Name: Pat Brown
Job title: Maintenance Division Chief
Assigned: Logistics Readiness Center-Benelux, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Chievres Air Base, Belgium
Experience: I’ve been at LRC-Benelux since March 15 this year. Before that I was a Logistical Management Specialist and the Maintenance Division Chief at LRC-Italy for 5.5 years.
Other Service: I retired from the Army as a first sergeant with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Italy. I served 22 years with the Army. My first three years I was an infantryman, and for 18 years I served as a maintenance noncommissioned officer, senior maintenance manager and then first sergeant.
Hometown: Henderson, Texas
Family: I’ve been married to my wife, Estera Chereji-Brown, for five years.
Q: Can you explain what your duties are as the Maintenance Division Chief at LRC-Benelux, 405th AFSB?
A: Here at LRC-Benelux I’m the Maintenance Division chief, and we’re in charge of installation baseline services for U.S. Army Garrison Benelux’s area of operation. We provide maintenance, repairs, services, and paint and body shop support for USAG Benelux and all the organizations across the garrison’s footprint to include multiple installations in Belgium and multiple installations in the Netherlands as well as Tower Barracks in Dülmen, Germany. I have five direct labor workers and four non-direct labor workers in my division. We have to go back and forth to Brunssum, Netherlands, to pick up equipment and bring it back to Chievres Air Base to perform services and repairs, and we currently have a vendor contract in Dülmen that does the services until we get some guys on the ground there.
Q: Why is the Maintenance Division mission at LRC-Benelux so important?
A: The garrison recently held an air show, as an example, and it was very successful in part because we were there to ensure all the runway equipment and all the vehicles and other equipment needed for the event are maintained at a fully mission capable plus safety standard. Being that we are USAG Benelux’s logistics and maintenance providers, it’s important that we keep all their vehicles and equipment at a fully mission capable plus safety standard so they’re able to complete their mission of supporting the community and all the units and organizations stationed in their area of operation.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: When I arrived here seven months ago and I was greeted by my team, their arms were wide open. I do this because of them – my employees and the community. I’m a Soldier for Life and a retired first sergeant. I absolutely love taking care of people and taking care of the community – serving others. That’s what I do.
LRC Benelux and 405th AFSB: When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC-Benelux directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Benelux. LRC-Benelux reports to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.