European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 17, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                June 2007 stars and stripes pages makeover in Europe five years the defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent marching orders to Marine James telling him that the european command needed an in an open letter to civilians and family members in Jones the european command is embarking on a journey to transform from our current Post cold War Force Structure and Basing environment to one that is positioned to meet the unique challenges of the 21st that started in called for the moving of thousands of troops from Europe Back to the United it also had provisions for moving troops into Eastern Europe and setting up Forward operating Sites in but Jones army Bantz is questioning whether pulling troops out of Europe during this time of War is a prudent Over the next several stars and stripes will review the status of the military transformation in Europe in a series of stories that look at the present and ifs an Opportunity to revisit the issues and challenges associated with the changes currently from the development of Stryker brigades and brigade combat teams to base closures and unit the vast undertaking involves not Only but the today Neucom leaders address transformation issues Day 4 stateside bases get ready for influx of troops Day 2 a look at troop strength through the years Day 5 air Navy also getting new look Day 3 How the military closes its bases Day 6 the Impact of politics on transformation transformation t a lot of things have changed since Donald Rumsfeld announced plans in 2002 to dramatically reshape the is it still the Best plan by Kevin Dougherty stars and stripes some powerful men have begun to question or at least voice concerns about the scope and Pace of the draw Down of forces in this army Bantz the military commander of nato and the european com announced he was going to take a look at military three weeks a called a troops task landed on Crad docks desk for the which assesses whether there Are enough troops to effectively fulfil the Mission requirements of the european is expected to be forwarded to defense Secretary Rob Ert Gates and the joint chiefs of the question is one of Craddock told the House armed ser vices committee in if some thing else arises and the forces As signed to european command Are engaged in those missions in Iraq and then i would have to go Back to the chairman with a request for More Craddock statements Echo those of his Marine James who suggested As far Back As december that troop cuts in particularly with respect to the May be going too there Are benefits to the transformation of overseas Jones said on spans new makers he the  withdraw forces too much from any particular area in the especially because once you do its going to be hard to come As i left in my last re i expressed some concern that the size of the army in Europe had perhaps gone too Jones and i think that there is still time because we have not pulled All the troops put that Are supposed to there is time to take another look at whether a review of military trans formation in Europe leads to an Over haul of the plan or just a tweak re Mains to be but the fact is much has changed in the five years forming Neucom into a More since military planners in Stuttgart expeditionary crafted a theater strategy for trans Back in pacifying Afghani sch rom stars and stripes Stryker armoured personnel Canton belonging to the 2nd cavalry regiment arrive at on july the arrival of the Stryker brigade it part of a larger army plan for a More More nimble and interchangeable Force capable of handling future in the War on Geoff and stripes army soldiers watch As georgian soldiers conduct a Roo Clearing exercise during recent training in the Republic of Neucom commander Bantz Craddock says its hard for his troops to fulfil their Mission of building allies in Eastern Europe while fighting wars in Iraq and Stan and later Iraq didst seem All that daunting a the army want planning to add soldiers to the Rolls As announced this Donald Rumsfeld led the defense and the republicans controlled since about service members have departed Europe or will shortly leaving behind Doz ens of from Leighton Barracks and Rhei main air base in Germany to naval air station be Flavin in and More cuts Are in the Steps that will trim the total Force to about by if not according to the current military transformation in Europe goes beyond people and it represents a fundamental shift away from a relatively Static cold War stance to a More nimble and interchange Able Force capable of handling future in the on within in the for its about moving from a division Cen tric Force to one where brigade com Bat teams Are the Sec transform on Page 4