Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Cupp | Gardiner, Maine, native Sgt. Nicholas Poulin (right), a computer logistics specialist...... read more read more
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BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan— If a piece of essential equipment goes down, who do engineer units call to get parts and maintenance support to keep the mission going?
For soldiers of the 133rd Engineer Battalion, attached to the 82nd Sustainment Brigade-U.S. Central Command Materiel Recovery Element, that call is answered by Gardner, Maine, native Sgt. Nicholas Poulin, a computer logistics specialist for the Forward Support Company, who serves as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the maintenance control office.
Poulin and his team spend long days, usually anywhere from 10 to 15 hours, locating parts throughout Bagram Air Field, scouring computer systems, maintenance yards and other locations for parts like tires or starters for graders and other pieces of engineer equipment to ensure his battalion’s mission continues to run smoothly. Some of his team’s time is spent meeting with other maintenance units on the base in order to find essential parts.
Along with chasing down the parts that keep the machinery running, Poulin maintains the maintenance computer systems, keeps track of all licensing for the 133rd engineers, such as qualifications on forklifts, graders and haulers, and schedules work for the mechanics in the maintenance bay.
“It can be challenging, but it’s extremely rewarding work,” said the 31-year-old Poulin. “Being in the National Guard is great because you work with and meet people from all over the country and learn different ways of doing things.”
“This job is also a great way to build good working relationships with people in other maintenance sections,” he added.
No stranger to deployments, having previously served in Mosul, Iraq, Poulin said some of his best “on the job” experience has been gained through time in the combat theater.
“Prior to my first deployment, we were limited with what we knew prior to getting to Iraq. I had little experience dealing with warehouses and finding parts,” said Poulin, who has 14 years of military service. “After that deployment, the experience I gained was invaluable and it actually helped me to get a federal technician job in the civilian world.”
“This time around in Afghanistan, I’m coaching my soldiers and helping them to catch on by using my previous experience to teach them how to deal with maintenance issues during this deployment,” said Poulin. “Many of them are going through the same challenges that I faced on my first deployment with warehouses and finding parts.”
A husband and father of three, Poulin ensures that when the day is done, he spends most of his down time in the gym working out and in his room reading Army study guides.
He said he can keep deployment stress to a minimum by keeping focused on his Army resiliency goals which include saving money through the thrift savings program and maintaining close contact with his family through morale calls and email.
“I’d like to get all my Advanced Leader Course common corps done so I can get looked at for staff sergeant,” said Poulin. “When I get back home, I’m also planning on pursuing some college courses.”
“My family is really supportive, and I don’t have anything to worry about back home,” said Poulin. “Before I left, my wife told me to pay attention to the job here and she’ll hold down the fort at home.”
Poulin said the significance of his role in enabling engineer assets to work projects that result in base closures and transfers of forward operating bases to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is not lost on him.
“It is interesting to be part of the CMRE mission,” concluded Poulin. “We’re part of the group that is preparing to hand bases back to the Afghanistan government and I feel this is something to be proud of.”
| Date Taken: | 11.22.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2013 07:48 |
| Story ID: | 117386 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | GARDINER, MAINE, US |
| Hometown: | WINDHAM HILL, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 362 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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