{"id":43228,"date":"2020-03-16T22:59:54","date_gmt":"2020-03-16T22:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/16\/soldiers-in-europe-for-defender-2020-to-return-home-amid-pandemic-2\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:49:44","slug":"soldiers-in-europe-for-defender-2020-to-return-home-amid-pandemic-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2020\/03\/16\/soldiers-in-europe-for-defender-2020-to-return-home-amid-pandemic-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Soldiers in Europe for Defender 2020 to return home amid pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

U.S. officials are significantly reducing the size and scope of the long-awaited Defender 2020 exercise<\/a> intended to test the Army\u2019s ability to move a division-sized force <\/a>from U.S. seaports to European training grounds this spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exercise included 20,000 soldiers who were meant to conduct training across 10 European countries. Several linked exercises \u2014 Dynamic Front, Joint Warfighting Assessment, Saber Strike and Swift Response \u2014 will no longer be conducted, Army Europe officials said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Approximately 6,000 soldiers had already deployed from the United States to Europe since January, including a division headquarters and an armored brigade combat team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe anticipate the armored brigade combat team already deployed to Europe will conduct gunnery and other combined training events with Allies as part of a modified Allied Spirit exercise,” Army officials said in a statement. “Forces already deployed to Europe for other linked exercises will return to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t