Home » Archives » "Stryker unit welcomed to new home in Vilseck"

Stryker unit welcomed to new home in Vilseck

Sep-16-2006 » Filed Under: 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment

By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes


GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — The 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment could deploy out of Europe once its soldiers are trained, U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army commander Gen. David D. McKiernan said Friday at a welcome home ceremony for the unit.

McKiernan, along with U.S. Ambassador to Germany William R Timken Jr., Bavarian Minister-President Edmund Stoiber, 1st Armored Division commander Maj. Gen. Fred D. Robinson Jr., many other high-ranking U.S. and German officials and more than 3,000 2nd Cav soldiers attended the ceremony to uncase the unit’s colors at Vilseck Army Airfield.

The 2nd Cav has moved thousands of soldiers and family members along with 300 Stryker armored personnel carriers and 1,000 other pieces of heavy equipment from Fort Lewis, Wash., to Germany in the past few months.

McKiernan said 65 percent of the unit’s soldiers are new to the regiment.

“It is going to take time to build a cohesive unit under (2nd Cav commander) Col. (John) RisCassi’s leadership and training,” he said. “Once that occurs, they are available for deployment within the USAREUR (U.S. Army Europe) area of responsibility or worldwide.”

Basing the Strykers at Vilseck positions them with the U.S. Army’s largest training facility outside of the U.S. — the Joint Multinational Training Command, he said.

“The result will be expeditionary training and operational readiness that can be sustained here or exported throughout the European Command’s area of operations or further,” he said...


Advertisements