Multi-National Division-Central

Story by Sgt. Daniel West

By Sgt. Daniel T. West
41st Fires Brigade Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – Iraqi and U.S. Army mechanics began work on Iraqi army vehicles as part of a three-day project nicknamed Grease Monkey on Forward Operating Base Delta Aug. 11, 2008.

Coalition forces designed Grease Monkey to provide IA mechanics the skills needed to keep their vehicles rolling.

"We're teaching them how to technically inspect vehicles; to look at them from top to bottom and find every little problem," said Staff Sgt. Stephen Berndt, of Company B 589th Brigade Support Battalion.

"They already do the basics," he said. "We're going to teach them higher level maintenance."

The IA mechanics look forward to working with the American mechanics for a variety of reasons.

"We already have experience," said Cpl. Adel Husien, a mechanic with the 1st Bn., 32nd IA Brigade. "We know stuff and wanted to fix the Humvees at our battalion but don't have the equipment to fix them."

Berndt looks forward to getting the Iraqi vehicles up to speed.

"This will be a great learning experience for Soldiers of both countries," he said. "We'll help them out and bring their trucks up to standard."

"By the time they leave here, all these trucks will be 100 percent mission capable," he added.

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