"It was Thorsten Gradler's first day on the job as mayor of the Bavarian town of Vilseck when, at his introductory press conference, a journalist broke it to him. "Did you hear the news? It's bad news," said the journalist, informing the new mayor of a German media report that President Trump's announced cuts to the U.S. troop presence in Germany would mean the removal of 5,000 soldiers from the town he'd just been elected to run. Mayor Gradler's face sank. "Are you serious? This is hitting me hard, I have to admit," he said, his eyes welling up with tears. "I'm pretty emotional, actually.""
""If what they say is true," says Gradler, "and 5,000 soldiers are taken from our town, along with their family members, we're talking another 12,000 to 13,000 people leaving Vilseck. That's double the number of the people who reside here. This will have dramatic consequences." More than 37,000 U.S. forces remain in Germany, part of the U.S. military presence that's been in the country since World War II and the Cold War to deter Russia, defend NATO and project power."
"The reported withdrawal of the Vilseck forces would not mark an abandonment of the U.S. engagement in Germany, but it would still hurt the town. For decades, Vilseck has hosted the 2n"
A new mayor in Vilseck, Germany, learned on his first day that reported U.S. troop cuts could remove 5,000 soldiers from the town. The mayor said the change would also affect family members, potentially driving 12,000 to 13,000 people to leave, doubling the town’s population. Vilseck hosts long-standing U.S. forces that support NATO deterrence and defense, and enable U.S. operations in the Middle East. German-based air bases have also provided medical care for wounded soldiers from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even if the broader U.S. engagement in Germany continues, the reported withdrawal would still significantly harm the local community.
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