25 Polish trainees complete Abrams tank maintenance training at Powidz APS-2 site

POWIDZ, Poland - After nine weeks of intensive maintenance training on the M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams main battle tank - both in the classroom and hands-on - 25 servicemembers of the Polish Provided Logistics Services assigned to the 33rd Air Base were recognized and presented graduation certificates Sept. 27 at the Powidz Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite.

Under the watchful and expert instruction of several primary training facilitators from U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, the pass rate for the group of PPLS trainees was a remarkable 96 percent, according to a situational report provided by Army Field Support Battalion-Poland.

And the training certificates weren't the only form of recognition handed out at the PPLS graduation. The top two PPLS trainees received M1A2 Abrams tank belt buckles and the top 3 to 5 received commander's coins for excellence from TACOM.

The maintenance training conducted at the Powidz APS-2 worksite was equivalent to the training provided to the Army's military occupational specialty 91A, M1 Abrams Tank System Maintainer, the report stated.

One of the challenges unique to this training, according to the report, was the Polish-English language barrier. Overcoming this was essential to fully communicating and understanding the vastly complex operating systems inherent with the M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams main battle tank. Translators, patience and teamwork were key to ensuring the PPLS trainees fully grasped the detailed instruction.

The Abrams tank maintenance training at the Powidz APS-2 worksite will enter the program's second phase, next. This is supervised hands-on maintenance of the M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams main battle tank fleet at the site.

Less than two weeks ago, the 405th Army Field Support Brigade's AFSBn-Poland officially unfurled its unit colors during a ceremony at the Powidz-APS-2 worksite, marking the battalion's official assumption of command, there. In attendance were dozens of military and civic leaders, both Polish and U.S., including the Polish Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense and U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzenzinski.

"It is a privilege to be here for this important uncasing ceremony," Brzenzinski said. "A very warm welcome to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade."

Also in attendance was the commanding general and command sergeant major of U.S. Army Sustainment Command, the 405th AFSB's higher headquarters, based out of Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.

"The equipment stored here can be leveraged by the U.S. Army and any U.S.-based Armored Brigade Combat Team deploying to Europe either for training or for contingency operations," said Brig. Gen. John 'Brad' Hinson, the ASC commanding general, during the ceremony.

"This is one of the most important missions for the Polish military right now," said Polish Lt. Col. Przemel Musiej, the officer in charge of site's PPLS military workforce. "This is the first site of its kind in Poland, and for us this complex demonstrates the strong partnership we have with the U.S. and NATO."

The state-of-the-art APS-2 worksite in Powidz encompasses 650,000 square feet of humidity-controlled warehouse space, a vehicle maintenance facility, and various supporting structures, plus 58,000 square feet of munitions storage nearby. It houses an entire modernized armored brigade combat team's worth of APS-2 equipment.

It is estimated that APS-2 worksites in Europe, like Powidz, can help reduce deployment timelines for an armored brigade combat team from 60 days to as little as a week or two. By providing turn-key power projection APS-2 packages ready to employ at a moment's notice, the APS-2 program is a key component of U.S. Army Europe and Africa's power projection, warfighter readiness and logistics support missions.

The 405th AFSB is assigned to ASC and headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The brigade provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. forces throughout Europe and Africa - providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command's materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website and the official Facebook site. To learn more about the 405th AFSB's APS-2 program and the Powidz APS-2 worksite watch this video .

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