Courtesy Photo | Spc. Brent Moore, technician and native of Stedman, N.C., checks the oil level while...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Amber Emery
Multi-National Division - Center
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – In a combat environment, good communication capabilities are the key to success. Without contact, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines would have limited visibility on the ground and across their battle space. Behind the mass of communication technology and systems is a team of communication maintainers in the communication and electronics shop ensuring this vital aspect of the battlefield functions properly.
"The importance of our mission is to keep the war fighter talking," said Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Klar, Network Support Company, 10th Mountain Division maintenance supervisor. "So everyone knows where everyone's at."
The Victory Base Complex shop has provided technical assistance to numerous locations throughout Multi-National Division - Center including the al-Marah and Tallil areas.
"The mission of our section is to primarily take care of the communication assets for Task Force Gauntlet and Task Force Mountain locally but we have extended our reach to any unit that doesn't have communications support," said Klar. "So we've gotten our name out there quite a bit."
The maintenance completed throughout this shop pertains to both signal and ordnance communications through various types of equipment such as the Very Small Aperture Terminal, Joint Network Nodes and the High Capacity Line of Sight which are the primary types of communication on VBC as far as telephone and video data.
"Every signal system reaches to one of the two main hubs in theater either here at Victory Base Complex or in Kuwait and from there are two satellites from those nodes that reach back to the States," Klar said.
The C&E shop is comprised of five sections: wires, switch, special electronics, radio and production control.
"Because there are five sections in this shop, issues [encountered] here could vary from the fiber and copper cables, to the blue force tracker systems in these vehicles," said Klar, a native of Jonesboro, Ga.
To ensure the Soldiers are ready for any issue that may occur within the shop, they are continuously learning. The Soldiers also work closely with contracted field support representatives and other support assets like communication electronics command.
"All we can do as far as training is to keep up on our skills as technicians. There is really no set, defined way of saying ok, if this situation happens, because anything can happen," said Klar. "So most of the time it is common sense we work off of and most of the time it is things we have learned in the past."
Klar feels the mission has thus far been successful. It was a rough start but now that the units know where they are located and what their capabilities are within the shop, things have started to come into place.
"We are succeeding and providing them their support," said Spc. Brent Moore, NSC, 10th Mtn. Div. technician and native of Stedman, N.C. "As long as everyone is able to communicate, and everyone's happy, that validates my success."
| Date Taken: | 10.28.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.28.2008 09:07 |
| Story ID: | 25629 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 272 |
| Downloads: | 251 |
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