falcon Nov. 19, 2020 at Capu Midia, Romania. This was 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment's second live fire event since reactivation just 90 days ago and was the first time U.S. forces, in cooperation with Romanian allies, ever fired HIMARS from land into the Black Sea. <br> H. Marcus McGill/U.S. Army
A U.S. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires its rockets into the Black Sea during Exercise Rapid Falcon Nov. 19, 2020 at Capu Midia, Romania. This was 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment's second live fire event since reactivation just 90 days ago and was the first time U.S. forces, in cooperation with Romanian allies, ever fired HIMARS from land into the Black Sea. <br> H. Marcus McGill/U.S. Army

US special operators and Army artillerymen flex muscles in groundbreaking Black Sea drill

The Rapid Falcon exercise showcased a new capability that gives conventional artillery units in Germany the ability to strike with the speed of a quick reaction force.

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters and the United Kingdom's Lightning 617 Squadron, are shown shortly after embarking HMS Queen Elizabeth in September 2020, off the U.K. coast. Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller lauded U.K. plans to give its military the largest spending boost it has seen in 30 years. <br>Belinda Alker/Royal Navy
U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters and the United Kingdom's Lightning 617 Squadron, are shown shortly after embarking HMS Queen Elizabeth in September 2020, off the U.K. coast. Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller lauded U.K. plans to give its military the largest spending boost it has seen in 30 years. <br>Belinda Alker/Royal Navy

As UK ramps up defense spending, Pentagon tells other allies to follow suit

The U.K.'s $21.8 billion increase, doled out over four years, is the largest boost in defense spending since the end of the Cold War.