The U.S. Army has canceled the deployment of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division — more than 4,000 soldiers and associated equipment — to Poland.
An Army official confirmed the decision Wednesday but did not provide details and referred all questions to the Defense Department, which did not respond to a request for information.
During a congressional hearing Tuesday on the Army’s budget posture, neither Army Secretary Dan Driscoll nor Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army vice chief of staff, mentioned the deployment cancellation.
But word already had started spreading early Tuesday morning among those affected, with soldiers texting friends and loved ones about the change.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said during his opening statement in the hearing that the Army faces a budget shortfall of at least $2 billion as a result of extended operations that include deployments of the Army National Guard to Washington, D.C., and units to participate in U.S. border control.
Reed wondered what the impact was on training and operations but the topic was not addressed.
According to ABC News, the Army budget shortfall is significantly larger than Reed’s estimate. In the report, Army officials told the outlet the amount actually is between $4 billion and $6 billion.
The Pentagon announced in April that it planned to withdraw roughly 5,000 troops from Germany. Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said that Secretary Pete Hegseth made the decision after reviewing “theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”
The move would bring U.S. troops levels in Europe to pre-2022 levels, before Russia invaded Ukraine and started a war that has killed more than 43,000 Ukrainian troops and at least 100,000 Russian service members, according to Every Casualty Counts, a British-based non-governmental organization that tracks conflict deaths.
More than 10,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Poland on rotation. The “Black Jack” brigade was expected to deploy for nine months. The Stars and Stripes reported that the Fort Hood, Texas-based tank brigade cased its colors May 1 in preparation for the deployment.
Portions of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team advanced echelon are already in Poland and equipment is in transit, according to the deployment plan.
Army officials from Fort Hood and U.S. Army Headquarters referred all questions to DOD. The Pentagon did not respond by publication.
This is a developing news story. It will be updated as more information is made available.
Patricia Kime is a senior writer covering military and veterans health care, medicine and personnel issues.