Alaska-based military stand by as U.S. bolsters NATO with troops

KUAC | By Tim Ellis

Published February 25, 2022 at 1:06 PM AKST

Pallets of ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine is loaded into a transport aircraft last month at Dover Air Force Base, Del. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $5.4 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including security and non-security assistance.

Alaska-based U.S. military forces U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered another 7,000 troops to Europe Thursday to bolster NATO member nations in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But none of those forces are coming from Alaska.

Neither the Army nor Air Force commands based in Alaska are sending military personnel or equipment to support the U.S. response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. At least, not yet.

Spokespersons for both U.S. Army Alaska and the Air Force’s Alaskan Command both said Thursday that the Pentagon has not directed their organizations to deploy or prepare to deploy to aid the U.S. buildup in NATO member nations.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday ordered 7,000 soldiers with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division to deploy to Europe in support of the U.S. response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The 1st of the 3rd soldiers shown here were deploying to Europe in 2001 in support of NATO allies and partners.

A Pentagon spokesperson said Thursday that Defense Secretary Austin has ordered the deployment in a few days of about 7,000 additional servicemembers to Europe. The spokesperson says the armored brigade combat team will deploy to Germany to “reassure NATO allies, deter Russian aggression and be prepared to support a range of requirements in the region.”

The New York Times says the soldiers are with the First Armored Brigade of the Army’s Third Infantry Division. And they’ll increase the number of personnel assigned to the NATO buildup to 14,000.

The Times said the soldiers from the Fort Stewart, Georgia-based 1^st of the 3^rd will bring the total number of U.S. troops in Europe to about 100,000.