Col. Jarrold Reeves, the commander of the 200th Theater Distribution Brigade, cases the unit’s colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Keith Baughman during a deactivation ceremony Thursday at Panzer Kaserne. Along with the 200th TDB, the 37th Transportation Command and the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency also deactivated spreading their missions amongst other 21st Theater Support Command units. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Col. Jarrold Reeves, the commander of the 200th Theater Distribution Brigade, cases the unit’s colors with Command Sgt. Maj. Keith Baughman during a deactivation ceremony Thursday at Panzer Kaserne. Along with the 200th TDB, the 37th Transportation Command and the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency also deactivated spreading their missions amongst other 21st Theater Support Command units. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Jackson, the command sergeant major of the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency, assists Col. Joyce DiMarco, the 1st TMCA commander, casing the unit’s colors during a deactivation ceremony Thursday at Panzer Kaserne. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Brig. Gen. Scott West, the commander of the 21st Theater Support Command, addresses soldiers and visitors during a deactivation ceremony for the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency, 37th Transportation Command and the 200th Theater Distribution Brigade Thursday at Panzer Kaserne. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The inactivation of three brigades under the 21st Theater Support Command was a bittersweet moment Thursday, said Brig. Gen. Scott West, 21st Theater Support Command commander.
As part of the Army’s transformation, the 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency, the 37th Transportation Command and the 200th Theater Distribution Brigade all inactivated Thursday in an afternoon ceremony on Panzer Kaserne parade field.
While the brigade headquarters are inactivating, the units under their command and control have been reassigned to enduring elements that will remain to provide logistics and support in Europe, said Maj. Allen Hing, 21st TSC public affairs officer.
The services provided by the inactivating organizations will not disappear, said Brig. Gen. Phillip Thorpe, 21st TSC deputy commander.
“We’ve identified that the functions of these organizations can, in fact, go to other organizations that are going to be remaining here in Europe,” he said.
The 1st Transportation Movement Control Agency was activated in 1986 and was responsible for a wide array of movement control and traffic management support throughout the European theater.
West talked of the 200th Theater Distribution Brigade as it was known in the 1980s as the 200th Theater Army Materiel Management Center, and its role in the Cold War and during exercises.
“They provided rations, ammunition, repair parts and everything else that makes an army run,” he said. “They did this all in stride, keeping the Army in Europe ready for war every day. The 200th TDB or TAMMC — at that time — fueled the engine that was indeed the United States Army in Europe.”
West read part of a letter from retired Lt. Gen. Roger G. Thompson Jr., a former commander of the 37th Transportation Command.
“The image that I and so many others will always carry in our minds and our hearts is the big ‘37’ on the tractors and the trailers throughout Europe — day and night, weekend, in sunshine, rain, fog, snow and ice — delivering food, ammunition, mail, spare parts and countless critical commodities in support of Europe’s military and family members,” according to the letter.
With the three brigades standing down, their legacy and personnel will remain.
“These great brigades leave behind trained men and women — soldiers and civilians — that will assure our capability of performing these functions in the future to ensure that 7th Army will be successful for years to come,” West said.
