Who's maintaining our vehicles and equipment prepositioned in Europe?

By 1st Lt. Jeffery Lewis, 317th Support Maintenance CompanyMarch 2, 2015

Who's maintaining our vehicles and equipment prepositioned in Europe?
A team of Soldiers from the 317th Support Maintenance Company service a vehicle, which is part of the European Activity Set. The EAS is a combined arms battalion-sized group of vehicles and equipment prepositioned in Europe to outfit U.S. Army units ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- Soldiers from the 317th Support Maintenance Company set out for Grafenwoehr on a three-month rotation to complete scheduled and unscheduled services and repairs on more than 200 vehicles, generators, trailers, water buffaloes, shelters and communications equipment for the European Activity Set and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

The EAS is a combined arms battalion-sized group of vehicles and equipment prepositioned in Europe to outfit U.S. Army units that rotate into theater for training or contingency operations.

The 317th SMC directly provides maintenance support for the heavy brigade combat teams deploying to Germany on a rotational basis to train and assist NATO forces.

There is a limited amount of services that operators can identify and fix with weekly preventative maintenance checks, since annual services are required to ensure equipment is fully functional. But while the 317th SMC is only completing roughly one-third of their equipment, this mission invites the possibility for the 317th SMC to service similar large-scale maintenance operations in the future.

"We're going to stay busy. That's for sure," said Cpl. Saul Salazar, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with the company. "It's a lot of equipment in a short period of time. Having enough bay space for multiple services helps spread out the work load and allows us to accomplish more in a day."

The team will receive 15 different types of vehicles, equipment and associated trailers every two weeks and with two working shifts, will complete three pieces of equipment every day to remain on a glide path to meet the EAS timeline for the next incoming BCT: about three times more efficient than U.S. Army standards.

"The 317th SMC is currently the only unit under U.S. Army Europe, servicing multiple echelons above Brigade Support Maintenance Company," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nicholas Likins, the automotive technician on ground. "Not only are we continuing our normal mission as a maintenance support team here in Grafenwoehr, we're consistently keeping our bays full of EAS/2CR equipment in order to stay on track."

"This is a new experience for me, and a bonus is that I get cross- training in the wheel vehicle mechanic specialty," said Pfc. Brittany Burch, a utilities equipment repairer with 317th SMC and a native of California. "I'm able to learn from my peers, and I actually enjoy working on the vehicles."

Accomplishing this maintenance mission will prove the 317th "Wolfpack" can complete all maintenance operations outside their normal scope of work within USAREUR and will be ready for any opportunity that lies ahead.

"Mission capable equipment is needed to accomplish our ultimate goal of fighting and winning the nation's wars," said John Vega, the mission noncommissioned officer in charge. "To be a part of that and have such an influence on the day to day operations has given all of us a better appreciation of why we wear this uniform and do what we do."

Related Links:

16th Sustainment Brigade

Fact Sheet: European Activity Set

Fact Sheet: EAS Major Equipment | PHOTOS