Army announces activation of V Corps to push back against Russia in Europe

Task and Purpose ^ | February 12, 2020 at 10:19 AM | Haley Britzky

[RitchieAprile]

The Army announced on Tuesday the activation of V Corps (or Fifth Corps), the latest development in the U.S. military's push to build up capabilities in Europe in the face of great power competition with Russia.

V Corps will be based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, per Tuesday's Army press release. It will be made up of 635 soldiers, 200 of which "will support an operational command post in Europe on a rotational basis."

It's expected to be operational by this fall.

"The activation of an additional Corps headquarters provides the needed level of command and control focused on synchronizing U.S. Army, allied, and partner nation tactical formations operating in Europe," Gen. James McConville, Army Chief of Staff, said in the press release. "It will enhance U.S. Army Europe and U.S. European Command as they work alongside allies and partners to promote regional stability and security."

According to the Wall Street Journal, Defense Secretary Mark Esper is planning to discuss where the new command will be based with his Eastern European counterparts while at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting in Brussels this week.

When the V Corps went inactive in 2013, then-commander Lt. Gen. James Terry called it a "bittersweet occasion," per Stars and Stripes. It was the first time since 1951 that Europe was without a corps headquarters.

The V Corps was first activated in 1918 to fight in France during World War I, per the Army release. In World War II, the V Corps participated in the D-Day invasion and the liberation of Europe.

V Corps will be the fourth Army corps, joining I Corps, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; III Corps, at Fort Hood, Texas; and XVIII Airborne Corps, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The Army has been heavily focusing on security in Europe since the National Defense Strategy made building up forces to counter Russia and China primary objectives "now and in the future."

This month, the Army will start moving equipment into Europe for the largest military exercise since the Cold War: Defender Europe 2020.

The exercise will last through July this year and include around 37,000 service members total.

[RitchieAprile]

Is the I.G. Farben still standing?

[C19fan]

During the Cold War, V Corps had responsibility for preventing the Soviets from going though the Fulda Gap. If there was a spot where World War III would go nuclear that is where it would be.

[Spruce]

Yeah let’s defend the EU from Christian Russia while importing jihadis into our heartland.

Derp

[McGruff]

They don't look Russian to me.

[RitchieAprile]

also responsible for keeping the brewer “Will Bräu”
(aka “Willy Bier)” profitable.

[escapefromboston]

Europe should be doing this themselves

[Buckeye McFrog]

bbb….bbbbu….bbb…..bbbbut I thought Putin WANTED Trump to win. I thought they CHEATED to make SURE they’d be dealing with him as POTUS.

[DoodleDawg]

The Army has been heavily focusing on security in Europe since the National Defense Strategy made building up forces to counter Russia and China primary objectives "now and in the future."

Hopefully the President will nip that in the bud. European security should be left to the Europeans.

[C19fan]

EU population: > 500 MM
EU GDP: $19.39 trillion

Russia Population: 144 MM
Russia GDP: $1.6 trillion

[C19fan]

It will be made up of 635 soldiers, 200 of which "will support an operational command post in Europe on a rotational basis."

Does a Lieutenant General get the "honor" of commanding this HQ unit of 635 soldiers?

[Burma Jones]

So, a corps of 635 troops — I guess that’s 3 divisions of 210, each division has 3 brigades of 70, each brigade has 3 battalions of 23-24, each battalion has 3 companies of 7-8, and each company has 3 or 4 platoons of 2 guys each. Sounds legit.

[TheDon]

Agreed. USA should remove all our military from Europe.

[Seruzawa]

The Russian military is a shadow of what it was. It couldn’t afford to attack NATO. Generals trying to be relevant. What a joke.

[Seruzawa]

Lol. There wouldn’t be a single enlisted man given those numbers. Lots of do nothing jobs though so Pentagon Warriors can become Generals.

[meridenite]

I beleive its now a university

[WKUHilltopper]

So when did a Corps become 635 soldiers??

[M Kehoe]

V Corp needs a REFORGER to become viable.

Imho.

5.56mm

[Ancesthntr]

Geez, Patton’s Third Army ALONE had 4 corps of up to 18 divisions, and that in a nation of 130 million. How far we have fallen that it is a supposed big deal to have about 600 guys re-create the command infrastructure (not the equipment, logistics or trained manpower, mind you, JUST the command infrastructure) for a single corps.

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[Ancesthntr]

“Europe should be doing this themselves”

---

Agreed...but it is doubtful that the Krauts could even field 200 reliable panzers.

Frankly, this is all nonsense. Russia isn’t the USSR - it is a Turd World nation with nukes, surrounded by enemies, it is at least 500 miles further east than in 1991, and its population is shrinking. Russia is no threat to anyone but nations that try to poke the Bear close to its borders. Even more frankly, we should be moving toward friendly relations and a potential alliance with Russia (though that won’t be realistic for at least 10-20 years). We have much more in common than what divides us - now that Communism is dead in Russia. Now we have to kill it here - and THAT is a bigger threat to this country than all of Stalin’s armies ever were.