Courtesy Photo | Spc. Thomas Deming, a St. Louis native, conducts routine maintenance on a combat...... read more read more
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By Capt. Grady Adkins
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Although it may not be perceived as a glamorous job, it is something no unit in the military can do without.
To many Soldiers, hearing the words "maintenance time" may make them wish they could play the nostalgic game of paper-rock-scissors to see who gets "stuck" working on vehicles.
For the maintenance platoon in Forward Support Company D, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, however, nothing could be further from the truth. For the Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, maintenance is what they live and breathe for.
"We make it happen better than anyone," proudly boasted Staff Sgt. Korey Dugas, a maintenance platoon non-commissioned officer from Lafayette, La.
He (Dugas) puts his wrench where his mouth is, said 2nd Lt. Dewey Courtney, a squadron maintenance officer from Dallas, who said Dugas and his mechanic comrades in FSC D maintain a consistent operational readiness rate of 95 percent.
The platoon's accomplishments are a tribute to the team as a whole, from the hard-working mechanics, to Courtney and all of the platoon's leadership, to include Chief Warrant Officer Terrance Wilkerson, a New Orleans native, and Sgt. 1st Class Alexander Holder, of Fort Polk, La., said Maj. Joey Sullinger, spokesman for 4th BCT, 10th Mount. Div.
With many 3rd Squadron Soldiers living "in sector," the maintenance section has had its share of challenges.
"We had to split the section up and place it in strategic spots to ensure all units get timely support," explained Courtney.
FSC D mechanics' maintenance tasks include everything from routine checks to major repairs of vehicles, generators, weapons, electronics and more. In addition, they are specialists in vehicle recovery. When a call is made for maintenance, they are there to answer, no matter what time of the day or night.
The mechanics keep the squadron pushing forward in the fight. They can be too easily forgotten, as their fight is behind the scenes. But when they are needed, FSC D mechanics feel there is no one better to keep vehicles moving.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2008 14:16 |
| Story ID: | 20886 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 243 |
| Downloads: | 212 |
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