173rd Airborne Brigade via Army Flickr Page, pic by Paolo Bovo

Paratroopers assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade, prepares to land after exiting a U.S. Air Force 86th Air Wing C-130 Hercules aircraft, during exercise September Heat at Rivolto Italian Air Force Base, Udine Italy, Sept. 26, 2017. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility.

Hmm.  In light of the incident with the Special Forces team just a few weeks ago, is it smart to have your "contingency force" stationed in Italy especially considering the size of Africa?

Let's be honest.  Europe is NOT in need of an airborne unit from the US.  They can neither deter or prevent a mythical invasion by the Russians.  Seems like it would make nothing but sense to station them in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.  It would suck for the paratroopers (I saw a Pizza Hut on a map of the base so maybe it wouldn't be so bad!) but it would put them ALOT closer to the action if they're ever needed.