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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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Polish military school students get close-up look at APS-2 vehicles, equipment
June 9, 2022 — More than 25 Polish high school students from the Stanislaw Mikolajczyk Economic and Technical School in Paslek, Poland, and their instructors pose for a photo with Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim personnel at an Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area in Braniewo, Poland. The students were afforded the opportunity to see, touch and learn about the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 sets at the ECHA site following DEFENDER-Europe 22... MORE

More than 25 Polish high school students from the Stanislaw Mikolajczyk Economic and Technical School in Paslek, Poland, and their instructors pose for a photo with Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim personnel at an Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area in Braniewo, Poland. The students were afforded the opportunity to see, touch and learn about the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 sets at the ECHA site following DEFENDER-Europe 22. (photo by Cpt. Aaron Carpenter)

Colorado National Guard unit receives APS-2 gear in Estonia for DEFENDER-Europe 22
May 17, 2022 — Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux provided mission command at an Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area, or ECHA, at Tapa Barracks, May 8-10, issuing hundreds of Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 vehicles and equipment pieces to a Colorado Army National Guard unit for DEFENDER-Europe 22. Over 500 pieces of fully mission capable APS-2 equipment sets and vehicles were transported from Army Field Support Battalion-Germany’s APS-2 worksite in Dülmen, Germany, to Estonia for the exercise. ... MORE

Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux provided mission command at an Equipment Configuration and Hand-off Area, or ECHA, at Tapa Barracks, May 8-10, issuing hundreds of Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 vehicles and equipment pieces to a Colorado Army National Guard unit for DEFENDER-Europe 22. Over 500 pieces of fully mission capable APS-2 equipment sets and vehicles were transported from Army Field Support Battalion-Germany’s APS-2 worksite in Dülmen, Germany, to Estonia for the exercise. The gaining tactical unit was Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 169th Field Artillery Brigade, a Colorado-based Army National Guard unit from Aurora.

405th AFSB APS-2 float bridge system employed in Poland during DEFENDER-Europe 22
May 16, 2022 — An entire float ribbon bridge system from the 405th Army Field Support Brigade was employed and used by U.S., Polish, French and Swedish military forces to cross the Vistula River between Ryki and Kozienice, Poland, during DEFENDER-Europe 22, May 13. The float bridge, which came from Army Field Support Battalion-Benelux’s Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Zutendaal, Belgium, was launched by the 74th Multi-Role Bridge Company, deployed from Fort Hood, Texas, to Poland for the exercise... MORE

A float ribbon bridge system from the Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Zutendaal, Belgium, is used by U.S., Polish, French and Swedish military forces to cross the Vistula River between Ryki and Kozienice, Poland, during DEFENDER-Europe 22, May 13. The float bridge is part of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s APS-2 program. This was the first time a float bridge system from the Zutendaal APS-2 site was transported to Poland and used during a DEFENDER-Europe exercise. (Photo by Michał Czornij)

AFSBn-Africa mechanic: it’s important we keep all equipment fully mission capable 24/7
May 13, 2022 — Biondi Andrea is an electronics mechanic and small arms repair specialist assigned to the maintenance directorate of Army Field Support Battalion-Africa, 405th Army Field Support Brigade, at Leghorn Army Depot in Livorno, Italy. He’s been working at Leghorn for 39 years. He said the Soldiers he and his team support couldn’t complete their missions without the proper equipment in good working condition. “We keep our equipment fully mission capable and ready for issue 24/7,” he said... MORE

Biondi Andrea is an electronics mechanic and small arms repair specialist assigned to the maintenance directorate of Army Field Support Battalion-Africa, 405th Army Field Support Brigade, at Leghorn Army Depot in Livorno, Italy. He’s been working at Leghorn for 39 years. He said the Soldiers he and his team support couldn’t complete their missions without the proper equipment in good working condition. “We keep our equipment fully mission capable and ready for issue 24/7,” he said.

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