Military Review English Edition November-December 2014 | Page 8

will continue to be in responding to challenges such as
the recent events in Ukraine. USAREUR’s response to
unpredictable events can be orchestrated and replicated in a timely manner—as demonstrated by Operation
Atlantic Resolve—only because of the relationships,
trust, and access it enjoys from its forward-based
presence in Europe. Maj. Gen. Almantas Leika, commander, Lithuanian Land Forces, echoed this sentiment when he said of Atlantic Resolve, “We feel in this
complicated situation that we are not alone. This is
extremely important.”

A Persistent Presence
In light of Russian intervention in Ukraine, the
United States is demonstrating its continued commitment to collective security through a series of actions
designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of
America’s dedication to enduring peace and stability
in Europe. As part of the persistent presence mission,
which has transitioned to Operation Atlantic Resolve,
USAREUR forces are conducting land force assurance
exercises and expeditionary sustainment, as well as
planning future bilateral training opportunities.2
USAREUR leaders feel this is made possible only by
the relationships developed through years of stationing
in Europe. USAREUR, the Army Service component
command of USEUCOM, has a unique ability to
leverage friendships built on more than 1,000 annual
security cooperation events and exercises. A perfect
example of the enabling factors of personal and professional relationships is how the mission in support of
Operation Atlantic Resolve developed.
Relationships developed by USAREUR with the
affected countries allowed its senior leaders to make
initial phones calls to Baltic region chiefs of defense
to set the conditions for what at the time was called
persistent presence. These phone calls were quickly followed by the USAREUR operations officer, Maj. Gen.
Darryl A. Williams, immediately traveling to all the
Baltic states and Poland to set the conditions for the
reassurance mission. After the initial coordination was
complete, the USAREUR deputy commanding general, Maj. Gen. Richard C. Longo, traveled to Poland,
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to follow up with their
leadership. He performed a joint welcome ceremony
for the initial forces from the 173rd Airborne Brigade
Combat Team “Sky Soldiers,” based out of Vicenza,
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Italy, to begin the initial persistent presence mission.
After all forces arrived, Lt. Gen. Campbell traveled to
each country and met with their key leaders to ensure
USAREUR was meeting the host nations’ expectations.
These visits by USAREUR senior leaders with key
military and political figures demonstrated an unwavering commitment to partners and allies. The successful visits were enabled by the personal relationships
developed throughout the year during multinational
training exercises and events. USAREUR’s perspective
is that the relationships highlighted above are the direct
result of U.S. forces being stationed in Europe and
developing a foundation of trust through credibility.
This trust, in turn, has allowed USAREUR the ability
to gain access to key leaders in the affected region and
respond to events quickly, when every second was critical to providing friends the assurance they desired. The
command’s senior leaders received a truly overwhelming personal response from these countries’ key leaders
during face-to-face engagements in the affected areas
after USAREUR units had arrived. Country leaders

November-December 2014  MILITARY REVIEW