8th TSC exercises joint APS3 operations

By Master Sgt. Shelia CooperMarch 23, 2022

U.S. Navy Ship Red Cloud Delivers Military Vehicles to Subic Bay
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Military vehicles originating from the 402nd Army Field Support Battalion are downloaded from U.S. Navy Ship Red Cloud in preparation of Army Prepositioned Stock 3 at Subic Bay, Philippines Feb. 24, 2022. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Kevin Martin) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Navy Ship Red Cloud Delivers Military Vehicles to Subic Bay
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Military vehicles originating from the 402nd Army Field Support Battalion are downloaded from U.S. Navy Ship Red Cloud in preparation of Army Prepositioned Stock 3 at Subic Bay, Philippines Feb. 24, 2022. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Kevin Martin) VIEW ORIGINAL

As part of Pacific Pathways 22, the 8th Theater Sustainment Command conducted the Army Pre-Positioned Stock 3 movement utilizing joint assets to transport equipment to Subic Bay, Philippines Feb. 23, 2022, in support of the bilateral exercises Salakanib and Balikatan 2022.

The U.S. Navy Ship Red Cloud transported military vehicles and tactical equipment needed to support ongoing operations and bilateral partnered exercises throughout the Pacific region.

“APS 3 has seven ships afloat,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Manganaro, Army Field Support Brigade-Charleston commander. “APS-3 provides the United States Army the capability to rapidly deploy and respond to any worldwide contingency by maintaining combat and combat support equipment, and essential supply commodities aboard ship for rapid download and handoff to a unit on order of the National Command Authority.”

APS allows organizations, such as the 8th TSC to plan, integrate, and synchronize the storing of equipment around the globe to enable interoperability and strategic operations. By storing equipment to enable joint interoperability, the Army’s APS reduces deployment timelines, improve sustainment capacity and capabilities, while also increasing combat power to support contingency operations worldwide.

“The APS is a Department of the Army program that is comprised of equipment sets that are postured worldwide for use by the combatant commands when additional capabilities are required,” said Lt. Col. Nancy Colsia, the Support Operations Transportation Branch Chief for 8th TSC. “8TSC enables theater opening, theater distribution, and theater sustainment enabling the ease of APSs to get to the tactical assembly in the hands of the tactical gaining unit.”

While the APS3 mission demonstrates the 8th TSC’s command and control of the APS3 Fix-Forward operation, it also assessed the operational flexibility to ensure strategic readiness.

“It allows us flexibility in placing assets in any location, since the equipment is maintained on vessels and ready to be issued,” said Manganaro. “We have the ability to expand the commander's operational reach and enable further employment of forces.”

Since Pacific theater sustainment is a joint effort, agencies like the Defense Logistics Agency, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade, and U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Forces, provide joint sustainment assets to support operations which enable land forces, as well as our allies and partners.

“One agency cannot solve the joint logistics competitive space in the Indo-Pacific area of operations,” said Colsia. “It takes a joint logistics enterprise to build and stabilize the theater sustainment posture globally, as the U.S. Army is postured to support its allies and ready to defend the freedom of the people with combat platforms postured in strategic areas.”

The U.S. Army APS enables materiel power projection worldwide. These strategically positioned resources augment the Army's strategic airlift and military sealift requirements during contingency operations, which can be mobilized in support of theater sustainment, distribution, and operations to support contingency operations, allies, and partners.

“The Army provides 51% of foundational capabilities to the Joint Force. As the U.S. Indo-Pacific materiel integrator, the 8th TSC synchronizes capabilities and resources across the theater, enabling both our land forces and those of our allies and partners,” said the Commanding General of the 8th TSC, Maj. Gen. David Wilson.

APS further enables the Theater Army’s ability to rapidly deliver combat power over-the-shore, ensuring readiness and relevance in competition throughout the theater. The Theater Army and Joint Force uses unique intra-theater sealift capabilities to move personnel, equipment and supplies to the desired location via the littorals, inland waterways and rivers. This capability extends operational reach and supports freedom of action to decisive action during unified land operations in the Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility.