Photo By Capt. Carlos Agosto | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Wayne Robert Mackey, 950th Sustainment Maintenance Company,...... read more read more
JOLON, Calif.- Your life flashes before your eyes as you go careening down a steep hill in your ’89 Geo Metro. You keep pumping the brakes, but there is no response. Is this how it all ends? What do you do?
Having your brakes fail while driving on treacherous highways can be one of the most fearful experiences a driver can have. Particularly, if driving a 14-ton military tractor trailer delivering vital Soldiers and equipment to the battlefield.
In order to prevent this worst-case scenario, the 950th Sustainment Maintenance Company, Los Alamitos, Calif., conducted air brake training at Fort Hunter Liggett during the Combat Support Training Exercise, a large scale logistics sustainment exercise held June 16-24, which recreated a deployment environment for over 2,000 Army Reserve Soldiers.
“The Army is dress-right-dress when it comes to setting the standard of accountability, which is how this training was conducted,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Wayne Robert Mackey, 950th SMC, who conducted the air brake training class. “The Army accepts that there are risks, and plans for those risks, when it deals with any task.”
The 8-hour class, followed by hands-on training, allowed Soldiers to understand air brake functions and maintenance on M915 and M916 type military tractor trailers.
Soldiers who completed this training became Department of Transportation certified.
“I believe when Soldiers are finished with this course, they will set the standard for the civilian marketplace,” said Mackey, originally from Calimesa, Calif.
The DOT standard is one of safety and accountability. This training added to that standard. The Army’s composite risk management program is the acknowledgement of risks involved with tasks, the identification of those specific task risks and to lessen those risks, said Mackey.
“Soldiers who completed this air brake training will be more valuable to their civilian employers because of their advanced knowledge of air brakes, which is good for both the Soldier and the Army as well,” said Mackey.
An Army Reserve Soldier’s life is a balance between civilian experiences and a military career. When a Soldier’s civilian life is improved because of the training provided by the Army, that Soldier is more likely to keep returning to drills, Mackey added.
“This is training that could save a Soldier’s life,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jesus Tarrio, 950th SMC, a Puerto Rico native. “Soldiers’ lives could be saved if they apply this advanced military training with the Army standard of testing a Soldier’s judgment and capability as they repair their vehicle’s air brake systems.”
Tarrio’s belief in the Army standard is shared by Mackey.
“A Soldier leaves here ready and better trained to serve their country,” said Mackey.
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2010 21:13 |
| Story ID: | 51937 |
| Location: | FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, US |
| Web Views: | 406 |
| Downloads: | 153 |
This work, Putting Brakes on Worst-Case Scenario, by SSG Peter Jun, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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