PRESS RELEASE 405th Army Field Support Brigade, Unit 23152, APO AE 09227-3152 DSN: 314-483-4010/Commercial: 0631-411-4010/E-mail: [email protected] _____________________________________________________________________________________________ October 22, 2013 By Steven J. Stanfill, 405th Army Field Support Brigade Public Affairs Officer M88A2s arrive Rose Barracks Rail Head September 25, 2013 (Photo provided by 405th AFSBn Germany PAO) 405th AFSBn Germany receives “Herculean” Effort in Support of European Activity Set (EAS) VILSECK, Germany - The Department of the Army (DA) announced plans over one year ago to reduce the number of Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) assigned to Germany from four BCTs to two BCTs. This announcement was in support of the Army’s requirement to downsize the force while beginning to support the “Pacific Pivot.” In October 2012 the 170th Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HBCT) inactivated while the 172nd HBCT inactivated in October 2013. With these deactivations, both HBCTs were directed to turn-in all of their equipment at various locations throughout Germany in order for the equipment to be shipped back to the Continental United States (CONUS), repaired and issued to other units in support of DA requirements. To mitigate the loss of two BCTs in Europe and to meet the Chief of Staff, Army’s (CSA) intent of having CONUS forces train in a multinational environment, the Defense Planning Guidance (DPG) directed the rotation of forces to Europe to reinvigorate the US participation in the NATO Response Force (NRF) to train US forces in a joint and multinational training environment. The Joint Multinational Training Command (JMTC) located on Tower Barracks (Grafenwoehr, Germany) along with JMTC’s subordinate command The Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC), located in Hohenfels, Germany, were selected as the Command and training locations to support the CSA’s intent. In a time of “fiscal uncertainty” consisting of sequestration, furloughs, and Government shutdowns what is the cheapest way to support the CSA’s intent? In a cost saving effort to support this mission, DA decided to establish an Army Pre-positioned Set #2 (APS#2) on Tower Barracks. This set of equipment is Army owned, but managed, accounted for, and maintained by the Army Materiel Command (AMC). The Army Field Support Battalion-Germany (AFSBn-Germany), stationed on Rose Barracks, and subordinate to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, stationed in Kaiserslautern, are the AMC elements establishing and managing APS#2. Since APS#2 is located in the European Command (EUCOM) footprint, DA designated the equipment as the European Activity Set (EAS). The EAS concept was established to provide a modernized, fully independent, combat ready Combined Arms Battalion (CAB) for the designated CONUS force to utilize as directed in support of NATO kinetic operations. CSA stated the EAS will be an AMC managed program, similar to existing Army Prepositioned Stocks (APS) sets and operations. As an APS set, the equipment must be ready to be issued to any organization as directed by DA to support any contingency operation throughout the world. Its secondary mission is to be issued to DA designated training units to allow them to conduct joint and multinational training in support of the NRF. In an effort to support this modernization, DA directed the issue of M88A2s, nicknamed “HERCULES”, to support the EAS mission. HERCULES is an acronym for Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift & Evacuation System. The HERCULES was introduced into service in 1997; however this is the first time a HERCULES has been stationed in EUCOM. The HERCULES was designed to provide towing, winching, and hoisting operations to support battlefield recovery operations and evacuation of heavy tanks and other tracked combat vehicles. The M88A2, HERCULES, is a full-tracked, armored vehicle that uses the M88A1 chassis but significantly improves towing, winching, lifting, and braking characteristics. The HERCUELS is the primary recovery support vehicle for the M1 Abrams tank fleet, the heavy Assault Bridge, and heavy self-propelled artillery. On September 25, 2013, the HERCULES arrived by train at the Rose Barracks Rail Head. With support from Maintenance Activity Vilseck’s (MAV) professional Local National work force, the arriving HERCULES’ were safely downloaded from the train, fueled up for convoy operations, and convoyed to Tower Barracks. The arrival of the M88A2s was just the tip of iceberg in regards to equipment arriving in EUCOM from multiple AMC locations throughout the world to support the building of the European Activity Set. Some of the EAS equipment will come from CONUS, South Korea, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and AFSBn-Italy (Livorno). Some equipment is currently in possession of United States Army Europe (USAREUR) and will also be sent to Tower Barracks to fill the EAS requirements. Those living on Tower Barracks (Grafenwoehr) and Rose Barracks (Vilseck) will very soon hear the roar of HERCULES as they support the NATO Rotational Force M1, Abrams Battle Tanks and other track fleets.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 08:42:53 +0000
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