Name: Margareta Trummer
Job title: Lead Transportation Assistant
Assigned: Personal Property Processing Office, Transportation Division, Logistics Readiness Center Bavaria, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Tower Barracks, Grafenwoehr, Germany
Experience: I’ve been working for the U.S. Government for more than 32 years. I started out working at the Consolidated Personal Property Shipping Office, which is now call Base Support Operations Transportation, which also falls under the 405th AFSB. I worked at CPPSO for 17 years. It was located in Grafenwoehr, but now it’s been completely transferred to Kaiserslautern. After 17 years at CPPSO, I moved to the Central Issue Facility and worked there for almost three years as a supply technician, and then I moved again to the PPPO where I’ve worked now for about seven years.
Hometown: Grafenwoehr, Germany
Family: I’ve been married for almost 25 years to my husband, Gerhard, who works at the Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. We have one daughter, Vanessa, who is 20 years old.
Q: Can you explain what you do and what you are responsible for at LRC Bavaria?
A: I’m responsible for arranging the movement of personal property and privately owned vehicles for the service members and civilians back to the United States or to any of the remote corners of the earth. I prepare shipments in the Defense Personal Property System and send all the necessary paperwork to BASOPS Transportation in Kaiserslautern. I’m also responsible for tracing all incoming and outgoing shipments, and I prepare the exceptions to policy when needed. And of course, I’m always here for my colleagues if they have any questions.
Q: Why is the service you provide so important?
A: When the customers come to my office or connect with me virtually and I’m able to brief them one-on-one or as a group, many times they tell me that they have received the best customer service in their whole careers and they have learned a lot of new information from me – things they have never heard of before. During high PCS season we may have 50 or 60 people to brief at any single point of time. There is so much information they need to know, especially when they are going back to the United States. That’s why it’s so important – to explain all this information to every customer. We want to make it as easy and as smooth as possible for them.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: I like to work with customers even if it’s sometimes very challenging. My job requires much knowledge. I need to know a lot of details in regards to, for example, agricultural customs, weapons and alcohol shipments, and other aspects of my job. I think knowledge is the key to good customer service. I always try to find a good solution for my customers. Every day is a new day and a new challenge, and it’s my pleasure to work in one of the best PPPOs in the Army. We have a very good team here. For all these reasons, this is why I enjoy my job and love coming to work every day.
LRC Bavaria and 405th AFSB: LRC Bavaria is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, and non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Bavaria directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. LRC Bavaria reports to the 405th AFSB, 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.