Name: Sofija Kirchner
Job title: Lead Training Instructor
Assigned: Drivers Testing and Training Station, Transportation Division, Logistics Readiness Center Rheinland-Pfalz, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Experience: I’ve been working at the Drivers Testing and Training Station on Kleber Kaserne for about four years. Before that I worked as a supply technician at LRC Rheinland-Pfalz’ Central Issue Facility, and before that I worked at Miesau Army Depot’s Ammunition Center as part of Theater Logistics Support Center-Europe, 21st Theater Sustainment Command.
Hometown: Kaiserslautern, Germany
Q: Can you explain what you do and what you are responsible for at LRC Rheinland-Pfalz?
A: I work at the Drivers Testing and Training Station on Kleber Kaserne. I assist people with getting their U.S. Army Europe drivers licenses, and I provide them with all the information they’ll need to apply for international licenses, downtown. I help issue licenses and do renewals and reinstatements, and I help people when their licenses are lost or stolen. I am the primary instructor for non-tactical vehicle drivers’ orientation and training, held on Mondays, so the Soldiers and Army civilians can drive government vehicles. I also conduct classroom training and instruction for motorcycle riders on Fridays from March to October each year. In addition to the classroom training I provide, Soldiers must take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation hands-on training course. Here in Kaiserslautern this MSF training is conducted at Kapaun Air Station by the U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz Safety Office. I update all the training slides and instruction material whenever there are changes or updates to the regulations.
Q: Why is the service you provide so important?
A: We provide the community members here at USAG Rheinland-Pfalz with the ability to be self-sufficient. We don’t provide them with a motor vehicle, but we do provide them with the ability to operate a motor vehicle legally and safely on the roads in Germany. I think we provide a very important and valuable service to the community. Once you have your U.S. Army Europe license and you have wheels under you, you can travel from installation to installation easily and safely, and you now have the ability to explore Germany. It’s not just about getting a driver’s license. We teach them how to safely follow the rules of the road in Germany. Driving in Europe is not the same as driving in the U.S. There are some different rules and laws, and the signs are different, too. A lot of the training we provide is focused on safety. For example, the motorcycle training covers Personal Protective Equipment requirements, and the helmets need to meet certain standards, too.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: I enjoy providing quality customer service, and I like to help people. I care about my customers, and I want to help them and provide them with valuable information. I want them to enjoy their time in Germany and part of that includes the ability to be self-sufficient and able to jump in a car and travel. I also like my team. I hope we get another employee soon, but for right now it’s just the two of us – a lot of work but a great work environment. My leadership at LRC Rheinland-Pfalz is also very good, and I love working for the Army and the 405th AFSB.
LRC Rheinland-Pfalz and 405th AFSB: LRC Rheinland-Pfalz is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, and non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Rheinland-Pfalz directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Rheinland-Pfalz. LRC Rheinland-Pfalz reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.