How US soldiers keep Abrams tanks ready for action in the Middle East

Winifred Brown/Fort Bliss Public Affairs

US soldiers during gunnery at Fort Bliss in Texas, December 7, 2018.

• At Army Prepositioned Stocks-5, soldiers keep a massive set of equipment ready so rapidly deploying units can move faster.
• Sgt. 1st Class Robert Ford, one of the soldiers overseeing Abrams tanks at APS-5, explains how they keep that equipment in fighting shape.
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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - The following is an interview with Sgt. 1st Class Robert Ford, one of the soldiers entrusted with maintaining the tank capabilities at Army Prepositioned Stocks-5.

Look through the pictures to see how Ford and a team of contractors reattach a turret on an Abrams M1A2. Ford also recently passed the board for entry into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, and he talks about what he learned.

With nine years of service, Ford is on his third overseas deployment, having served in both Afghanistan and South Korea. (The interview was edited for clarity and length.)