3rd ID mechanics wrench their way to a successful deployment

Courtesy Photo | Spc. Scot S. Sheftz, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Troops Batallion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, plugs a generator into a Humvee.  

TIKRIT, IRAQ

10.27.2005

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

PFC Joshua R. Ford
MNC-I PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - When it comes to fixing and working on vehicles, mechanics with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division have worked strenuously to maintain the high standards of 1st BCT's transportation.

"We do oil changes, drop engines and replace parts. Whatever a vehicle needs to be done to it we do it," said Staff Sgt. Richard W. David, Company A motor sergeant, 3rd Infantry Division 1st Brigade Troops Battalion.

"Most of the time we work on Humvees but we also work on Bradleys, generators and large motorized transport vehicles," David said.

"The 11 months we have been here not one of our vehicles has broken down outside the wire," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jay Bowen, battalion maintenance warrant officer, 1-3 BTB.

"Our quality assurance and quality control program has prevented a lot of major problems including vehicles breaking down outside the forward operating bases in the Salah Ad Din province," said David.

The QAQC program takes place every Friday. On Friday mechanics from both 3rd BTB and Head Quarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team inspect, clean and work on each vehicle and generator within the motor pool to ensure everything works properly, said David.

The purpose of QAQC is to locate problems on vehicles, generators and other equipment and fix those problems before they escalate into something catastrophic, Bowen added.

"The program also helped us during the Forward Operating Base Dagger closure because at that time we had to move everything from Dagger to (Forward Operating Base) Speicher so it was essential that every piece of equipment was operational," said 1st Lt. Timothy Tomes, motor pool executive officer, Co. A.

QAQC isn't the only time the mechanics fix equipment.

"When something breaks we fix it. It doesn't matter what time of the day it is. We have to fix it and put the equipment back into an operational status," said Tomes.

There have been times when 1 BCT mechanics had to get up at 2:00 A.M. to fix vehicles or tow vehicles.

"The QAQC program has really limited us from reacting to the early wake up calls because our stuff is usually in good condition," said Tomes.

The mechanics jobs do not limit them to working on vehicles and generators all day. They are occasionally required to go on missions outside the wire.

"Our week varies as far as mission requirements go. Sometimes the command needs our Soldiers to tag along on missions, such as patrols or logistic convoys but for the most part there is a set schedule," said Tomes.

"We get up every morning and do physical training, conduct personal hygiene and then have a meeting on what we need to work on that day and we get that work done," David added. The work the mechanics do here is tough, said David, and if it weren't for the team work of all the troops in the maintenance shop the mission would not be accomplished.

"The mission here is being accomplished, there is nothing we go out to do that we can't accomplish and the morale of the men is high," said Tomes.

"All of the missions we have set out to do have gone very well because our equipment is good to go and the motor pool Soldiers know what they are doing," Tomes added.

"Overall we have done an excellent job and when we redeploy I believe we will have fulfilled our mission to a higher standard because of the hard working Soldiers in the shop and the way they have taken care of 1st Brigade's transportation so they could get their job done," said Tomes.

• Date Taken: 10.27.2005
• Date Posted: 10.27.2005 18:23
• Story ID: 3503
• Location: TIKRIT, IQ