Maj. Gen. Max Haston, Tennessee’s Adjutant General, today announced that elements of the Knoxville based 278th ACR will deploy the first of two task forces later this summer to Europe in support of NATO’s enhanced forward presence (eFP). The second task force is scheduled for deployment in March 2019.
The eFP provides a robust multinational presence in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland respectively. It is comprised of multinational forces provided by framework nations (Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, and the United States) and other contributing Allies on a voluntary, sustainable, and rotational basis.
In support of the United States commitment to European security and deterrence, each task force is comprised of over 850 Soldiers based at armories across the state and will form battalion sized battle groups, in country, with additional personnel supplied by multinational Allies during the nine month rotations.
Last summer the regiment participated in the eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program at Fort Hood, Texas, developed by the Army National Guard and designed to certify skills in platoon level tasks. Later this spring, the 278th will conduct more advanced training during a rotation to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. The NTC is a major training area for the United States Military located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County.
The 278th is the largest unit in Tennessee and one of only five armored brigade combat teams in the National Guard. Through the Army’s force planning process they were identified as the unit best suited to contribute to eFP battle group in Poland.