United States Army Europe and Africa
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| United States Army Europe and Africa | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | United States Army Europe and Africa |
| Caption | Shoulder sleeve insignia |
| Start date | 1942 (lineage) |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Army component command |
| Role | Theater-level command |
| Garrison | Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Motto | "Sword of Freedom" (historical) |
| Commander1 | Eric W. Grebner |
United States Army Europe and Africa is the United States Army component responsible for Army operations on the continents of Europe and Africa. It serves as the primary American Army link to NATO and United States Africa Command partners, aligning with European and African allies such as United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The command traces institutional lineage through major 20th-century campaigns including the Operation Overlord, Battle of the Bulge, and Cold War deployments tied to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
History
The command's origins date to wartime headquarters created for European Theater of Operations, United States Army during World War II, which participated in Operation Torch, Sicily Campaign, and the Normandy landings. Postwar restructuring linked the command to Cold War missions alongside the United States Army Europe (1947–2020), supporting the Marshall Plan, Berlin air rotation interactions after the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, and deterrence during crises such as the Prague Spring and Yom Kippur War indirect effects. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the command shifted toward partnership initiatives including the Partnership for Peace and enlargement of NATO to include Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Operations in the 1990s connected the command to interventions like Operation Sharp Guard and Operation Allied Force during the Yugoslav Wars. In the 21st century the command adapted to expeditionary missions for Operation Enduring Freedom and collaboration with United States Africa Command partners, culminating in the 2020 re-designation that merged European and African responsibilities.
Organization and Structure
The theater-level headquarters integrates staff directorates aligned with Department of the Army constructs such as G-1 through G-9, and liaises with joint commands including United States European Command and United States Africa Command. Subordinate formations historically include corps-level units such as elements akin to V Corps and divisional headquarters like 1st Infantry Division, 1st Armored Division, and various sustainment brigades. The command maintains coordination cells with multinational bodies such as NATO Allied Command Operations and the European Union Military Staff, while linking to national armies including Polish Land Forces, Romanian Land Forces, and British Army components. Administrative garrison functions are handled through installations managed by Installation Management Command – Europe and host-nation agreements with governments such as Germany and Italy.
Roles and Missions
Primary missions encompass deterrence, assurance, crisis response, and security cooperation across theaters including Baltic States, Black Sea, Sahel, and the Horn of Africa. The command supports exercises with partners like NATO Response Force contingents, trains with professional militaries from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and conducts joint activities with multinational formations such as the Multinational Corps Northeast. It provides readiness and rotational forces to contingencies tied to treaties like the North Atlantic Treaty and contributes enablers for humanitarian assistance alongside organizations such as United Nations missions and African Union engagements.
Major Units and Garrisons
Major garrisons have included headquarters at Wiesbaden, forward corps elements in Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas, and sustainment hubs at Stuttgart and Vicenza. Notable subordinate units and rotational presences have featured 21st Theater Sustainment Command, 7th Army Training Command, USAREUR Division elements, and the periodic deployment of armored brigades such as units drawn from 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, and 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Liaison and advisory teams operate in African partner states and Mediterranean bases including Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti and logistic nodes at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Greece.
Operations and Deployments
Operational history spans major allied campaigns from Operation Overlord to Cold War deterrence patrols and peace enforcement during the Bosnian War and Kosovo War. In recent years deployments have included rotational armored and aviation brigades to eastern Europe in response to tensions influenced by events like the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and ongoing support to partner capacity-building in Africa under initiatives complementary to Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership and African Peacekeeping Rapid Response Partnership activities. The command has provided logistical, intelligence, and communications support to NATO operations such as Operation Atlantic Resolve and to multinational training missions under Resolute Support Mission frameworks.
Training and Exercises
Training is centralized at combined-arms centers and multinational training areas such as Grafenwöhr Training Area, Hohenfels Training Area, and exercises like Saber Strike, Defender Europe, Anakonda, Steadfast Jazz, and Trident Juncture. These events integrate units from allies including Canada, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Portugal, and often incorporate NATO capabilities like the Allied Air Command and AWACS assets from NATO Airborne Early Warning Force. Predeployment certification occurs with the support of institutions such as the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command and multinational doctrine drawn from NATO Standardization Office publications.
Equipment and Capabilities
The command fields combined-arms capabilities including main battle tanks such as M1 Abrams, infantry fighting vehicles like M2 Bradley, rotary-wing aviation exemplified by AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk variants, and indirect fires from systems such as M777 howitzer and M142 HIMARS. Sustainment and strategic mobility are provided by rolling stock including the M915 series and logistics frameworks interoperable with NATO Standardization Agreement procedures. Signals, cyber, and intelligence capabilities align with assets from Army Cyber Command and integrate satellite communications linked to Defense Satellite Communications System and allied data networks such as NATO C3 systems.