Mechanics keep the trucks, and the good times, rolling

Photo By Sgt. Tracy Ellingsen | Columbia native Staff Sgt. Bobby F. Western uses a hammer and chisel to remove part of...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. Tracy Ellingsen | Columbia native Staff Sgt. Bobby F. Western uses a hammer and chisel to remove part of a damaged trailer tire. Western is the maintenance shop foreman of the 546th Transportation Company, which is currently conducting operations in Kuwait and Iraq.  see less | View Image Page

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

06.26.2008

Story by Sgt. Tracy Ellingsen 

311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command   

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By Sgt. Tracy Ellingsen
311th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- When the sun goes down and the temperatures finally dip below triple digits, Staff Sgt. Bobby F. Western and his crew are just waking up. Their uniforms are filthy. They have nicknames like Smoke, Pinky, and Tum Tum. And their language isn't exactly the kind you would use in a letter home to grandma.

But the mechanics of the fourth platoon of the 546th Transportation Company from Fort Bragg, N.C., keep the wheels turning and their unit's vehicles mission ready.

The mission of the 546th includes transporting equipment from other units to their destinations in Iraq. They also bring equipment back from Iraq for units who are redeploying back to the United States. The mission of 546th's maintenance platoon is to keep those vehicles moving.

Whether it's in the unit's motor pool at Camp Arifjan or out on the road in a wrecker, the 43 Soldiers of fourth platoon are responsible for the maintenance of one of the Army's biggest vehicles. The Heavy Equipment Transport Systems, which are known by the acronym HET, weigh 41,000 pounds and are capable of towing up to 70 tons when outfitted with the HET semi-trailer.

One of the most common challenges the mechanics face, and one of the most time consuming, is gaining access to the engine of the HET. It's not as simple as popping the hood; they were designed with the engine directly underneath the cab of the vehicle. In order to perform maintenance on the engine, they usually need to use a crane to remove the cab. This difficult and time consuming process can take three mechanics two hours. But the Soldiers of fourth platoon came up with a quicker solution when only minor repairs are needed.

"There is a tiny little spot on the HET that the bigger guys can't get into to fix," said Spc. Jason M. Little. But 'little' isn't just his name; it's also one of his best assets. Standing at five feet, eight inches tall, and weighing in at 130 pounds, Little is one of the platoon's few mechanics who can fit in a small space between the vehicle's cab and the engine to gain access to the often inaccessible engine.

"It's also a downfall because now I have to take on extra work," said Little. "I'm the only one small enough."

When Little isn't available to climb in the small space, the platoon relies on Spc. Jose L. Parra. At five feet four inches tall, the North Hollywood, Calif., native is one of the smallest in the motor pool. But it isn't just his size that makes him a valuable asset to the team.

"That's my money right there," said Western. "He's one of the smartest and he works hard. If I had a whole squad of him I'd be great."

Parra, who the platoon agrees isn't allowed to consume energy drinks, can be seen zipping around the motor pool from just after midnight till just before lunch time.
Parra's seemingly endless energy is a good match for a unit that has almost 100 vehicles to maintain, often with a very short amount of time between missions.

"About half the trucks that come back have deadline issues that have to be fixed before they can go out again," said Western. "They were actually made for short hauls with heavy equipment. We take them on long hauls with heavy equipment."

Before each Combat Logistics Patrol goes out, the mechanics of the 546th perform the necessary inspections and correct any delinquencies. Upon the mission's return, they again inspect the equipment for any new damage or malfunctions.

But the HETs don't spend all of their time in the Camp Arifjan motorpool. Though the drivers can perform small repairs, the Soldiers of fourth platoon accompany the truck drivers on the road in a wrecker in case of breakdowns.

"They take a wrecker on every mission," said Western. "Just about everybody's been out two or three times. Of course, you've got your guys who love it and keep going out, but we try to give everybody the opportunity because it's a good learning experience."

"We troubleshoot when we can so we don't have to bring little problems to the mechanics," said Pfc. Don M. Wolford, a driver in the unit. In addition to diagnostics like checking the oil, the drivers are expected to perform a certain degree of their own maintenance to include replacing filters, adding oil (but not changing it), and changing broken lights.

"I think it's safe to say that we have some of the best mechanics," said Wolford. "When I go out on a mission I feel confident seeing the wrecker in my rearview mirror."

But with up to five missions going out a week, that leaves only a few mechanics to make sure the vehicles left behind get the necessary repair work before they too are scheduled to go back out on the road.

"At most you'll have three days to make repairs before the truck goes out again," said Western. "The worst part of the operation is the tempo."

But if the op-tempo is the worst part of his job, Western thinks the camaraderie is the best part.

"This is actually one of the largest motor pools I've worked with," said Western, who has been in the Army 16 years. "Sometimes that can be a bad thing trying to get a large group to mesh, but with this group it was easy. It's like having a family reunion every day."