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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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After 13 years in North Africa, German LN employee brings skills, experience to APS-2 Coleman
August 4, 2025 — After spending 13 years in North Africa – mostly Morocco – working for the German Federal Ministry of Economics plus a short stint with the U.S. Air Force and another with the city of Ludwigshafen working procurement and contracting, Marco Wiedemann decided to bring his skills and experience to the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Mannheim... MORE

Marco Wiedemann is a plans and operations specialist with Army Field Support Battalion-Germany at the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Mannheim, Germany. He worked for the German Federal Ministry of Economics in North Africa for 13 years before bringing his skills and experience to AFSBn-Germany and the Coleman APS-2 worksite. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)

405th AFSB conducts professional development site visit to Haus des Wassers
August 1, 2025 — Inquiring minds want to know, and recently some inquiring minds at the 405th Army Field Support Brigade wanted to know how safe, potable, clear and tasty drinking water is provided to the residents of Kaiserslautern. Lucky for them, the 405th AFSB labor advisor, Christine Schneider, organized a professional development site visit and a private tour of the SWK Haus des Wassers, or House of Water, in the Palatine Forest just south of the city... MORE

Personnel from the 405th Army Field Support Brigade headquarters toast to safe, potable, clear and tasty drinking water at the SWK Haus des Wassers, or House of Water, in the Palatine Forest just south of Kaiserslautern, Germany, July 31, 2025. The 405th AFSB labor advisor organized a professional development site visit and a private tour of the waterworks facility.

End of era as BASOPS Maintenance Baumholder supervisor steps down, retires after 45 years
July 31, 2025 — It’s the end of an era at the Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) inspection station and the Base Support Operations (BASOPS) Maintenance facility in Baumholder as Thomas Moosmann steps down and retires with 44 years and 10 months of service as a German host nation employee with the U.S. Army... MORE

Thomas Moosmann, the supervisor at the Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) inspection station and the Base Support Operations Maintenance facility in Baumholder, Germany, (center) and his wife, Silke Moosmann, (left) received multiple certificates of achievement and tokens of appreciation July 31, 2025, for his nearly 45 years of service with the U.S. Army as a German host nation employee. (Photo by Stefan Pfister)

Former 1SG for AMC commanding general now APS-2 maintenance director at Dülmen
July 30, 2025 — In the mid ‘90s when Darren Ratcliff was a company first sergeant with the 147th Maintenance Company in Kitzinger, Germany, his company commander was then Capt. Ed Daly. Daly would go on to serve for 36 years and retire as the 20th commanding general of U.S. Army Materiel Command, and Ratcliff would continue serving, too. But after 26 years as a Soldier – culminating with stint as a command sergeant major in Korea – Ratcliff would retire and transition to the civilian side of the house. For the past 12 years he’s been a valued civilian employee on the total Army team, and now he’s the director of maintenance at the Dülmen Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite... MORE

Darren Ratcliff (left) is the director of maintenance at the Dülmen Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The former Soldier for 26 years and now Army civilian for 12 more said being stationed at Dülmen can be challenging but also unique and interesting. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)

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