Pentagon Announces 5,000-Troop Withdrawal from Germany

The Pentagon announced Friday that the United States plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months, reducing the American military presence in the country from more than 35,000 active-duty personnel.

Germany hosts the largest contingent of U.S. forces in Europe, including key installations such as Ramstein Air Base, headquarters for U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest U.S. hospital outside the country. Officials said the withdrawal will include one brigade combat team and the cancellation of a planned long-range fires battalion deployment. It will not affect medical support at Landstuhl, where injured troops from the U.S.-led war with Iran have been treated.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell described the move as the result of a thorough review of the Defense Department's force posture in Europe. "This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground," Parnell said in a statement. Some of the troops may return to the U.S. before potential redeployment elsewhere,...