Quantcast

John Vandiver

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.

Click photo for caption and to enlarge

 

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.

Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division stand in formation during opening ceremonies of an exercise at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland in 2016.The U.S. armed forces were rated "marginal" in strength in an annual report by the conservative Heritage Foundation, despite America spending more on its military than the next 10 countries combined. <br> Ryan Tatum/U.S. Army
Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division stand in formation during opening ceremonies of an exercise at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland in 2016.The U.S. armed forces were rated "marginal" in strength in an annual report by the conservative Heritage Foundation, despite America spending more on its military than the next 10 countries combined. <br> Ryan Tatum/U.S. Army

US military strength is 'marginal,' new assessment says

The Heritage Foundation’s annual index on global threats and U.S. military power, released Tuesday, found weaknesses in critical areas, especially for the Army and Navy.

U.S. Army soldiers discuss security operations during a patrol in Somalia in December 2019. A White House plan to reduce forces in conflict zones includes removing all 700 troops in Somalia, according to media reports.<br> Nick Kibbey/U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army soldiers discuss security operations during a patrol in Somalia in December 2019. A White House plan to reduce forces in conflict zones includes removing all 700 troops in Somalia, according to media reports.<br> Nick Kibbey/U.S. Air Force

Pentagon plan calls for pulling all troops from Somalia

The plan circulating in the Pentagon would cut virtually all troops in Somalia, who conduct counterterrorism and training missions, The New York Times reported.

Swedish special forces together with U.S. Navy special warfare combatant-craft crewmen and special reconnaissance unmanned underwater vehicle operators assigned perform launch and recovery training using a Combatant Craft Medium in the Baltic Sea near Karlskrona, Sweden during a bilateral exercise on Nov. 6, 2020.<br>Matthew Young/U.S. Navy
Swedish special forces together with U.S. Navy special warfare combatant-craft crewmen and special reconnaissance unmanned underwater vehicle operators assigned perform launch and recovery training using a Combatant Craft Medium in the Baltic Sea near Karlskrona, Sweden during a bilateral exercise on Nov. 6, 2020.<br>Matthew Young/U.S. Navy

SEALs, Green Berets join large defense drill in Sweden

The bilateral exercise with Sweden is the latest push by U.S. Special Operations Command Europe into the Baltic Sea region, where coastal nations are concerned about a more aggressive Russia.

A Patriot missile bursts out of its launcher at the NATO air missile firing installation outside Chania on the Greek island of Crete in 2015. U.S. soldiers will man German Patriot systems during live fire drills that kicked off Nov. 12, 2020.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
A Patriot missile bursts out of its launcher at the NATO air missile firing installation outside Chania on the Greek island of Crete in 2015. U.S. soldiers will man German Patriot systems during live fire drills that kicked off Nov. 12, 2020.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

US Army kicks off live-fire Patriot drills in Greece with three NATO allies

About 250 troops from the U.S., Germany, Greece and the Netherlands are taking part in the air defense operations at NATO’s firing range on the Greek island of Crete.

U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment move to the demolition range during qualification at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, in February 2020. President-elect Joe Biden is expected, in one of his first military policy moves, to reverse the Trump administration's plan to withdraw troops from Germany.<br>Gertrud Zach/U.S. Army
U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment move to the demolition range during qualification at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, in February 2020. President-elect Joe Biden is expected, in one of his first military policy moves, to reverse the Trump administration's plan to withdraw troops from Germany.<br>Gertrud Zach/U.S. Army

ANALYSIS

Troop pullout from Germany likely to be quashed by Biden, analysts say

President-elect Joe Biden is expected to kill the Trump administration’s plan to withdraw U.S. forces from Germany.

Soldiers prepare the fueling area to conduct refuel-on-move operations at Barton Barracks, Ansbach, Germany, in February 2020, en route to Zagan, Poland, as part of Defender-Europe 20. U.S. European Command is holding off turning over land to German authorities, including Barton, as it assesses the possible effects of President Donald Trump's proposal to withdraw some 12,000 troops from Germany.<br>Dani Johnson/U.S. Army
Soldiers prepare the fueling area to conduct refuel-on-move operations at Barton Barracks, Ansbach, Germany, in February 2020, en route to Zagan, Poland, as part of Defender-Europe 20. U.S. European Command is holding off turning over land to German authorities, including Barton, as it assesses the possible effects of President Donald Trump's proposal to withdraw some 12,000 troops from Germany.<br>Dani Johnson/U.S. Army

Proposed troop drawdown in Germany complicates plans to hand back military land

A directive from President Donald Trump to withdraw some 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany and move numerous units elsewhere has further complicated a plan to return several military sites in the country.

Maj. Gen. Michael E. Langley assumed command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa at U.S. Army Garrison Panzer Kaserne, near Stuttgart, Germany, Nov. 3, 2020.<br>U.S. Marine Corps
Maj. Gen. Michael E. Langley assumed command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa at U.S. Army Garrison Panzer Kaserne, near Stuttgart, Germany, Nov. 3, 2020.<br>U.S. Marine Corps

Langley takes over Marine mission in Europe, Africa following Neary’s relief

Maj. Gen. Michael E. Langley, one of only seven Black general officers in the Marine Corps, assumed command Tuesday of Marine missions in Europe and Africa, the service announced.

The USS Hershel "Woody" Williams sails in the Atlantic Ocean, Oct. 17, 2020. The ship arrived in Greece Nov. 1, marking its first stop in the country since the Navy announced Souda Bay will serve as the new home for the expeditionary sea base.<br>Megan Roses/U.S. Marine Corps
The USS Hershel "Woody" Williams sails in the Atlantic Ocean, Oct. 17, 2020. The ship arrived in Greece Nov. 1, marking its first stop in the country since the Navy announced Souda Bay will serve as the new home for the expeditionary sea base.<br>Megan Roses/U.S. Marine Corps

USS ‘Woody’ arrives in Greece on way to its new Souda Bay homeport

The USS Hershel “Woody” Williams is the first U.S. Navy warship based in Greece in at least 40 years.

A questionnaire sent out by the tax office servicing the Landstuhl-Kusel region, pictured, seeks to to gather personal information about U.S. military personnel to build tax-liability cases against troops, service members and Defense Department civilians say.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
A questionnaire sent out by the tax office servicing the Landstuhl-Kusel region, pictured, seeks to to gather personal information about U.S. military personnel to build tax-liability cases against troops, service members and Defense Department civilians say.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

‘So many families have been targeted’: US troops say German tax officials are asking for sensitive personal information

Service members targeted by German tax collectors say U.S. military commands leave them to fend for themselves.

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.

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.