Ditching pre-positioned 'activity sets,' US Army deploys equipment from CONUS

Guess we have not learned our lessons. There was a reason why we had forward deployed prepositioned equipment. Even a "fast Ro Ro" takes time to get where it is going... Loading trains to move equipment was a skill that was clearly part of every armored units DNA... anyone ever deal with a German Train Miester? Then there is the issue of retuning equipment to the US after it was deployed outside the country. It is not a problem for the DoD... however; The Department of Agriculture has a lot to say about it. Any REFORGER "Gray Beards" out there remember the decontamination requirements for all equipment that was returning to the US... Vehicle canvas was stripped and left in country -- can't return to the US because you can't get it clean enough. It became our annual canvas replacement program for those of us who were forward deployed. For the vehicles... spotless, mudless... not a speak of dirt to pass agriculture inspection for entry into the country. All of this comes with a cost... a cost that will in the end lead to a decision that maybe this was not a good idea.