Columbiana Mayor Allan Lowe could be on his final Army National Guard training exercise.

Lowe, a major, has served in the active military and Guard for 19 years and seven months.

He said just before his departure to Germany last Saturday, &uot;I think I will retire.&uot;

He explained that he served three years in the active military and has been in Army National Guard for 16 years and seven months.

Lowe served in Operation Desert Storm in 1990-91 in Germany, Saudi and Kuwait.

He also served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in 2003. During that time he was in Germany, Turkey and &uot;other places.&uot;

Lowe serves with the 200th Materiel Management Center, which has a sister unit that provides logistical support to troops.

He said the current exercise is to train personnel on modern logistical support of Iraqi Freedom.

He said in the past, troops were supply-based in which needs were anticipated.

The new approach is more distribution-based.

He said logistical support is closer to the men needing the arms and equipment and the support unit would be &uot;forward deployed.&uot;

He agreed that the new method of support could be described as removing the middleman.

Lowe is expected to be in Germany for two weeks in all. As was the case during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, while away from Columbiana, Councilmember Tom Seale will preside over city council meetings in Lowe’s absence