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John Vandiver

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

Hed: US trains for attack in central Europe in Astral Knight drills

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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.

Aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 arrive at RAF Marham Sept. 3, 2020, from their base in Yuma, Ariz., to start their U.K. detachment. The unit is participating in Exercise Point Blank 20-4 along with NATO partners.<br>Ben Mayfield/Royal Air Force
Aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 arrive at RAF Marham Sept. 3, 2020, from their base in Yuma, Ariz., to start their U.K. detachment. The unit is participating in Exercise Point Blank 20-4 along with NATO partners.<br>Ben Mayfield/Royal Air Force

B-52s and Marine Corps F-35s join North Sea drill for first time

F-16s of the 510th and 555th Fighter Squadrons from Aviano Air Base, Italy, are also participating in the exercise for the first time.

A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flies over Ukraine during a Bomber Task Force Europe mission, Sept. 4, 2020.<br>Xavier Navarro/U.S. Air Force
A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flies over Ukraine during a Bomber Task Force Europe mission, Sept. 4, 2020.<br>Xavier Navarro/U.S. Air Force

In show of force, B-52 bombers maneuver near European, African hotspots

Two long-range, eight-engine bombers headed from Britain to North Africa to train with warplanes from Tunisia, which borders war-torn Libya, U.S. Africa Command said.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville and Lt. Gen. John Kolasheski, V Corps commanding general, officially unfurl the V Corps flag during a ceremony in Krakow, Poland, Aug. 4, 2020. The city of Poznan, Poland, will be the location of V Corps' forward headquarters in Europe, the Army announced Sept. 9, 2020.<br>Dani Debehets/U.S. Army
U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville and Lt. Gen. John Kolasheski, V Corps commanding general, officially unfurl the V Corps flag during a ceremony in Krakow, Poland, Aug. 4, 2020. The city of Poznan, Poland, will be the location of V Corps' forward headquarters in Europe, the Army announced Sept. 9, 2020.<br>Dani Debehets/U.S. Army

V Corps to call Poznan in Poland home, Army says

The forward-based headquarters of the Army’s reactivated V Corps will be located in the Polish city of Poznan, where the first troops will start arriving next month, the service announced Wednesday.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, and said there was no doubt that a military-grade nerve agent was used.<br>NATO/Twitter
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the poisoning of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, and said there was no doubt that a military-grade nerve agent was used.<br>NATO/Twitter

NATO urges international response to ‘horrific’ poisoning of prominent Russian dissident

Alexei Navalny, a prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a longtime anti-corruption activist who has exposed numerous cases of graft among Russia’s elite, became sick on a flight to Moscow on Aug. 20.

The Army's new Armored Multipurpose Vehicle will come in multiple variants to carry out missions ranging from command and control to medical evacuations.<br>BAE Systems
The Army's new Armored Multipurpose Vehicle will come in multiple variants to carry out missions ranging from command and control to medical evacuations.<br>BAE Systems

Army gets first delivery of its newest armored vehicle

The Armored Multipurpose Vehicle will come in multiple variants to carry out missions ranging from command and control to medical evacuations and mortar carrying support, the military contractor BAE said.

A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet intercepts a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber conducting operations over Black Sea international waters, Aug. 28, 2020. A Russian Su-27 also intercepted a U.S. B-52 over Denmark's Bornholm island on Friday, which NATO this week said was a rare and significant violation of its airspace.<br>U.S. Air Force
A Russian Su-27 Flanker jet intercepts a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber conducting operations over Black Sea international waters, Aug. 28, 2020. A Russian Su-27 also intercepted a U.S. B-52 over Denmark's Bornholm island on Friday, which NATO this week said was a rare and significant violation of its airspace.<br>U.S. Air Force

Russian jet follows US B-52 into NATO airspace in 'significant violation,' allies say

The incident prompted Denmark to scramble quick reaction aircraft to counter a Russian fighter jet that took off from Russia’s military exclave in Kaliningrad, NATO said.

A B-52 Stratofortress lands at RAF Fairford, England, Aug. 22, 2020. Russian fighter planes flew unsafely within 100 feet of a B-52 over the Black Sea on Saturday, the U.S. military said. <br>Eugene Oliver/U.S. Air Force
A B-52 Stratofortress lands at RAF Fairford, England, Aug. 22, 2020. Russian fighter planes flew unsafely within 100 feet of a B-52 over the Black Sea on Saturday, the U.S. military said. <br>Eugene Oliver/U.S. Air Force

Russian jets fly within 100 feet of US bomber over Black Sea, Air Force says

Two Russian Su-27 Flankers intercepted the B-52 Stratofortress bomber while it conducted “routine operations” Saturday over international waters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said.

The sign outside the construction site Patch Barracks in Germany says ''US dollar financed project,'' but the $50 million investment for a new elementary school could go to waste if the U.S. military relocates from Stuttgart as planned in the coming years. <br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes
The sign outside the construction site Patch Barracks in Germany says ''US dollar financed project,'' but the $50 million investment for a new elementary school could go to waste if the U.S. military relocates from Stuttgart as planned in the coming years. <br>John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes

$349 million in projects continue even as military prepares to draw down in Germany

The Army Corps of Engineers says it has 80 projects underway in Germany at a cost of $349 million for the current fiscal year. But any number of those projects could eventually prove to be a multimillion-dollar waste if the Pentagon puts into action its plan to pull nearly 12,000 troops in the country.

Soldiers with the 1st Cavalry Division clear an open engagement area during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise in Galati, Romania in February 2020. More U.S. troops could be going to Romania as part of the plan to reduce forces in Germany, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Aug. 4, 2020.<br>Noshoba Davis/U.S. Army
Soldiers with the 1st Cavalry Division clear an open engagement area during a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise in Galati, Romania in February 2020. More U.S. troops could be going to Romania as part of the plan to reduce forces in Germany, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Aug. 4, 2020.<br>Noshoba Davis/U.S. Army

US mulls moving troops from Germany to Romania, Baltics and Poland, Esper says

Romania could get a U.S. troop boost and so might the Baltics as part of the plan to reduce force levels in Germany, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.

U.S. Marines conduct a foot patrol during cold-weather training at Bjerkvik, Norway, Feb. 23, 2020. Norwegian defense officials say the Marines are ending rotations in the country but will continue to send troops there to train and practice periodically. <br> Isaiah Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marines conduct a foot patrol during cold-weather training at Bjerkvik, Norway, Feb. 23, 2020. Norwegian defense officials say the Marines are ending rotations in the country but will continue to send troops there to train and practice periodically. <br> Isaiah Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps

Marines to end continuous rotations to Norway

Instead of having up to 700 troops at a time in Norway on six-month rotations, the Marines will conduct periodic training and exercises with the Norwegian armed forces.

U.S. Air Force personnel in Germany can again travel to Spain and Belgium and see sights like the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels. However, Ramstein officials urged personnel to follow safety precautions and watch for updates on country coronavirus risk status through Germany's Robert Koch Institute.<br>Stars and Stripes
U.S. Air Force personnel in Germany can again travel to Spain and Belgium and see sights like the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels. However, Ramstein officials urged personnel to follow safety precautions and watch for updates on country coronavirus risk status through Germany's Robert Koch Institute.<br>Stars and Stripes

Ramstein personnel get green light for Belgium, Spain travel

Belgium and Spain are back as approved travel destinations for Air Force personnel in Germany.

U.S. and Turkish military forces conduct a joint ground patrol in northeast Syria in September 2019. U.S. European Command said in an Inspector General report released Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, that Turkey is still a transit hub for Islamic State group fighters and weapons, even though the NATO ally is doing more to stop the group than it once did.<br>Alec Dionne/U.S. Army
U.S. and Turkish military forces conduct a joint ground patrol in northeast Syria in September 2019. U.S. European Command said in an Inspector General report released Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, that Turkey is still a transit hub for Islamic State group fighters and weapons, even though the NATO ally is doing more to stop the group than it once did.<br>Alec Dionne/U.S. Army

Turkey still a major hub for ISIS militants, IG report says

U.S. European Command called Turkey a “major facilitation hub” for ISIS and said security at the country’s southern borders with Syria and Iraq continues to be a problem.

People stroll down Barcelona, Spain's famed Las Ramblas in pre-coronavirus times. Official military travel for U.S. European Command personnel to Belgium and Spain now requires official approval, but leisure travel is allowed. Policy at some commands within Europe remained unclear Tuesday. German health officials have cautioned that the Spanish regions of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, along with Navarre and Aragon, are risk areas and travel could require a quarantine upon return to Germany.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes
People stroll down Barcelona, Spain's famed Las Ramblas in pre-coronavirus times. Official military travel for U.S. European Command personnel to Belgium and Spain now requires official approval, but leisure travel is allowed. Policy at some commands within Europe remained unclear Tuesday. German health officials have cautioned that the Spanish regions of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, along with Navarre and Aragon, are risk areas and travel could require a quarantine upon return to Germany.<br>Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes

Military toughens rules on business travel to Belgium and Spain as coronavirus cases rise

Airmen can seek approval for leisure travel but the countries must be designated as “green,” according to coronavirus information on Ramstein Air Base’s website.

Outgoing Special Operations Command Europe commander Maj. Gen. Kirk W. Smith, center, salutes Gen. Tod D. Wolters, commander U.S. European Command, as incoming SOCEUR commander Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor watches during the change of command ceremony in Stuttgart, Germany, Aug. 3, 2020. All three are U.S. Air Force officers.<br>SOCEUR
Outgoing Special Operations Command Europe commander Maj. Gen. Kirk W. Smith, center, salutes Gen. Tod D. Wolters, commander U.S. European Command, as incoming SOCEUR commander Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor watches during the change of command ceremony in Stuttgart, Germany, Aug. 3, 2020. All three are U.S. Air Force officers.<br>SOCEUR

Special operations troops get a new boss in Stuttgart

Air Force Maj. Gen. David Tabor took command Monday of special operations forces in Europe, where he must begin planning to relocate his headquarters from Germany to a new home in Belgium.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Rivera, a search and rescue swimmer assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island, looks out of a U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk while conducting search and rescue relief operations following an AAV-P7/A1 assault amphibious vehicle accident off the coast of Southern California, July 30, 2020.<br>Mackenzie Binion/U.S. Marine Corps
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Rivera, a search and rescue swimmer assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island, looks out of a U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk while conducting search and rescue relief operations following an AAV-P7/A1 assault amphibious vehicle accident off the coast of Southern California, July 30, 2020.<br>Mackenzie Binion/U.S. Marine Corps

Eight missing service members presumed dead after amphibious vehicle accident off Calif. coast

The Marine Corps said Sunday that it has called off the search for seven Marines and one sailor three days after an accident off the coast of southern California.

American soldiers fire rounds downrange during an exercise on Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Orzysz, Poland. Washington and Warsaw have reached an agreement that paves the way for the U.S. to send more troops to the central European nation, the U.S. ambassador to Poland, Georgette Mosbacher, said July 31, 2020.<br>Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes
American soldiers fire rounds downrange during an exercise on Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Orzysz, Poland. Washington and Warsaw have reached an agreement that paves the way for the U.S. to send more troops to the central European nation, the U.S. ambassador to Poland, Georgette Mosbacher, said July 31, 2020.<br>Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes

US troops could soon be heading to Poland under new agreement

The U.S. and Poland have agreed to a defense deal that will lead to more American troops deployed in the central European nation, a top U.S. diplomat said Friday.

The joint operations center at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. AFRICOM launched a search for a new home for its headquarters, it said on July 30, 2020.<br>U.S. Africa Command
The joint operations center at U.S. Africa Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. AFRICOM launched a search for a new home for its headquarters, it said on July 30, 2020.<br>U.S. Africa Command

AFRICOM begins search for new headquarters home

U.S. Africa Command has launched a search for a new headquarters home that could send the Germany-based unit somewhere else in Europe or to the United States.

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

What will it take to move 12,000 troops from Germany? Closures, time and lots of money

Removing 12,000 troops from Germany will likely mean several base closures and cost billions of dollars for an operation that could begin in weeks but take years to complete.

A U.S. Africa Command unit on a surveillance mission off the coast of Libya helped rescue 131 migrants on July 21, 2020, after picking up their distress signal at sea, the military said this week.<br>U.S. Africa Command
A U.S. Africa Command unit on a surveillance mission off the coast of Libya helped rescue 131 migrants on July 21, 2020, after picking up their distress signal at sea, the military said this week.<br>U.S. Africa Command

AFRICOM unit helps to rescue migrants from sinking raft in Mediterranean Sea

A U.S. Africa Command unit on a surveillance mission off the coast of Libya helped rescue 131 migrants after picking up their distress signal at sea, the military said this week.

The tax office in the Kusel-Landstuhl area of Germany has ramped up efforts to collect taxes from some members of the U.S. military community.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes
The tax office in the Kusel-Landstuhl area of Germany has ramped up efforts to collect taxes from some members of the U.S. military community.<br>Brian Ferguson/Stars and Stripes

‘Harassed’ by German tax offices, more US military families face financial threats

German towns that house U.S. troops have expanded efforts to impose income tax penalties on some military personnel, say affected families and an attorney warning that an assignment in Germany carries growing financial risk.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to Aviano Air Base's 31st Fighter Wing prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to RAF Mildenhall's 100th Air Refueling Wing, over the Black Sea, July 22, 2020.<br>Benjamin Cooper/U.S. Air Force
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to Aviano Air Base's 31st Fighter Wing prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to RAF Mildenhall's 100th Air Refueling Wing, over the Black Sea, July 22, 2020.<br>Benjamin Cooper/U.S. Air Force

Air Force in Europe demonstrates its power in Black Sea joint drill

U.S. Air Forces in Europe led a large-scale show of force in the Black Sea that brought F-16s together with a Navy warship, drones and special operations aircraft to simulate the destruction of “well-defended targets.”

U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment march near Vilseck, Germany.<br>Pablo N. Piedra/U.S. Army
U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment march near Vilseck, Germany.<br>Pablo N. Piedra/U.S. Army

Plan to pull troops from Germany will take years, top Republican says

A Pentagon plan to reduce forces in Germany and send some to other parts of Europe has the backing of a top Republican senator, but he cautioned that the initiative will take years to put into action.

U.S. Africa Command said July 22, 2020, that it killed seven Islamic State group fighters in Somalia this week in retaliation for an attack not far from where American personnel were operating. U.S. AFRICOM<br>U.S. AFRICOM
U.S. Africa Command said July 22, 2020, that it killed seven Islamic State group fighters in Somalia this week in retaliation for an attack not far from where American personnel were operating. U.S. AFRICOM<br>U.S. AFRICOM

US airstrike kills seven ISIS fighters in Somalia

A U.S. airstrike in northern Somalia has killed seven fighters from the Islamic State group after they attacked an area where American troops were advising and assisting partner forces, U.S. Africa Command said Wednesday.

The destroyer USS Porter transits through the Bosporus in Turkey on July 19, 2020. The Porter is participating in Sea Breeze 20, an annual exercise in the Black Sea co-hosted by Ukraine and the United States.<br>Yoruk Isik
The destroyer USS Porter transits through the Bosporus in Turkey on July 19, 2020. The Porter is participating in Sea Breeze 20, an annual exercise in the Black Sea co-hosted by Ukraine and the United States.<br>Yoruk Isik

US, Ukraine launch Black Sea drills while Moscow puts its fleet on alert

The Navy destroyer USS Porter and submarine hunting aircraft joined a large-scale exercise that kicked off Monday in the Black Sea, where Russia recently ordered snap combat readiness drills involving thousands of troops.

Rheinland-Pfalz Minister President Malu Dreyer speaks with 86th Airlift Wing commander Brig. Gen. Mark August in Kottweiler-Schwanden, Germany, in February 2020. Dreyer is one of four German state heads that sent a letter to U.S. lawmakers, urging them to oppose troop cuts in the country.<br>Taylor D. Slater/U.S. Air Force
Rheinland-Pfalz Minister President Malu Dreyer speaks with 86th Airlift Wing commander Brig. Gen. Mark August in Kottweiler-Schwanden, Germany, in February 2020. Dreyer is one of four German state heads that sent a letter to U.S. lawmakers, urging them to oppose troop cuts in the country.<br>Taylor D. Slater/U.S. Air Force

German leaders appeal to US Congress to block troop cuts

The appeal, reported by Reuters and German news agencies, called U.S. troops in Germany “the backbone of U.S. presence in Europe and NATO’s ability to act.”

A medic at the clinic in Wiesbaden, Germany swabs a patient for coronavirus testing, June 12, 2020. Public health officials are expanding testing for the virus and screening personnel as they arrive in Europe. Quarantines will be mandatory for new arrivals from high-risk areas regardless of test results, following a spike in the number of infections, military officials said.<br>Marcy Sanchez/DOD
A medic at the clinic in Wiesbaden, Germany swabs a patient for coronavirus testing, June 12, 2020. Public health officials are expanding testing for the virus and screening personnel as they arrive in Europe. Quarantines will be mandatory for new arrivals from high-risk areas regardless of test results, following a spike in the number of infections, military officials said.<br>Marcy Sanchez/DOD

Military in Europe mandates virus quarantine for troops arriving from US, with no exceptions

Troops coming to Europe from the U.S. have to quarantine for 14 days and can no longer test out of it, military officials said Friday as they moved to contain a “significant spike” in coronavirus infections among incoming forces.

Adm. James G. Foggo III shakes hands with Capt. Daniel Prochazka, the executive officer of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, on the flight deck in the Mediterranean Sea Dec. 9, 2019. Foggo relinquished command July 17, 2020, of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.<br>Kaysee Lohmann/U.S. Navy
Adm. James G. Foggo III shakes hands with Capt. Daniel Prochazka, the executive officer of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, on the flight deck in the Mediterranean Sea Dec. 9, 2019. Foggo relinquished command July 17, 2020, of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.<br>Kaysee Lohmann/U.S. Navy

With eye on China and Russia, Foggo relinquishes Navy command with call for new Europe strategy

NATO needs a new maritime strategy to deal with the resurgence of Russia’s submarine force and China’s emergence as a military factor in Europe, the outgoing U.S. naval commander on the Continent said.

A verified image of an improvised explosive device found in Tripoli that U.S. Africa Command says was introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group, a Russian-backed private military contractor.<br>U.S. Africa Command
A verified image of an improvised explosive device found in Tripoli that U.S. Africa Command says was introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group, a Russian-backed private military contractor.<br>U.S. Africa Command

Russian-supported mercenaries planting land mines, booby traps in Libya, AFRICOM says

AFRICOM says it has “verified photographic evidence” showing mercenaries connected to the Russian state-sponsored Wagner Group placing booby traps and mines in the outskirts of Tripoli and other areas.