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Rows of Bradley Fighting Vehicles sit in orderly lines at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. The Bradleys and thousands of other pieces of equipment ranging from M-149 Water Buffalo trailers to M1 Abrams tanks that are stored here as part of the Army prepositioned stocks mission.

Rows of Bradley Fighting Vehicles sit in orderly lines at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. The Bradleys and thousands of other pieces of equipment ranging from M-149 Water Buffalo trailers to M1 Abrams tanks that are stored here as part of the Army prepositioned stocks mission. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A long line of Humvees sit at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation. The tan vehicles are being painted woodland green by the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman.

A long line of Humvees sit at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation. The tan vehicles are being painted woodland green by the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Close to 20,000 pieces of equipment are stored at Coleman   Barracks, Germany, as part of the Army prepositioned stocks operation. The equipment ranges from M-149 Water Buffaloes, seen here, to forklifts, bulldozers and tanks.

Close to 20,000 pieces of equipment are stored at Coleman Barracks, Germany, as part of the Army prepositioned stocks operation. The equipment ranges from M-149 Water Buffaloes, seen here, to forklifts, bulldozers and tanks. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A line of Bradley Fighting Vehicles stand at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. They are stored here as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation.

A line of Bradley Fighting Vehicles stand at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. They are stored here as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

M1A1 Abrams tanks sit in the motor pool at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany, part of the Army prepositioned stocks operation. In the background is the air traffic control tower of the former Coleman Air Field.

M1A1 Abrams tanks sit in the motor pool at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany, part of the Army prepositioned stocks operation. In the background is the air traffic control tower of the former Coleman Air Field. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

M-113 armored ambulances sit in a long line at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany.

M-113 armored ambulances sit in a long line at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

U.S. Army bulldozers are among the thousands of pieces of military equipment stored at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. Ranging from power generators to M1 tanks, the equipment is part of the Army prepositioned stocks operation under the 405 Army Field Support Brigade.

U.S. Army bulldozers are among the thousands of pieces of military equipment stored at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. Ranging from power generators to M1 tanks, the equipment is part of the Army prepositioned stocks operation under the 405 Army Field Support Brigade. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A view of a Humvee's front wheel, with all the nuts and bolts needed to hold it together. Thousands of pieces of equipment are stored at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operations.

A view of a Humvee's front wheel, with all the nuts and bolts needed to hold it together. Thousands of pieces of equipment are stored at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operations. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Looking down the barrel of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle's M242 gun prepositioned at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany.

Looking down the barrel of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle's M242 gun prepositioned at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A row of  U.S. Army cargo trucks sit in front of one of the old buildings at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. They are among the nearly 20,000 pieces of equipment being stored at the facility. The tan vehicles are being painted woodland green by the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman.

A row of U.S. Army cargo trucks sit in front of one of the old buildings at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. They are among the nearly 20,000 pieces of equipment being stored at the facility. The tan vehicles are being painted woodland green by the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Rows of vehicles can be seen in the mirror of a Humvee at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim. As part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation, close to 20,000 pieces of equipment are stored here. They range from M-149 Water Buffalo trailers to M1A1 Abrams tanks.

Rows of vehicles can be seen in the mirror of a Humvee at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim. As part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation, close to 20,000 pieces of equipment are stored here. They range from M-149 Water Buffalo trailers to M1A1 Abrams tanks. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

A long row of trucks sit along a road at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany, as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation. The tan vehicles will be painted woodland green by the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman.

A long row of trucks sit along a road at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany, as part of the U.S. Army's prepositioned stocks operation. The tan vehicles will be painted woodland green by the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

MANNHEIM, Germany — Following the Russian intervention in Ukraine in 2014 the United States has tried to make its allies, especially those in neighboring Russia in eastern Europe, feel less threatened through a program dubbed the European Reassurance Initiative.

It has involved, among other things, sending Air Force jets and an Army rotational brigade to the continent for training. Another part of the initiative is the U.S. Army’s prepositioned stocks mission.

In various locations across Europe large quantities of equipment have been stored in the event the Pentagon needs to equip additional troops sent to the continent to face a threat to the alliance.

One of these places is Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany. Here, close to 20,000 pieces of equipment are stored, ranging from M-149 Water Buffalo trailers to M1A1 Abrams tanks.

Row upon row of vehicles sit in orderly lines in the motor pools, ready if needed in a military emergency.

After a decade-and-a-half of fighting in the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq, some of the equipment is still painted in desert tan. Members of the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, who oversee the operations at Coleman, have been painting the vehicles in the woodland green camouflage pattern better suited for Europe.

Besides the paint jobs, the roughly 400 personnel at the site work to keep the Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Humvees, cargo trucks and the tanks in working order.

abrams.mike@stripes.com

Twitter: @stripes_photog

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