Name: Bill Rowan
Job title: Information Technology Specialist
Assigned: Logistics Readiness Center Ansbach, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Barton Barracks
Experience: I’ve been working at LRC Ansbach for three years. Before that, I worked at the Exchange in Ansbach as a sales associate for almost seven years.
Other service: I served 7.5 years in the Army as an IT specialist and was a sergeant when I completed my active-duty service.
Hometown: I’m a military brat, born at Fort Polk, Louisiana. We moved around a lot because my father was an active-duty Soldier. He finished his Army career in Germany – and my mother is German – so I would consider Butzbach in Hessen, Germany, the closest thing I have to a hometown. It’s where I spent much of my youth.
Family: I’m married to my wife, Sandra, for almost 17 years. We have two daughters – Kim-Sarah (25) and Lea Erika (16).
Q: Can you explain what your duties are at LRC Ansbach?
A: My daily duties include IT support and keeping all systems at LRC Ansbach operational. If anyone at LRC Ansbach has problems with their laptop or computer – software related or connectivity related – I assist them. I also ensure that everyone at LRC Ansbach adheres to all the IT regulations and policies, and I handle all of the LRC Ansbach IT life-cycle replacement program requirements. I’m the only IT specialist at LRC Ansbach, responsible for more than 50 active users. I’m their first level of support if they need assistance or have an IT-related issue. I also liaison with the IT department at the 405th AFSB when there’s new requirements, updates, et cetera – for example, the latest updates to Windows 10 and the migration to Office 365. For the Office 365 migration, I physically visited more than 75 percent of LRC Ansbach’s active users or remoted into their computer systems to complete the migration.
Q: Why is your position at LRC Ansbach so important?
A: Before I started working here in April 2019, LRC Ansbach did not have an IT specialist for about 10 months. During that time, they had some big problems with IT support. They either called 119 for assistance or someone from Kaiserslautern had to travel to Ansbach on temporary duty to correct their problems and conduct life-cycle replacement program requirements. With me not being in the position yet, everything computer- and IT-related was delayed, but when I started working things changed quickly. Everyone at LRC Ansbach was excited to finally get their own IT specialist. No longer did they have to wait days before someone would process their help requests. I’m able to swap out computer systems, reimage computers, set up and configure printers and more – all hands-on requirements that are nearly impossible to do without someone physically on the ground – assigned directed to LRC Ansbach. In the IT world, things have changed a lot over the years. All the information is now handled and processed with confidentiality, by regulation. I act as a gate keeper, responsible for ensuring all the employees assigned to LRC Ansbach adhere to all the required regulations and policies regarding electronic communications and information technology.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: For me, personally, it’s important the support that I give back to the Army – the same Army that afforded me many opportunities in my life. I grew up as an Army brat. I served for almost eight years as an Army Soldier. I’m very familiar with the Army. It’s a way of life for me. It’s in my genes and in my DNA. In this position I don’t work directly with Soldiers, but I’m indirectly supporting Soldiers because I support all the directorates of LRC Ansbach. In turn, LRC Ansbach manages a variety of activities and operations in support of Soldiers and their Families.
LRC Ansbach and 405th AFSB: LRC Ansbach is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management, and property book operations. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Ansbach directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach.
LRC Ansbach reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website and the official Facebook site.
