Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Leticia Samuels | Soldiers of class number 003-14 and the North Carolina National Guard, pose in front...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Army Staff Sgt. David Robertson shared years of military training and experience as a mechanic with the North Carolina National Guard’s 113th Sustainment Brigade and his Automotive Service Excellence knowledge, as he led a class of soldiers through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification process and testing July 25, 2014, at North Carolina Guard’s Regional Training Site for Maintenance, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
“The class is geared to bring army mechanics up to speed with their civilian counterparts. ASE helps us when we retire by using the Army skills and experience gained over a career to help secure a civilian job in the automotive industry,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Simonson, surface maintenance inspector, with NCNG’s 630th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
ASE is a nonprofit organization that tests and certifies automotive professionals and provides methods that help improve the quality of vehicle maintenance. The program will provide soldiers with employment opportunities, qualifying them to work in the automotive industry. ASE Certified Technicians work in every part of the automotive service industry.
The 11 students attending the ASE course at North Carolina Guard’s Regional Training Site for Maintenance, at Fort Bragg (RTS-M) are wheeled vehicle mechanics who have completed their advanced leader courses or higher proving their leadership and knowledge base determined by their Military Occupation Specialty. Wheeled vehicle mechanics are primarily responsible for supervising and performing maintenance and recovery operations on wheeled vehicles and associated items, as well as heavy-wheeled vehicles and select armored vehicles.
To further help North Carolina service members and veterans, Gov. Pat McCrory, July 14, 2014, signed Senate Bill 761, which enhances the effectiveness of the occupational licensing of military service members, their spouses and veterans allowing military training and past experience to be converted into college credit and/or professional licenses in North Carolina. The bill also directs the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors and the State Board of Community Colleges to submit a plan that ensures college credits are uniformly granted to students with specific military skills and training.
This ASE class was focusing on taking the Diesel Engine Certification Test (T2). This exam tests the knowledge of critical concepts and mechanical procedures of diesel engines. Soldiers are required to identify and recognize systems and mechanics and must know how to effectively diagnose, service, and repair different diesel engine systems.
The ASE exam is difficult with a low success rate across the Army during its initial rollout a few years ago. Once students pass this exam and provide two years of prior work experience, they will have higher paying employment opportunities in the automotive industry.
In attempts to get more Guardsmen ASE certified, Chief Warrant Officer 3, William Horne, officer in charge of RTS-M and Master Sgt. James Alexander, RTS-M’s noncommissioned officer in charge, took a new approach by bringing in some of the most experienced, senior full-time mechanic technicians to take the ASE course and exam and really gauge if the certification correlates to Army standards and practices.
“It’s very humbling and really a tough test. It is particular, very specific with a lot of detail and you have to have the experience and the knowledge to pass it,” said Sgt 1st Class Michael Applebee, 1452nd Field Maintenance Shop Inspector.
After being the first NCNG members to pass the ASE exam, Robertson was asked to teach the first class.
“This was great. It was my first time teaching a full sized course like this,” said Robertson.
Eight out of eleven students passed the ASE exam administered at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
“The ASE program will help with my full time job as a maintenance inspector. I now have more credentials and it validates my skills and position as an inspector,” said Applebee.
Horne and his staff are working tirelessly to keep students wanting to come back through the ASE program to not only achieve their master certification but to mentor them as future leaders of the National Guard.
“It helped rekindle a flame in all of us. We all are competitive by nature. It makes us want to go back and do better at our units, keep pressing forward and learn more and to be better leaders and mentors,” said Simonson.
“The Army’s ASE program can go a long way in helping a Soldier get a civilian job right now or later down the road,” said Robertson.
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2014 15:32 |
| Story ID: | 138050 |
| Location: | NC, US |
| Web Views: | 304 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ASE: The right tool to certify military skills, by SFC Leticia Samuels, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT