A newly formed logistics brigade is sending a team to Iraq to better supply troops there.

Army Materiel Command Field Support Brigade-Europe formed in November precisely for “expeditionary” missions — going directly into the war zone and getting to work.

In Europe, the command spent recent days issuing helmets and other gear to soldiers en route to Afghanistan. Its mission in Iraq is much broader, spokesman Chuck Fick said, and includes providing the gear soldiers wear, shoot, drive or even eat.

“What’s going forward is what the Army calls an operations command post,” Fick said. “At this moment, this is a party that will assess the requirements on the ground, and this is in keeping with the modular nature of the Army now. We will then scale and tailor the presence based on the needs of the missions.”

A team of about 10 people from the Seckenheim, Germany-based unit will arrive in the country first and decide who or what should follow. The brigade numbers about 1,600.

“Although many members of our command have deployed individually, this is the first time we are going as a unit,” said Tommy Lane, the brigade’s civilian deputy, in a press release.

The brigade’s commander said field missions are the reason AMC-Forward and Combat Equipment Group-Europe recently merged.

“This deployment is exactly why the unit was formed on Nov. 18, 2004,” said Col. Max Lobeto, brigade commander. “Ours is the first such brigade in Army Materiel Command and is designed to match up with the expeditionary Army.”

Migrated