# 405th AFSB’s CLSE helps deliver strategic level sustainment to V Corps, forces in Europe

/ Published June 29, 2023
POZNAN, Poland, 
With deployed forces in support of Europe during Russia’s unprovoked and unjust war in Ukraine, the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s Corps Logistics Support Element is busy experimenting with new ways of delivering strategic level sustainment to America’s V Corps.

Europe stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Middle East and is home to a population of over 400 million people. The European Union is the third-largest economy in the world as a combined organization. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization includes the U.S. and Canada along with multiple European nations committed to mutual security in the region. More than 100,000 uniformed members of the U.S. military are based in Europe.

As the Army’s forward headquarters for Baltic nations along with central and eastern Europe, V Corps maintains an enduring presence, expanding engagement in the region and strengthening relationships with new partners and allies. Positioning equipment in Europe provides leaders with flexible deterrent options through rapid deployment of units in support of NATO partners by having equipment sets “one ocean closer” and logistical support for this positioning is urgent due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“One key to successful logistics in the European theater is to maintain current relations among various stakeholders to ensure communication and coordination for tracking major actions” said Lt. Col. Eugene Chu, CLSE’s senior representative with 405th AFSB. “Doing so improves visibility and awareness of ongoing support to units operating in U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s area of responsibility.”

The 405th AFSB is operationally aligned to V Corps and deploys a tailorable CLSE in support of the Corps during training and large-scale combat operations. The CLSE's primary mission during DEFENDER 23 and other major exercises is to integrate U.S. Army Materiel Command’s capabilities and other assets to support V Corps and down-trace units operating within U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

The 405th AFSB’s CLSE serves as the link between V Corps and the AMC enterprise, in theater and within the U.S. This involves leveraging the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, which has the primary responsibility to establish base life support and other contracted support capabilities in Europe. In addition, the CLSE leverages the Life Cycle Management Commands – which include the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armament Command, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, and U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command – to enhance V Corps' readiness through logistics assistance and field service representatives. CECOM alone provided over 5,500 hours of support to theater operations, deployments and the Presidential Drawdown Authority initiative.

The Logistics Assistance Representative program provides subject matter expertise for over-the-shoulder training and support to build capability in the Soldier skill sets on specific equipment. The Field Support Representatives provide hands-on repair capability for equipment still under warranty through the program office. The forward assistance from LARs and FSRs greatly enhances the maintenance capability of units currently deployed to Europe.

The 405th AFSB’s CLSE also facilitates subject matter expertise on Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 operations – a critical piece of the U.S. Army’s strategic deployment triad – by positioning equipment at designated locations in support of respective operational plans. A new APS-2 site under the command and control of the 405th AFSB opened in April at Powidz, Poland. This new APS-2 location, called a Long Term Equipment Storage and Maintenance-Complex, enhances both combat readiness and support capabilities to elements of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

The CLSE coordinates numerous distinguished visitor events to publicize the capabilities of the LTESM-C. Members of the media, senior military leaders and government officials receive briefings and tour the complex, which includes 650,000 square feet of humidity-controlled warehouse space, a vehicle maintenance facility and supporting facilities. The state-of-the-art facility for APS-2 demonstrates the commitment and investment of the U.S. and the host nation of Poland with the NATO alliance.

The CLSE also interacts with other services and Department of Defense agencies in theater. In Europe, CLSE’s partners include the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency. Collaborative activities include participation at V Corps level sustainment working groups and joint attendance at sustainment conferences in theater.  

“The 405th AFSB’s CLSE serves as a strategic liaison among the AMC enterprise, Department of Defense agencies, the 405th Army Field Support Brigade and V Corps,” said Chu.

“As a member of the Army’s contribution to the DoD sustainment enterprise, the CLSE also provides input for force posturing across Europe. Representatives attend workshops and discussion sessions over how to realign personnel, equipment and services in Poland, Romania, Hungary and the Baltic nations. The CLSE also provides V Corps leadership with an AMC common operating picture across Europe, demonstrating enterprise and strategic capability in the region," Chu said.

"These capabilities create options that can be leveraged to maintain readiness and improve the operational reach for V Corps in its mission to assure and deter,” added Chu.

The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging AMC’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.