MANNHEIM, Germany –
Army Field Support Battalion-Germany assumed mission command of the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Mannheim July 8 in the final step of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s multi-year regional alignment and transformation initiative.
The plan was set in motion in 2021 when U.S. Army Europe and Africa announced the Army would retain the Coleman worksite, which was previously slated to be returned to the German government.
In October of 2021, AFSBn-Germany assumed mission command of the Dülmen APS-2 worksite so that AFSBn-Mannheim could focus on its approaching transition to AFSBn-Poland. Earlier this year, construction on the newest and most modern APS worksite in the world was completed, and a few weeks ago the battalion moved operations from Mannheim to Powidz, Poland, and assumed command of the new APS-2 site, there.
Now, with this last step, AFSBn-Germany is fully responsible for the Dülmen APS-2 worksite in North Rhine-Westphalia and the Coleman APS-2 worksite in Baden-Württemberg. With that, the 405th AFSB’s regional alignment and transformation initiative is complete, and the brigade is – more than ever – fully postured to support U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Army Materiel Command.
According to Lt. Col. Jonathan Neal, who took command of AFSBn-Germany almost exactly a month ago, preparing the theater is one of the AMC’s main lines of effort.
“The forward positioning of equipment, munitions and materiel eases strategic lift requirements for units deploying from the U.S. and reduces the costs associated with permanently basing large forces overseas,” Neal said. “Army Prepositioned Stocks serve as a strategic deterrent and support theater requirements in integrated campaigning, competition and conflict.”
“In short, we help build readiness,” said Neal. “The job of AFSBn-Germany is to help enable the warfighter through readiness. It's what we do – enable the force.”
With AFSBn-Germany now fully at the helm of Coleman, planning to turn the former Army airfield into another state-of-the-art APS-2 worksite continues. In January, the director of Global Posture Policy from the Office of the Secretary of Defense visited Coleman to get a firsthand look at the site’s future infrastructure, and in April the Army’s top two uniformed leaders in budget and fiscal management conducted a site visit there to see the worksite’s capabilities and gain a better understanding of the impacts funding will have on infrastructure improvement plans.
But infrastructure improvements at Coleman will account for only a portion of its future successes. The people who work there and the team tasked with command and control of the site are equally important, according to Neal.
“The Coleman worksite staff is truly a diverse team encompassing Department of Army civilians, Soldiers, Army Expeditionary Civilian Workforce personnel and contractors. This compilation of experience and tenacity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in mission success, both during this transition and when supporting future APS-2 operations,” Neal said.
“Meticulous planning and coordination are essential in maintaining mission effectiveness and supporting modernization initiatives at the Coleman APS-2 worksite during this change in mission command,” he added.
To help keep the Coleman team informed during the transition, Neal conducted a town hall at the Coleman APS-2 worksite with its senior leaders and staff. His town hall briefing included AFSBn-Germany’s mission statement and vision as well as information about himself, his command philosophy, and his top priorities for Coleman, plus more. Neal’s battalion headquarters is in Vilseck, Germany, geographically separated from the Dülmen and Coleman APS-2 worksites.
The Coleman and Dülmen worksites are two of six APS-2 worksites in Europe. Besides Coleman and Dülmen, there are APS-2 sites in Eygelshoven, Netherlands; Zutendaal, Belgium; and Livorno, Italy, as well as the Army’s newest, most modern APS-2 worksite located in Poland. Additional APS-2 sites in Europe’s High North amid Finland and Sweden officially joining NATO are also up for consideration, according to senior Army officials.
The 405th AFSB’s APS-2 program provides turn-key power projection packages ready to deploy at a moment’s notice while helping to reduce the amount of equipment needed from the deploying forces’ home stations. APS-2 sites like Coleman help reduce deployment timelines, improve deterrence capabilities and provide additional combat power for contingency operations. APS-2 equipment may also be drawn for use in training and exercises.
The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The brigade 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.