For AFSBn-Mannheim High Maintenance Technology, family is very important in many ways. Article

MANHEIM, Germany – For Ted VanZant, it’s all about family. With nine grandchildren, three sons, three daughters and a wonderful wife as his family base – family is very important to him.

But for the Chief Warrant Officer 4 family, it extends to the Army family as well. In the year When he enlisted in the Army in 1989, the now senior maintenance technician at Army Field Support Battalion-Mannheim never imagined the lifelong friendships and family members he would meet over the years.

Entering the Army and attending basic and advanced individual training at Fort Knox, Kentucky was just the beginning for the Jonesville, Virginia native to become an M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Turret Mechanic.

Within 12 years, after several duty stations and the rank of sergeant first class, he was commissioned as a warrant officer at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Five combat tours, two operations, two overseas tours and multiple tours of duty across the U.S. — he still loves each and every day of his service in the Army, he said.

“If you’re doing something you love, it’s not really a job. I love maintenance. I love my job,” said VanZant, who enjoys working on vintage cars as a hobby.

“I love supporting the fighter, especially where I’m at right now. “I have the ability to make a difference when it comes time to support our warfighters,” said the veteran, who is stationed at nearly a dozen military installations in the United States and abroad.

VanZant says serving in the military is like being on a team. Being part of a team that is bigger than oneself and the organization one currently serves is essential to graduating from Warrant Officer Senior Staff Education, Warrant Officer Intermediate Education, and many other educational, training, and team-oriented courses. Army work.

“Whether it’s in the field or back on base, working together as a team to meet the Army’s requirements and complete the mission is extremely important to me,” said VanZant, who is currently advocating for the entry of an armored brigade. Battlegroup cost of Stokes-2 weapons fielded by Army at Grafenwoehr, Germany.

“He definitely has a lot of momentum right now,” VanZant said. “Our job is to provide our warfighters with the best equipment and maintain readiness.”

The Soldiers, Army civilians, contractors and leaders that VanZant, 52, works with every day are always on point and always do amazing work.

“Being with all these great people is such a rewarding job. My leadership is awesome. The people I work with are wonderful. No mission is successful without the support of fellow officers, soldiers, contractors and leaders in day-to-day operations. We all work well together so it’s like a big family,” he said.

VanZant and the Army family at AFSBn-Mannheim and the 405th Army Field Support Brigade are currently supporting the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and the brigade has more than 5,000 APS-2 major end-of-line equipment — including Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles. , Paladin self-propelled howitzers and more.

Now that the 1st ABCT is winding down and being replaced by the 1st Cavalry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, it’s headed to Fort Stewart, Georgia — where the 405th AFSB is in the process of recovering all those APS-2 vehicles and equipment. Refreshed, fully mission capable and ready for trouble again.

The 405th AFSB’s APS-2 program enhances the readiness and capability of U.S. Forces Europe and Africa to support the warfighter and promote stability and security in the region. The 405th AFSB is assigned to the US Army Sustainment Command and is under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, US Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides material enterprise support for US forces throughout Europe and Africa – theater sustainment logistics; Synchronize procurement, logistics and technology; and enabling the US Army Materiel Command Enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website and the official Facebook page.