405th AFSB issues APS-2 equipment to support Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise

By Rabia CoombsMarch 28, 2019

AFSBn Mannheim stage APS 2 for issue
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim personnel stage Army Prepositioned Stocks 2 in preparation for a large-scale equipment issue to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, March 13, at Coleman Work Site, Mannheim, Germany. The eq... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
4-27 AR draws APS2
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405th AFSB issues APS-2 equipment to support Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise
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405th AFSB issues APS-2 equipment to support Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise
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DRAWSKO POMORSKIE TRAINING AREA, Poland - The 405th Army Field Support Brigade completed the issue of more than 700 pieces of armored Army Prepositioned Stocks 2 here, March 23.

The 405th AFSB took part in an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise, issuing brigade combat team equipment from APS sites in the Netherlands and Germany to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division through Army Field Support Battalions Benelux and Mannheim.

"It's going well," said Col. Grant L. Morris, commander, 405th AFSB, during the issue. "The unit is extremely happy with the condition of the equipment and the method the battalions used to conduct the issue from the draw brief to the BII (basic issue items)."

"We plan for readiness a lot, but to actually get out there and exercise it, to see if all the planning you've done to prepare for an operation like this one will actually work in practice has been very positive," said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Williams, brigade command sergeant major, 2-1 ABCT.

The 2-1 ABCT deployed to Europe from Fort Bliss, Texas, to exercise the U.S. Army's ability to alert, recall and deploy under emergency conditions. The 405th AFSB provides materiel readiness and life support to enable the unit's combat-readiness further.

"As the representative of the Army Materiel Enterprise in Europe, we provide the full might and weight of the Army Materiel Command to include life cycle management commands, Army Prepositioned Stocks and logistics augmentation capabilities," Morris said. "We are proving our ability to provide combat-credible deterrence packages to deploy a BCT with short notice anywhere in Europe."

Before the 2-1 ABCT's arrival, the 405th AFSB staged the APS-2 equipment at sites in the Netherlands and Germany. The equipment was later transported to Poland via line haul and rail with the support of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command and its 16th Sustainment Brigade.

The 2-1 ABCT will conduct live-fire training and gunnery with their Polish counterparts. After completing their training, they will turn the APS-2 equipment back over to the 405th AFSB before returning to Bliss.

"This exercise helps us to anticipate the needs of the warfighter," Morris said. "We are able to ensure that the equipment and drawing procedures meet the combatant command requirements to provide rapid response for contingency operations."