2-1 CD Convoy Marks the Fifth Iteration

Photo By Sgt. Joseph Knoch | U.S. Army Soldiers with the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, arrive in Magdeburg, Germany, on their way to Poland, Oct. 16, 2019. The 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers are on a nine-month rotation in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joseph Knoch)  

MAGDEBURG, GERMANY

10.16.2019

Story by Spc. Joseph Knoch 

5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

MAGDEBURG, Germany -- The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (2-1 CD), Fort Hood, Texas - rolled out a convoy of approximately 300 vehicles this week as they began their nine-month rotation in support of Atlantic Resolve, Oct. 16, 2019, Magdeburg, Germany.

The 2ABCT is the incoming armored task force in support of Atlantic Resolve, who will move in mass forces across the Atlantic Resolve area of operations to exhibit readiness, cross boarder military mobility and speed of assembly with ally and partner nation forces.

“We are here in support of Atlantic Resolve to build readiness and interoperability with our allied and partner nations so that we may strengthen the security of the region.” Said Cpt. Jacob Rafidi, Delta Company Forward Support Troop Commander, 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (1CD).

Rafidi is the Officer in Charge of approximately 150, 2-1, 1CD Soldiers who have been training for this deployment over the past several months at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California.

“We are preparing our vehicles to successfully lead our convoy across Germany,” Rafidi said. “Making sure that our soldiers get rest and our vehicles are ready to conduct a convoy across Germany includes preventative maintenance as well as Soldier sleep cycles.”

Since the convoy will take place over many days and includes the transportation of many vehicles all movements take place at night to maintain normal traffic patterns throughout the region. The route of travel will stretch through North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Saxony.

The convoy is comprised of 2nd Brigade, 1CD wheeled vehicles while all remaining tracked vehicles and outgoing equipment are being transported by rail, linehaul, and barge to the ports of Bremerhaven, Germany and Gdansk, Poland.

The Bundeswehr Kommando Streitkräftebasis [Joint Support and Enabling Service Command] is serving as the approving authority for all convoy, rail, linehaul and barge movements. They will give continuous support throughout the remainder of the journey

“The Bundeswehr has been a great help throughout this entire operation, receiving us at the border and here in Germany with open arms,” Rafidi said.

While in route the convoy will stop after each night’s drive at one of many Convoy Support Center (CSC) that have been staged along the route. Each CSC is set up for Soldiers to have a place to rest, refuel and address any maintenance issues that may arise before moving onto the next location.

“When 2-1 comes through here we want to make sure they have the fuel and maintenance that they need to ensure that they arrive at their destination on time.” Said 2nd Lt. Matthew Sukenik 515th Transportation Company, 39th Transportation Battalion, Mayor Cell Officer In Charge, British Military Installation, Ayrshire Barracks CSC, Mochenladbach, Germany.

Sukenik shared that upon arrival at each CSC the 2-1 convoy is received by a movement control team at the gate. They are then led to a refueling point and staging area where mechanics are waiting to address any issues or concerns that may arise during the scheduled maintenance checks.

“If we didn’t have the CSC here we would be limiting movement throughout the European theater,” Sukenik said. “We can provide them with the resources they need here that they wouldn’t be able to receive otherwise.”

Soldiers are also provided with a billeting area where they have time to conduct hygiene, eat and sleep in preparation for travel that night.

“The ability to have Convoy Support Centers within Germany reassures our readiness posture we have with our NATO allies, and the ability to rapidly deploy our forces across the European theater,” Sukenik said. “Our experience here has been phenomenal, our NATO allies have been a big help.”

• Date Taken: 10.16.2019
• Date Posted: 10.21.2019 06:19
• Story ID: 348225
• Location: MAGDEBURG, DE