Training for Ukrainian military personnel in Bavaria moves to a permanent footing
The U.S. Army is shifting responsibility for training Ukrainian troops in Germany to active-duty units, concluding a decade of National Guard leadership. Training has taken place across Bavarian ranges since 2022, involving more than 24,000 Ukrainian service members. This was reported by Stars and Stripes, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The United States Armed Forces are altering their approach to training Ukrainian military personnel in Germany by transferring the responsibility to active-duty units already stationed in Europe. The U.S. Army command aims to transition the mission to a more sustainable and permanent footing after a decade led by National Guard forces.
During a ceremony at the Tower Barracks parade field in Grafenwoehr, the Vermont National Guard’s 86th Infantry Brigade officially concluded its rotation. Going forward, the training of Ukrainian personnel will be conducted by active-duty units from U.S. Army Europe and Africa alongside the 7th Army Training Command.
Bavarian ranges for Ukrainian forces
The training program will continue within the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria footprint, which features the largest training ranges in Europe. This realignment is part of a broader strategy to utilize local assets effectively and eliminate duplication across the region.
«The colors casing for Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine marks a shift for how we will support training requirements for our Ukrainian partners on a more permanent and sustainable path», — stated Col. Michael Weisman.
Mission history and program results
The mission originally began in 2015 in Yavoriv, Ukraine, following russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, before relocating to Germany in 2022 due to the full-scale russian invasion. Over the past decade, roughly 150 National Guard members deployed on nine-month rotations to train Ukrainian forces alongside other U.S. and NATO military structures.
Since shifting operations to Germany, the multinational group has trained over 24,000 Ukrainian military personnel across 50 specialty events and delivered 300 instructional classes. Future support and coordination will be managed through U.S. European Command and NATO security assistance structures.
Illustrative photo: U.S. Army photo by Markus Rauchenberger / Public domain
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