The process of changeover of US rotational forces deployed in Lithuania began in late May with the arrival of the first troops from the 1st battalion of the US 66th Armor Regiment with combat equipment, such as M1A2 Abrams tanks and Bradley IFVs, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in a press release.
The 1st battalion of the US 66th Armor Regiment will replace the 3rd battalion, which has been deployed in Lithuania since last fall, by the end of June.
US ground forces have been rotating in to train in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe since spring 2014 as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve of the US Army in the eastern part of the Alliance. It is a reassurance about the collective defense commitments to NATO allies concerning European security following the aggressive Russian actions in Ukraine.