Fort Carson prepares for massive deployment to Europe

By

The Associated Press

A soldier walks past a line of M1 Abrams tanks Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, as the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division loads track and wheeled vehicles onto rail cars at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 2,800 vehicles are bound for nine countries in central and eastern Europe where soldiers are being deployed in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. (Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Fort Carson is getting ready for its largest deployment of troops to Europe since the Cold War.

The Gazette reports that soldiers were loading vehicles on trains Tuesday to prepare for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s move to eastern Europe. About 4,400 soldiers will serve in seven countries for nine months starting in January.

The 3rd Brigade is a central part of the Army’s effort to align with NATO allies to combat rising Russian aggression.

Brigade soldiers have been working since early November to load firearms and more than 2,800 vehicles, containers and trailers on trains.

The trains are headed to Texas, where the gear will be loaded onto Navy transports bound for Europe.

The brigade has spent a year in training preparing for the trip.