Photo By Pvt. Kourtney Grimes | Spc. Benjamin Kelley, with the 391st MP Battalion, works underneath a Humvee at the...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Humvees sit under the shade of tents in the make-shift motor pool near the Camp America Galley here at Joint Task Force Guantanamo while mechanics of the 391st Military Police Battalion work tirelessly to repair their tactical vehicles and equipment. The 391st’s consolidated motor pool is made up of Soldiers from the units that fall under the battalion, but they toil together to complete a mission vital to the success of JTF GTMO.
Sgt. 1st Class Erick Dietz, battalion motor sergeant with the 391st MP Battalion, works in the motor pool every day with his Soldiers, helping them accomplish their various daily tasks.
“Mainly we work on the M1026 Humvees, various sized generators and some other tactical equipment,” said Dietz. “They work on a company-sized element of Humvees. We’ll do everything from changing tires, headlights and light bulbs all the way up to replacing engines and transmissions out here.”
A normal day for his Soldiers in the motor pool is usually quite routine.
“They get here about eight o’clock in the morning. They start working on either scheduled or unscheduled services, and they also run the fuel points,” said Dietz.
While scheduled services are something that would be seen in a civilian auto shop, the unscheduled maintenance can be quite different, especially considering GTMO’s terrain and the toll it takes on the vehicles.
“Our typical unscheduled maintenance issues are transmissions slipping, flat tires, electrical problems, vehicles not starting properly,” said Dietz. “Common issues with the terrain on GTMO are the brakes; we do a lot of changing of brake pads and brake systems, transmissions occasionally because going up and down the hills are rough on these older vehicles we have here.”
Just last week an unscheduled repair came into the motor pool.
“We had an engine go down. We had to pull it out and we had that done in two days,” said Spc. Jared Dodds, with the 391st MP Battalion. Dodds had experience in working on engines before his career in the military.
“Back home, I do work in a maintenance shop. It’s not always vehicles, but it’s normally small engines,” said Dodds. “Joining the military I wanted to come in as a mechanic or maybe a carpenter or masonry, but I really enjoy being a mechanic.”
Like many others in the motor pool, Dodds enjoys doing his job and always has a positive outlook toward the time he spends working.
“I feel if you can’t have a good time and still get work done, there’s no point in coming,” said Dodds.
As battalion motor sergeant, Dietz sees this every day and is proud of what his Soldiers do here.
“I think the motivation of my Soldiers is incredible because they work, a lot of times, unscheduled hours; some will get called in during the middle of the night,” said Dietz. “They’re motivated. They do an awesome job here.”
The stellar success of those manning the motor pool doesn’t go unnoticed. Army Command Sgt. Maj Michael Poll, command sergeant major of the 391st MP Battalion, recognizes what they bring to the table.
“The guys in the motor pool are an integral part of the battalion. Without these guys, we don’t have any vehicles. They are often unappreciated and underlooked. We very much appreciate them because, in any theater, here in Guantanamo Bay or Afghanistan and Iraq, having vehicles running is the basis of our mission.”
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2014 13:03 |
| Story ID: | 140700 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY , CU |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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