Europe

It was another tense week for the more than 100,000 U.S. military forces serving across Europe, as Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin gave dueling speeches ahead of Friday’s one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

In Poland, where the U.S. military was training hard alongside Polish troops before and after President Biden’s two-day visit to the country this week, America is being asked to provide more troops and weapons. Polish President Andrzej Duda asked President Biden for “larger stockpiles of U.S. weaponry on its soil, which would allow allies to respond faster in a crisis,” according to a report by Stars and Stripes.

Approximately 10,500 American troops are currently in Poland, which Stars and Stripes calls “a center of gravity for the U.S. military in Europe.”

“During his discussions with Biden, Duda said the two leaders also spoke about the need for detailing procedures for deploying forces to the eastern front in crisis scenarios,” John Vandiver reported. “’The point is that there should be designated units from the U.S. that will come to help in case of need,’ Duda said.”

https://twitter.com/USArmyEURAF/status/1627926249346678785?s=20

Earlier this month, Voice of America filed an in-depth report on a team of American soldiers serving in Romania. It is very much worth reading to help understand the sacrifices that have been made by the selfless men and women of the U.S. military since Russia’s war on Ukraine dramatically changed the security situation in Europe.

In Romania, U.S. troop numbers have tripled from approximately 1,000 troops in January 2022 to about 3,000 today. A high-end missile launched from Russian-controlled Crimea could reach the soldiers based along the Black Sea in about seven minutes, according to U.S. Army Colonel Ed Matthaidess, commander of the 101st’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

“We are the closest U.S. Army formation to the fight in Ukraine right now,” Matthaidess told VOA.

Since their arrival, the 101st has spread out to fortify its positions across the country, and in other nations on NATO’s eastern flank.

“We’ve prepared our force for whatever eventuality, so we’ve reinforced protection around Mihail Kogalniceanu. We’ve dispersed our forces so we’re not a single target,” Matthaidess said.

Please pray for U.S. military forces serving in Romania, Poland and all across Europe. We also ask the Lord to spare mankind from another catastrophic world war.

Training

A military family and Navy SEALs are mourning a tragedy that occurred earlier this week in Arizona.

The U.S. Navy announced that Chief Special Warfare Operator Michael Ernst died on Sunday after a parachuting accident in Marana, Arizona. The Silver Star recipient, who was from Massachusetts, joined the Navy in 2009 and became a SEAL in 2012.

Navy SEAL killed in free-fall parachute accident in Arizona https://t.co/6MqE0SYjAC

— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 23, 2023

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ernst family,” said U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Keith Davids. “Mike was an exceptional teammate. He was a dedicated (Naval Special Warfare) sailor who applied his talents and skills towards some of our nation’s hardest challenges, while selflessly mentoring his teammates.”

Please pray for the Ernst family and everyone who knew this American hero.

Middle East

In Syria, where four brave U.S. troops and a military working dog were wounded last week in a raid to kill a terrorist facilitator, the threat posed by ISIS remains high. ABC News reports that attacks on civilians already reeling from a devastating series of earthquakes have increased in recent weeks.

As ISIS targets the innocent, valiant American service members are fighting back against the terrorist group. A February 18 helicopter raid captured an ISIS official on the same day two rockets landed near a base housing U.S. troops in northeast Syria.

On the morning of 18 Feb, US and SDF forces conducted a helicopter raid in eastern Syria, capturing an ISIS official. pic.twitter.com/OMprEZmdCX

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 18, 2023

“U.S. Central Command forces and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) conducted a helicopter raid in eastern Syria, capturing Batar, an ISIS Syria Province Official involved in planning attacks on SDF-guarded detention centers and manufacturing improvised explosive devices,” U.S. Central Command posted on Twitter. “Extensive planning went into this operation to ensure its successful execution. No civilians and no SDF or U.S. forces were killed or injured.”

Please pray for the safe return of all American military personnel serving in Syria, Iraq — where violence continues — and throughout the Middle East.

Coming Home

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Legare is back home after a 63-day homeland security patrol in the Caribbean Sea.

A U.S. Coast Guard officer is welcomed home by his family during the cutter’s return to home port in Portsmouth, Virginia, on February 17, 2023.

Welcome home to this ship’s command and crew. Thank you for keeping our country safe and secure!

Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is the author of the recently released Be Bold and co-author of Three Wise Men, Brothers Forever, 8 Seconds of Courage and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.