Army Taps Fort Riley Combat Aviation Brigade for Deployment to Europe, Africa Region

Soldiers from 1st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Riley — Soldiers from 1st Combat Aviation Brigade fire .50 Cal Browning machine guns on Range 9 at Fort Riley, Nov. 7, 2017. (U.S. Army)

Military.com | By Matthew Cox

Published February 08, 2021

The U.S. Army on Monday announced the upcoming deployment of a combat aviation brigade, or CAB, out of Fort Riley, Kansas, to provide helicopter support for U.S. forces operating in Europe and Africa.

The 1st Infantry Division's CAB will replace the 101st Airborne Division's CAB in April to support U.S. Army Europe and Africa in Operation Atlantic Resolve, according to an Army news release.

Col. Bryan Chivers, commander of the 1st ID's CAB, said his Demon brigade is excited and ready for the upcoming deployment.

"We look forward to strengthening our long-standing partnership with our allies and partners, reaffirming the United States' commitment to NATO," he said in the release. "Our soldiers are well-trained and ready to support this mission, and our European partners."

The majority of the 1st ID CAB's equipment and personnel will be stationed in Germany, with a forward presence in Latvia, Romania and Poland, according to the release.

The Army merged its Europe and Africa headquarters last fall under the command of Gen. Christopher Cavoli, who was previously in charge of U.S. Army Europe as a three-star general.

Cavoli, now a four-star, said last week that the consolidation gives him the freedom to coordinate with European counterparts when they want to discuss their operations and interests in Africa.

He also said he wants to create a theater fires command in the region to more effectively monitor and track potential long-range targets on both continents.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

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Related Topics: Military Headlines Army Fort Riley Europe Africa Global Hot Spots Deployment

Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division. Read Full Bio

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