Sgt. David Foley
MNC-I PAO
USAR: CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- As insurgents continue to attack Coalition and Iraqi forces with ambush tactics and roadside bombs, up-armored vehicles have become the first line of defense.
After realizing the need for armored vehicles, the U.S. has more than tripled their output of up-armored Humvees and other military vehicles, while Iraqi forces continue to use 'soft-skinned" vehicles for their operations. U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 217th Machine Shop, 203rd Maintenance Company, Grand Prairie, Texas, are beginning to change all that.
The shop, which is comprised of 10 people, most of whom are welders, have been building armor kits for Iraqi forces vehicles since they arrived in Iraq about two months ago.
Spc. Alejandro Guevara, the shop's star welder, who has been welding in the civilian market for seven years, said he feels good about this deployment, and that he is glad to be able to help the Iraqi army.
"Time goes by fast, and I feel good because we are doing something good," he said. "They say (the armor) helps a lot, and it feels good helping other people."
The Soldiers design and create door panels, windshield guards, fender guards and cab coverings for American and Iraqi vehicles. They also create boxes that protect the troops who ride in the back of 2.5-ton and 5-ton vehicles.
All the armor is crafted from three-eighths-inch thick Hard Ox steel, which provides the same protection from small-arms fire and improvised explosive devices as the factory-built Kevlar-reinforced doors and cabs used on many American Army vehicles.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Clark Keller, allied trades technician, 217th Machine Shop, said the unit's mission will have an ongoing effect on the stabilization of Iraq because they're helping Iraqis take care of themselves.
"If we can get them up and running with up-armored vehicles, they can take on more of the Coalition's missions, especially convoy missions," he said. "The end result of that is us going home sooner."
Seeing the looks on the Iraqi soldiers" faces is a great reward for the unit, Keller said. However, the real reward has yet to be seen.
"The smiles and thank yous make it worth while, but if we save one life, that definitely makes it worth while," he said.
Keller has not seen the result of an IED attack on one of the vehicles, but has seen the results of other incidents and said the armor holds up quite well.
Adding armor to Iraqi vehicles was not something the unit had ever trained for and actually came as quite a shock to some of the Soldiers.
"We don't normally do this," said Staff Sgt. Robert Gray, another of the 217th's welders. "We normally do quick-fix jobs.
At (the National Training Center) we support maintenance. We work in a fabrication shop fixing radiators and doing body repair."
Working on the Iraqi vehicles in a deployed environment has forced the unit to work at a faster pace because of the high demand for up-armored vehicles, but Gray said it is a refreshing change of pace.
"When the Iraqis pick up their vehicles, they are like a kid with a new toy," he said. "It feels great."
Guevara said the Soldiers in his shop don't go out and fight like the infantry, but said they do the best they can to protect those who do.
"We provide protection for those who go out and fight," Guevara said. "And that's the thing. If everybody does his job and everybody works together, then we can do a lot of good work.
"I know it's hard for them to put their lives in danger, but my job is to make the armor, and that is the best I can do," he said.
Guivera's comrades agree.
"Our job is to weld and protect," said Pfc. Mandaline Hollenback, the only female welder on the team. "Their job is on the streets. We all need to play our part."
Hollenback said the team is finally settling in and production is beginning to increase.
"When we started, everything went pretty slow," she said. "It was a lot of tedious work and was very monotonous, but we are getting faster."
The team has shown enough determination to win the heart of their commander.
"I think they are the best," said Capt. Alfredo Garcia, commander, 203rd Maintenance Company.
"I couldn't have picked a better group. They are all focused on the mission at hand, and we are moving forward."
Moving forward is something Garcia said is very important for Iraq right now.
"This is a very big step in the right direction," he said about adding armor to the Iraqi vehicles.
"It improves the Iraqis" ability to take over for us. That, in the long run, will be beneficial for both countries."
| Date Taken: | 04.15.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2005 11:32 |
| Story ID: | 1607 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 11 |
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