AFSBn-NEA issues medical equipment in support of Exercise Keen Sword 15

By Maj. Bruce Hodges, AFSBn-NEA (APS-4)December 22, 2014

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1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A contractor from Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia, inventories Basic Issue Items for an Environmental Control Unit at Sagami General Depot, Japan, for issue to the 47th Combat Support Hospital in support of Exercise Keen Sword 15. (Photo ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Environmental Control Units and Power Distribution Panels are lined up in the Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia's maintenance facility at Sagami General Depot, Japan, in preparation for issue to the 47th Combat Support Hospital in support o... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

SAGAMI GENERAL DEPOT, Japan -- Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia, along with the U.S. Army Medical Material Agency, issued equipment from Army Preposition Stock Set-4 to the 47th Combat Support Hospital for Exercise Keen Sword 15, Nov 3-4.

The equipment constituted portions of an APS-4 Combat Support Hospital Unit Set including medical sets, generators, power distribution panels and environmental control units.

Tony Savoy, director of the USAMMA at Sagami General Depot, said his team "was looking forward to the exercise so we can practice our issue procedures. The last time we did that was for MEDEX 12, so it has been a while since we were able to support an exercise."

Portions of the 47th CSH, from Fort Lewis, Washington, deployed to Japan to act as the medical provider for the exercise. The equipment draw was only the beginning of the mission, as the equipment had to be moved to Yokota Air Base, about 45 minutes north of Sagami General Depot. The Logistics Readiness Center -- Honshu Transportation Branch coordinated the movement of the equipment to Yokota then back to Sagami at the end of the exercise.

"The draw went exceptionally well with both AFSBn-NEA and USAMMA," said Cpt. Benny Tran, executive officer, Bravo Company, 47th CSH. "All the equipment was fully mission capable and we were excited to put it in action during the exercise."

At the end of the exercise, all equipment was moved back to Sagami General Depot, where it was returned to APS-4. Over the next few weeks, AFSBn-NEA and USAMMA will prepare and pack the equipment to return it to storage for the next exercise or contingency.

"We always enjoy supporting exercises, as it allows us to validate our procedures and gives the customer confidence that, if they have to draw our equipment for a real world emergency, it will work as designed," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Ordia Brown from AFSBn-NEA.

The Army Field Support Battalion-Northeast Asia is a subordinate unit of the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade headquartered at Camp Henry, Republic of Korea. The 403rd AFSB falls under the Army Sustainment Command located at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.

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