Exercise Reforger

The exercise was intended to ensure that NATO had the ability to quickly deploy forces to West Germany in the event of a conflict with the Warsaw Pact.

It was a basic military planning exercise to smooth out issues in the event of an invasion of western Europe, not just a show of force.

During the ongoing Vietnam War, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson announced plans to withdraw approximately two divisions from Europe in 1968.

No further Reforger exercises were held after due to German reunification, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, and the end of the Cold War.

The following units were earmarked to return to West Germany in case of war:[citation needed] 228th AHB (Attack Helicopter Bn.)

A U.S. Army M60A1 Patton in Marktheidenfeld during Reforger 82
Civilians watching a formation of American M60 tanks during Reforger 82
A German woman and child watching a British Army soldier in their village during Reforger 80
U.S. Army soldiers advancing past an M2 Bradley during Reforger 84
2nd Armored Division soldiers boarding civilian airport buses at Cologne Bonn Airport to take part in Reforger 90
M113 armored personnel carriers passing civilian traffic in Herbstein , West Germany during Exercise Reforger 83