KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany –
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – When Gabriele Chazkelewitz started working for the Army in 1983, she and her coworkers were required to wear uniforms to work. Similar to the Army uniforms the U.S. Soldiers wore at the time, the German local national employees working for the U.S. Army wore olive drab green work utility uniforms with cargo pockets, reinforced stitching, name tapes and unit insignia patches.
In April, the supply technician at Logistics Readiness Center Rheinland-Pfalz will celebrate 41 years with the Army. Her first job was with the 8121st Civilian Support Group, but within a couple of years she moved to where she’s at today. The unit names have changed a couple of times over the years, but Chazkelewitz has worked in the property book office on Daenner Kaserne for nearly four decades.
“I really like what I do,” said Chazkelewitz, referring to her job at LRC Rheinland-Pfalz PBO. “The U.S. Army takes good care of us. The work environment is nice, the support we receive from our managers is good, and the benefits we receive are excellent.”
“Like we just experienced recently when Kaiserslautern got some snow and ice last week, we were able to telework and then come to work a little later,” said Chazkelewitz, a life-long resident of the city. “In the German firms, they don’t care how you get there. If you have to walk, fly or whatever, you must be there on time.”
Chazkelewitz, who enjoys learning Spanish and prides herself on being trilingual, said another reason she likes working for the Army is the learning opportunities and professional growth. She said many local national employees take advantage of the programs and classes the Army offers and have had multiple opportunities to advance and move up within the system.
“You have choices working for the U.S. Army,” said Chazkelewitz. “The Army is really good about that. It’s a good employer – for me, the best employer I could have.”
Chazkelewitz is part of a team of PBO specialists and supply technicians. She has 26 hand receipt holders she’s responsible for with over two million dollars’ worth of equipment on the hand receipts. This includes major items like fire engines and fire station equipment as well as non tactical vehicles, utility trailers and more.
Monika Gorczynski Spanier is the PBO supervisor. She said Chazkelewitz and the entire team have worked in their respective fields for a very long time.
“Together, they possess a huge knowledge base,” said Gorczynski Spanier, “and it feels like a big family. I really enjoy being here.”
“We have a really good team, and we work really well together,” said Chazkelewitz, who when not working enjoys traveling to the Canary Islands with her husband on vacation to enjoy the warm climate and practice her Spanish.
The LRC Rheinland-Pfalz PBO is responsible for ensuring all assigned property at the 405th Army Field Support Brigade headquarters is accounted for. They also manage the accountability of property for all the directorates and services within U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, such as the Directorate of Public Works and Army Community Service. The PBO team conducts 100 percent command directed inventories annually as well as hand receipt verifications every six months. They also do sensitive items inventories monthly and assist with Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss reports when an item is lost or damaged.
LRC Rheinland-Pfalz is one of eight 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, property book operations, and non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Rheinland-Pfalz directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Rheinland-Pfalz.
LRC Rheinland-Pfalz 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.