BAUMHOLDER, Germany (Aug. 14, 2015) — Heavy equipment transporters, or HETs, from the 51st Transportation Company, 39th Transportation Battalion (Movement Control), 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, are providing heavy vehicle lift support to U.S. and NATO operations in the Baltics.
Based in Baumholder, the 51st Transportation Company transported more than 70 pieces of tracked equipment, including tanks and artillery, supporting U.S., Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian forces during Operation Atlantic Resolve.
The 51st Transportation Company deployed HETs to the Baltics in support of several multinational exercises in just more than a month.
They supported a Lithuanian tank shoot, a coastal battery fire, a “freedom shock” readiness exercise in Estonia, and a Lithuanian Land Forces operation.
The 51st Transportation Company also participated in static displays of equipment at government centers, which were open to the public, displaying NATO readiness.
“The Lithuanians really enjoyed seeing the HETs, and it was fun having the kids climb around inside the truck,” said HET operator Sgt. Dustin Crawford of the 51st Transportation Company.
The Lithuanian Engineer Battalion requested movement of the HETs to improve bilateral training roads.
The 51st Transportation Company is set to start another rotation of HETs in support of the 3rd Infantry Division in September, making sure supplies continue to move through the Baltics.