Photo By Cameron Porter | Marc Bourdeau, an Army Expeditionary Civilian Workforce employee with the 405th Army...... read more read more
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The 405th Army Field Support Brigade is taking full advantage of a program designed for Army civilians who are interested in being assigned to Europe in a temporary duty status for six, nine, or 12 months.
The Army Expeditionary Civilian Workforce program has deployment opportunities in a TDY status available for Army civilians worldwide – to include many with the 405th AFSB – and the brigade has gone out of its way to ensure those who sign up are well taken care of and provided a rewarding, career broadening experience.
At the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Germany, the 405th AFSB’s Mannheim battalion recently funded improvements to the billeting facilities supporting AECW personnel. Upgrades include new kitchens and laundry rooms, new appliances such as washers and dryers, new furniture for the individual rooms, and a recreation room and library. Plus, AECW personnel at the Coleman APS-2 worksite have access to a government transportation motor pool as well as rental vehicles for offsite travel.
Kevin Grimm is an AECW employee deployed to the Coleman APS-2 worksite from Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He said Mannheim battalion and the 405th AFSB are committed to ensuring AECW personnel are comfortable, and their experiences while serving as AECW employees are rewarding.
“The AECW program offers career broadening experiences at a level and scope difficult to match in any non-deployed setting,” said Grimm, who is normally assigned to U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command in the U.S. “During my time as an AECW Army civilian at the Coleman APS-2 worksite I've worked in quality assurance and plans and operations, which has allowed me to see the entire realm of APS-2 operations, from equipment induction through care of supplies of storage, sustainment maintenance, supply, property and associated equipment modification work orders, product fieldings, and more.”
“The AECW program is a chance of a lifetime to truly make a difference and to contribute in a meaningful way in direct support of our Soldiers,” Grimm said. “I would recommend the AECW program to anyone.”
And it works both ways. The leadership at the 405th AFSB has been nothing but impressed with the AECW program and the personnel who have been assigned to the brigade.
“The AECW program has provided the 405th AFSB with outstanding talent,” said Joseph Scheff, the deputy to the brigade commander. “These volunteer deployers are bringing a wealth of experience and serving a critical mission at the same time.”
“The 405th AFSB welcomes all our Army civilian deployers, and we make sure they have a rewarding and comfortable experience while serving with us,” Scheff added.
Shawn D. Yarberough is an AECW employee assigned to the brigade headquarters as the new transportation officer in support operations. Yarberough comes from Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, where he is assigned as a logistics management specialist with U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command's Fleet Maintenance Expansion team. He said he thinks the AECW program is a great opportunity for a lot of Army civilians to learn new skills as well as refresh some older ones they haven't been able to use in a few years.
"As AECW employees, we're able to deploy to Europe and augment the current manpower within the brigade, working side-by side-with our counterparts in uniform. As an old Soldier myself, I enjoy working with my fellow Soldiers to complete the mission,” Yarberough said.
The AECW program offers overseas assignments at a variety of locations with no change to an employee's permanent grade or position of record. The grade level listed for an AECW position is suggested, and employees can be plus or minus one grade interval from what is listed.
Assignments under the AECW program are available to permanent and term Army civilians. Individuals on overseas assignments must have at least 18 months remaining prior to their Date of Return from Overseas Station, or DEROS. Army civilians who are in the Army Reserve must be in a retired or standby status. They cannot be in the Ready Reserve, as this would be a dual obligation for deployment. Army civilians must have or be able to obtain a security clearance at the interim secret level, at a minimum. Some positions may require higher clearances.
According to the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service the program provides interested personnel with extraordinary opportunities to support operations of national interest. Deployments under the program offer opportunities to work and live in foreign countries, opportunities to experience work challenges not found at their day-to-day jobs, and opportunities to make a difference working alongside Soldiers supporting America’s mission around the globe.
Army civilians who are interested in applying for the AECW program may submit a resume, recent SF-50, DD214 (if former military) and a signed request for deployment form https://rb.gy/qzb8h through their supervisory chain and human resources department. For more information, contact the AECW program office at usarmy.in.hqda.mbx.aecw-deployments@army.mil.
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 U.S. Army Materiel Command’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.
| Date Taken: | 07.18.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.18.2023 05:27 |
| Story ID: | 449408 |
| Location: | KAISERSLAUTERN, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 369 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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