MANNHEIM, Germany –
MANNHEIM, Germany – The 405th Army Field Support Brigade led a predeployment site survey at three of its Army Prepositioned Stock sites in support of U.S. Army Europe’s mission readiness, Feb. 4-8.
The 405th AFSB guided key logistics planners from various organizations to further build on interoperability, and validate, align and develop APS and logistical support requirements with and in support of rapidly deploying forces in Europe.
Col. Grant L. Morris, commander, 405th AFSB, kicked off the survey with an overview of logistical support capabilities and interoperability within the theater.
“We are here today, to help you (APS drawing units) develop your concept of support,” Morris said. “Together with USAREUR (U.S. Army Europe), 21st (21st Theater Sustainment Command), USAMMA (U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency) and DLA (Defense Logistics Agency), we provide you with tremendous logistic capabilities.”
“By the end of this week, we want to be able to capture your requirements (for drawing and turning in APS),” said Jeffery O’Sadnick, support operations officer, 405th AFSB, during the initial briefing. “It is important that you identify not only the equipment you want to draw but also your base life support requirements. You will have to consider how you manage basic medical support, food and the like.”
The 405th AFSB operationalizes Army Materiel Command capabilities, providing and coordinating tactical, operational and strategic sustainment within the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. The brigade enables commanders to conduct unified actions and the full range of military operations via APS, the Logistics Assistance Program, the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, and Logistics Readiness Center operations.
APS-2 consists of essential war stocks prepositioned in Europe to rapidly surge combat-ready forces into and across the theater to support the alliance and to act as a flexible deterrent option. APS-2 sites are industrial in design without the traditional base life support typically associated with garrisons.
The 405th AFSB’s three APS battalions are responsible for the readiness of Class VII (major end items) equipment while in storage. The brigade’s Army Field Support Battalion-Germany provides and coordinates tactical and operational sustainment for combatant commanders.
“We have LARs (logistics assistance representatives) available on site or on call in garrison, at APS sites, and forward (issue sites), before, during and after equipment drawing,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Price, commander, AFSBn-Germany.
USAMMA manages the medical components of APS on behalf of the Department of the Army. The agency added medical equipment and supplies to APS-2 recently.
“A discussion with key planners to develop a shared understanding and generate requirements is key to mission success,” O’Sadnick said. “What we did here allowed us to identify and mitigate potential shortfalls.”