Press Release
☷Battalion SPO major growth in APS 2 mission South of the Alps helps build readiness
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Jan 14,2024
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The Army Prepositioned Stocks - 2 site at Leghorn Army Depot in Livorno , Italy is a pretty big space , with 15 warehouses covering 630 , 000 square feet and another 587 , 000 square feet of outside storage . Right now , they ' ve got 11 APS - 2 unit equipment sets there , but they ' re planning to almost double that in the next couple of years . The Army Field Support Battalion - Africa is in charge of taking care of all the equipment at Leghorn Army Depot , as well as at other locations . It ' s been a lot of changes for them since Robert Guess got there in 2019 . When he first arrived , there was only one unit equipment set , and the depot was supposed to be closing down . But now , in 2024 , they ' re still going strong and have 11 sets . And they ' re planning on getting even more in the next few years . Guess , who is the support operations officer for the battalion , says that APS - 2 is what they ' re all about . They ' re working on figuring out how to handle all the extra equipment and finding enough space for it all . Guess has been at Leghorn Army Depot for almost five years , and in that time , they ' ve gone from one unit set to 11 , with plans for even more . The site itself has a lot of space , with 630 , 000 square feet inside and another 587 , 000 square feet outside for storage . Guess has had quite the career , starting in the Navy in 1979 and retiring after 24 years , including 20 years in Naval Special Operations . And for the upcoming DEFENDER 24 exercise this Spring , the retired Navy command master chief petty officer with 24 years of active - duty service said AFSBn - Africa will be in charge of mission command for an equipment configuration and handoff area , or ECHA , in Eastern Europe . The battalion will be giving three APS - 2 unit equipment sets to multiple tactical units participating in U . S . Army Europe and Africa’s biggest exercise at the ECHA site . Guess worked as a contractor and strategic planner in Iraq with the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade for a couple of years starting in 2007 under very different circumstances , he said . In addition , Guess worked on multiple other APS missions during his career , including Fort Riley , Kansas , where he ' ll return in April . The 63 - year - old father of two and grandfather of three more said the approach AFSBn - Africa uses and the common operating picture his team developed greatly improves the battalion’s ability to manage APS - 2 , including its ability to dynamically use APS - 2 to support two combatant commands . The battalion’s efforts have directly impacted Army readiness across two major theaters of operations , he said . Army Field Support Battalion - Africa oversees the Army Prepositioned Stocks - 2 worksite at Leghorn Army Depot in Livorno , Italy . The APS - 2 site , with its 630 , 000 square feet of indoor humidity controlled space and 587 , 000 square feet of outside storage , currently holds 11 APS - 2 unit equipment sets , but there are plans to almost double that within the next two to three years . “I have a team of four analysts in the SPO cell , which is unusual for an APS site . It’s really the first of its kind , ” said Guess . “We take great pride in being responsible with Army resources and money while also making a difference and building readiness . ” “In short , our mission is to make sure the warfighters are ready to fight . That ' s the top priority , ” said Guess , whose last position in the Navy before retirement was the senior enlisted leader for Combined Joint Special Operations Command in Naples , Italy . “And it’s not just me and my four analysts . It takes an entire team with various skills to ensure success . We are proud to know that our warfighters are getting reliable vehicles that will get them into the fight quickly , ” said Guess , who was raised in the Panama Canal Zone and joined the Navy from Panama in 1979 . “What we’re doing here at AFSBn - Africa is like a valuable resource that keeps giving , ” said Guess . “For many people , when they come here and see what we’re doing and see our comprehensive common operating picture , they are amazed . They want to adopt what we have and what we’re doing . Guess and the AFSBn - Africa team are responsible for receiving , maintaining , storing and issuing APS - 2s at the Livorno Army Depot as well as at forward locations known as Equipment Configuration and Transfer Areas , or ECHAs . The battalion is also responsible for integrating the nation ' s logistics capabilities and providing logistics solutions to Army units and joint forces south of the Alps through the U . S . Army Materiel Command ' s Life Cycle Management Command . The organizations that AFSBn - Africa directly supports and helps ensure readiness in two theaters of operations are US European Command , US Africa Command , US Army Europe and Africa , Task Force Africa South , 173rd Airborne Brigade and other strategic partners and allies . . The 405th AFSB is assigned to the U . S . Army Sustainment Command and is under the operational control of the 21st Theater Command , U . S . Army Europe and Africa . The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern , Germany , and provides logistics support to U . S . military forces throughout Europe and Africa , providing in - theater logistics support; synchronization of procurement , logistics and technology; and use of the AMC logistics facility to support the joint force . For more information about the 405th AFSB , visit the official website and official Facebook page .
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