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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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Always Ready, Already There: The Army Prepositioned Stock-2
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U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 43rd Multi-Role Bridge Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, inspect a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle at Drawsko Combat Training Center, Poland, April 29, 2024. The JLTV was brought to DCTC by the Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux to be issued to Soldiers before they participate in DEFENDER 24. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Rene Rosas)

405th AFSB completes issue of APS-2 set to National Guard cavalry unit at DEFENDER 24
May 7, 2024 — Less than 24 hours after touching down in Czechia via a commercial airline flight from the U.S., West Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers – some running on just a couple of hours of sleep – fell in on Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 at the Libava Training Area in Czechia at the start of DEFENDER 24. A combined 405th Army Field Support Brigade team made up of Soldiers and Army civilians from Army Field Support Battalion-Africa from Livorno, Italy, and contractors from the Coleman APS-2 worksite in Mannheim, Germany – who worked for days setting the staging grid at an Equipment Configuration and Hand-Off Area – greeted the National Guard Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment, and provided them with a safety briefing. Immediately following the briefing, together, they began the work. ... MORE

The combined 405th Army Field Support Brigade team made up of Soldiers and Army civilians from Army Field Support Battalion-Africa from Livorno, Italy, and contractors from the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Mannheim, Germany, as well as West Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 150th Cavalry Regiment, pose for a photo before conducting a safety briefing May 2 at an APS-2 Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area at the Libava Training Area in Libava, Czechia, at the start of DEFENDER 24.

Strengthening NATO Forces: Army Prepositioned Stock Utilized for Defender 24 in Europe
May 7, 2024 — At the start of DEFENDER 24, a strategic exercise that bolsters the readiness of NATO forces in the European theater, Soldiers of the 43rd Multi-Role Bridge Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, arrive in an unfamiliar location across the Atlantic Ocean from their home station. Like all Soldiers who have deployed in the past, they go over the uncertainties in their heads. One certainty they can rely on is that they will be prepared with the necessary supplies and equipment to tackle their upcoming mission... MORE

Pfc. Ayana Thompson, assigned to the 43rd Multi-Role Bridge Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, and Dominique Maes, a host nation Department of Defense civilian employee from Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux conduct preventive maintenance checks and services on a vehicle from the Army Prepositioned Stock-2 (APS-2) program at Drawsko Combat Training Center, Poland, May 1, 2024. Maes traveled from the APS-2 worksite in Zutendaal, Belgium, and traveled to Poland to issue equipment for DEFENDER 24. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Rene Rosas)

APS-2 grid set in Czechia for DEFENDER 24, ready for issue to WV Army National Guard
May 2, 2024 — An Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 staging grid is set at Libava, Czechia, 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. ... MORE

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