YOKOHAMA NORTH DOCK, Japan -- The Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia and its higher headquarters, the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade, hosted Gen. Vincent Brooks, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, and Maj. Gen. James Boozer, U.S. Army Japan commanding general, for a briefing, logistics terrain walk, and demonstration of Army Watercraft operations at Yokohama North Dock.
As Brooks walked the terrain, members of AFSBn-NEA explained how the Army Materiel Command, headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, manages these assets to provide him an increased understanding of how Army Preposition Stocks-4 Watercraft Operations are orchestrated in Japan.
The "Army watercraft are a key enabler as we move forward with Pacific Pathways and having them here in Yokohama gives us the latitude to use them across the Pacific region," Brooks said.
During the visit, AFSBn-NEA was in the process of returning the smaller APS-4 watercraft to dry storage after conducting its annual maintenance checks.
The small vessels were lifted out of the water by a Barge Derrick Crane, the USAV Saltillo (BD-6802), and placed in their cradles on the dock. The generals were afforded a harbor tour aboard a small tug, the USAV Appomattox (ST-907), which gave them a greater appreciation of operations.
The visit concluded with a briefing and tour aboard the USAV Cedar Run (LCU 2010).
Brooks explained that he intends to expand the use of watercraft throughout the Pacific area of responsibility in the future. He added that his visit provided exactly the kind of information and demonstrations he needed to make informed decision on the use of Army watercraft.
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