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Class VIII medical supply and equipment containers are loaded onto Army line-haul transporters at the Dülmen Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite to be convoyed from Dülmen to Baumholder, Germany, for DEFENDER 24. For the first time in Army medicine history, an APS-2 field hospital was activated and issued, and for the first time in APS-2 history, an Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area was established at Dülmen to support this mission.

APS-2 field hospital activated, issued for DEFENDER

Dwann Jackson, an Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim quality assurance specialist, observes onsite suspension and track upgrades to an Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 M2 Bradley fighting vehicle at the Coleman APS-2 worksite. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)

Quality Assurance support at Coleman APS-2 Worksite

An Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 staging grid is set at Libava, ready to issue an entire cavalry APS-2 equipment set to the 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment from the West Virginia Army National Guard for DEFENDER 24. The 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s Army Field Support Battalion-Africa has established an Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area in Libava, and over the course of the next couple of days the battalion from Livorno, Italy, will be conducting technical inspections of all the tactical vehicles, basic issue items and support equipment with Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 150th Cav. Regt., the gaining tactical unit.

DEFENDER is the Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness, and is a U.S. European Command scheduled, U.S. Army Europe and Africa conducted exercise that consists of Saber Strike, Immediate Response, and Swift Response. DEFENDER 24 is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, and DoD’s Large Scale Global Exercise, taking place from 28 March to 31 May. DEFENDER 24 is the largest U.S. Army exercise in Europe and includes more than 17,000 U.S. and 23,000 multinational service members from more than 20 Allied and partner nations, including Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

APS-2 ECHA grid in Czechia for DEFENDER

Congressional and U.S. Embassy staff delegation members move through one of the storage warehouses at the Powidz Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Powidz, Poland, Sept. 5. The delegation visited the Powidz APS-2 worksite to assess and provide first-hand information and knowledge on APS-2 operations in Poland back to Congress. (Capt. James Bath)

DV Visit to Powidz APS-2 worksite

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405th AFSB LAR says communications equates to lives saved or lost
April 8, 2021 — John Cruz, an Information Technology Radio Logistics Assistance Representative from Communications-Electronics Command but attached to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, shows a tactical communications Soldier assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment how to isolate a fault on an AN/VIC-3 vehicular communications system in a Stryker armored fighting vehicle April 3 in Vilseck, Germany. ... MORE

Name: John Cruz
Job title: Information Technology Radio Logistics Assistance Representative
Unit: Communications-Electronics Command attached to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Service: 21 years active duty, 15 years Army civilian (4 years as a LAR)

Pictured here: Cruz shows a tactical communications Soldier assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment how to isolate a fault on an AN/VIC-3 vehicular communications system in a Stryker armored fighting vehicle April 3 in Vilseck, Germany.

Q: What is it about your job as a LAR that motivates you?
A: I just want to make sure these warfighters are ready for combat at all times, ensuring their equipment is combat already and they have the confidence to be able to succeed at all their tasks. I tell each Soldier I assist “no communications, failed mission” – it drives home why it's so important to know these systems and their capabilities. The bottom line, for me, it's all about the Soldiers.

Q: Have you seen the importance of communications, firsthand?
A: As a Department of Defense civilian Field Service Representative, which is similar to a LAR at the depot level, I deployed five times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan in a 5-year time period for six months each time. I was able to see successful missions and failed missions due to communications. It just shows how important communications is – it literally equates to lives saved or lives lost.

LAR: Logistics Assistance Representatives are Army civilians serving in motor pools, hangars, maintenance shops, and offices around the world. Highly trained, they bring more than two dozen specialty skills to Army equipment readiness requirements. They are all part of the U.S. Army Sustainment Command’s global network of Army Field Support Brigades and are linked to every echelon of the Army in the field. The 405th AFSB has several LARs with multiple specialties assigned across Europe. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)

405th AFSB LAR provides MI comms system technical assistance, instruction
April 2, 2021 — Hector Cerrato shows Staff Sgt. Sidney Johnson, a military intelligence Soldier assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment, how to set up a Global Broadcast Service system in a Tactical Intelligence Ground Station. The GBS is a one-way broadcast capability supporting timely delivery of unclassified and classified video, large quantities of unclassified or classified digital data and other theater information transfer needs for the Army. The GBS is deployed and used worldwide... MORE

Hector Cerrato shows Staff Sgt. Sidney Johnson, a military intelligence Soldier assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment, how to set up at Global Broadcast Service system in a Tactical Intelligence Ground Station. The GBS is a one-way broadcast capability supporting timely delivery of unclassified and classified video, large quantities of unclassified or classified digital data and other theater information transfer needs for the Army, The GBS is deployed and used worldwide.

Cerrato, who served 20 years as an active duty Soldier and 18 years as an Army civilian and Logistics Assistance Representative, is an Intercept Electronic Warfare Senior Technical Representative from Communications-Electronics Command attached to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade.

Cerrato provided technical assistance and instruction to Johnson on the GBS at the regimental motor pool in Grafenwoehr April 1 in preparation for exercise Dragoon Ready 2021. Previously, he has provided this highly technical training to Soldiers from the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 2nd Cav. Regt.

Logistics Assistance Representatives are Army civilians serving in motor pools, hangars, maintenance shops, and offices around the world. Highly trained, they bring more than two dozen specialty skills to Army equipment readiness requirements. They are all part of the U.S. Army Sustainment Command’s global network of Army Field Support Brigades and are linked to every echelon of the Army in the field. The 405th AFSB has several LARs with multiple specialties assigned across Europe.

From Ranger School student in ‘74 to LRC director in ’21 – an amazing career
April 1, 2021 — In U.S. Army Ranger School in 1974 as an Army cadet, one of the first things he was taught was Rangers never get lost while on patrol and they never leave a fallen Soldier. Throughout his more than 45 years of service, Dave Kalita never got lost and never left a fallen Soldier. In fact, he dedicated his entire life and career to ensuring others never got lost or left behind, taking care of tens of thousands of Soldiers and their Families while he patrolled his way through more than four and a half decades of service to the Army... MORE

Dave Kalita attended Ranger School in 1974 as an Army cadet between his junior and senior years of college. Now, almost 47 years later, he will retire as the director of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s Logistics Readiness Center-Benelux. Pictured here is Cadet Kalita’s Ranger School class. He is standing in the 4th row, 7th person from the left. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)

Dutch government pledges 38 million euros to upgrade APS-2 site in Netherlands
March 25, 2021 — The Netherlands Minister of Defense Ank Bijleveld announced March 24 during a press conference at the Army Prepositioned Stock-2 Eygelshoven site that the Dutch government has agreed to provide 38 million euros toward facility upgrades and new construction at the U.S. Army’s APS-2 site in the Netherlands... MORE

The Netherlands Minister of Defense Ank Bijleveld announced March 24 during a press conference at the Army Prepositioned Stock-2 Eygelshoven site that the Dutch government has agreed to provide 38 million euros toward facility upgrades and new construction at the U.S. Army’s APS-2 site in the Netherlands.

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