DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Panetta Outlines U.S. Troop Changes In Europe
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 17, 2012: Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met with German Defense Minister Thomas De Maizière at the Pentagon today, as Defense Department officials announced details of planned changes in the U.S. military presence in Europe.
The Army will inactivate its Germany-based 170th and 172nd infantry brigades this year and in fiscal 2014, respectively, officials announced, as part of a change that will cut U.S. service members in Europe from about 80,000 now to about 70,000 in 2017.
"The minister understands the necessity of the shifts we are making as we work to implement our new defense strategy while meeting our fiscal responsibilities," Panetta said during a press briefing with his German counterpart.
The secretary said he and De Maizière had a productive meeting today, as they had earlier this month in both Brussels and Munich where both attended NATO defense meetings and the annual Munich Security Conference.
Panetta thanked De Maizière for his leadership both in NATO deliberations and in his nation's "very steadfast" support to the alliance-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
"Germany has been with us from the very beginning," the secretary said. "The German military plays a very important role as the lead for ISAF Regional Command North."
Germany is both a top troop contributor for ISAF and a top funding contributor for Afghan security force sustainment, he noted.
