United States European Command

The European Command of the United States (United States European Command or EUCOM) is the unified command of the United States Armed Forces stationed in Stuttgart (Germany).

The EUCOM commander is the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (Supreme Allied Commander Europe, SACEUR), who also serves as commander of NATO's Allied Operations Command.

History

EUCOM headquarters in the IG Farben building, Frankfurt am Main, 1952.

Since the end of World War II in Europe, the largest US bases outside of North America have been maintained in Germany. More than 16 million American soldiers provided their military service in German cities such as Sembach, Ramstein, Schweinfurt or Wiesbaden.

As of the late 1980s, there were 189,000 US military personnel in Germany, but their numbers have declined markedly since the end of the Cold War.

Ramstein is home to the largest US military airbase outside the United States, and Grafenwöhr is the largest US military training center in Europe.

The events of September 11, 2001 changed the strategic interests of the United States. As a consequence, US troops withdrew from Frankfurt am Main.

As of 2004, 72,000 of the roughly 100,000 US soldiers in Europe They do their military service in Germany and 2,500 German soldiers have participated since 2003 in the defense of US bases. These soldiers are accompanied by 94,000 family members.

Only soldiers—located within the framework of NATO—remain in the Federal Republic of Germany, in addition to 150 of the nearly 400 atomic weapons that the United States possesses in Europe.

In August 2004, US President George W. Bush announced a troop withdrawal, including the 1st Armored Division stationed in Wiesbaden and the 1st Infantry Division stationed in Würzburg. However, overall command of the US military in Europe will remain in Stuttgart.

Curiosities

Elvis Presley and Colin Powell both served in the military in Germany.