Biden authorizes Pentagon to deploy up to 3,000 reserve forces to Europe amid Russia's war against Ukraine - CNN

Under the new authorization, the reservists would be part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the ongoing rotational deployments that bolster NATO and its eastern flank.

This new designation benefits troops and families with increases in authorities, entitlements, and access to the Reserve component forces and personnel, said Lieutenant General Douglas Sims, the Director of Operations of the Joint Staff, during a briefing.

This decision provides the Pentagon with additional capabilities to allocate more resources and funding to support the US European Command. However, a defense official said it would likely take approximately six months to send these reservists to the theater because of the advance notice required.

It is likely that the added troops will be involved in logistics and sustainment, or medical fields like dentistry and health care.

US military in Europe

The US forces have deployed to Europe since 2014 under Atlantic Resolve to work with allies and partners in the region.

Previously, there were over 100,000 US military personnel stationed in Europe, but the number increased following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary, said that this new deployment designation allows the Department of Defense to "provide better system support and sustain our forces."

The executive order authorizing the mobilization of additional forces enables officials to call upon troops to support Atlantic Resolve, he added.

It is worth noting that detailed defense plans were approved at the NATO summit in Vilnius, which took place on July 11-12. These plans aim to ensure that the Alliance can deter its adversaries and defend its entire territory from the Arctic to the Mediterranean Sea.