Dedication to the job: Spc. Rohaley the UH-60 mechanic

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ariel Solomon | Spc. Randal Coleman (right) passes a box of disposable wipes to Spc. Mark Rohaley while inspecting a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, Nov. 7, 2014. Coleman, a native of Jasper, Ala., and Rohaley, a native of Spartanburg, S.C., serve with Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

11.26.2014

Story by Spc. Ariel Solomon 

U.S. Forces Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – In a large tan tent that serves as a maintenance hangar, Spc. Mark Rohaley uses a pressure washer to remove dust and grease from the last of three UH-60 Black Hawks he and other mechanics had been inspecting for the past week.

Rohaley, currently in Afghanistan serving with Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division joined the Army with a single desire: to keep helicopters in the air. He and his team are keeping Black Hawks based on Bagram Air Field in the skies.

“The main thing, especially here at Delta Company, is doing things right,” said Rohaley, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina. “If you see something that doesn't look right, you need to look up the inspection criteria and make it right. It's better to have a helicopter here in maintenance a little longer than for it to fail while on a mission and possibly hurt someone.”

Rohaley’s love of tackling unique problems has made him the go-to guy for his unit. He said he is always eager to learn how a part or assembly works and often is the first to volunteer for an assignment.

“Rohaley is one of my most intuitive personnel,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Zimmerman, a native of Martinez, California, who serves as section sergeant with Maintenance Platoon, D Company, 3rd Battalion, 82nd CAB. “He can go out and do these jobs himself and he always wants to learn more. He's always motivated to get out there and do what needs to be done.”

Rohaley's friend and teammate, Spc. Randal Coleman from Jasper, Alabama, described Rohaley as a workhorse who would do anything to get the job done right. He said if Rohaley doesn't know something, he finds out either by asking those who do know, or by searching for the solution in manuals.

“If you have no idea how to do something, you need to find that knowledge, and Rohaley is really good at that,” Coleman said. “He understands he's not going to know everything, but he knows where to go to find the information he needs.”

Less than two years into his military career, Rohaley is planning ahead to ensure he gets where he wants to be in life. He said that one thing he knows for sure is that he wants to be the guy who knows how to fix helicopters. His ultimate goal is to be a civilian helicopter mechanic after he completes his service.

“I've talked to a lot of civilian helicopter mechanics and they've made it clear to me that you have to be good if you want to work with helicopters in the civilian world,” Rohaley said. “You've got to make this a part of your life.”

Rohaley's leaders, ensure their troops not only know their job, but are also competent in their Soldier skills. Rohaley explained that leaders from all over his unit provide him with instruction and encourage him to learn Army history and read field manuals. He said he has learned his job is only a small part of being a Soldier.

The bond Rohaley has with his coworkers is evident in how they work together. As they fluidly examined the aircraft during the maintenance inspection, they checked and double-checked each other's work to ensure they didn’t neglect any maintenance.

“These guys have become brothers of mine,” Rohaley said. “Everyone in my platoon is really tight. We fight like brothers, but also love each other like brothers.”

Zimmerman said that this is the first deployment for most of his section and they had to learn a new, faster pace in Afghanistan.

“Pretty much all the guys in my section have less than or just over a year of experience, and the quality of work they can perform is outstanding,” Zimmerman said. “They're way above where they need to be to accomplish the mission.”

• Date Taken: 11.26.2014
• Date Posted: 11.26.2014 00:59
• Story ID: 148865
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF
• Hometown: JASPER, AL, US
• Hometown: MARTINEZ, CA, US
• Hometown: SPARTANBURG, SC, US