Photo By Spc. Gina Collins | Spc. Scott Burke, a Conroe, Texas, native, washes a truck at the motor pool at...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, TIKRIT, Iraq—Soldiers of Forward Support Company, 65th Engineer Battalion at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq, are filling critical support roles that enable other units in their engineer battalion to maintain mission readiness.
These Soldiers, not engineers themselves but rather welders, mechanics, ordnance specialists, logisticians, drivers and cooks, play an integral part in keeping the engineers in business.
The company, activated, July 10, 2007, was just getting itself established when it received mobilization orders to Iraq. Many of the newly assigned Soldiers were fresh out of Advanced Individual Training. Now over half-way through their deployment, these Soldiers are "doing awesome things," said 1st Sgt. Natasha L. George.
George, a Waycross, Ga., native, who became the FSC first sergeant a few months after the company stood-up, said the unit's main mission is to support the battalion, the 130th Eng. Brigade and the overall Iraqi-U.S. Forces partnership.
The FSC Soldiers have spent their time in Iraq performing crucial vehicle maintenance, transporting materials and equipment to job sites, ordering parts and supplies, working at the dining facility and completing numerous welding projects. They've also provided a base reaction force for security on COB Speicher.
Throughout their time in Iraq, unit members have also partnered with their Iraqi army counterparts. The FSC Soldiers are teaching the Iraqis everything they know about fixing vehicles, using the supply system to order repair parts for vehicles and welding base entrance gates, radio towers and up-armor for vehicles.
"Their welders are knowledgeable," said FSC welder, Spc. Raymond Ramos Fee.
Ramos Fee, a Myrtle Creek, Ore., native, and Spc. John Vidal, also a welder, both say their Iraqi counterparts are doing a great job on the projects they have helped the IA's complete.
"The Iraqis don't go to trade school for welding. They're taught through family and constant practice from the time they are young," said Vidal, a San Antonio, Texas, native who has been in the Army for 2 years.
With some of the mathematics involved in welding—something non-welders often don't consider about when they think of the trade—figuring out degrees and angles for various projects can be time consuming. Vidal said they often draw up several plans to see what will work best.
"If something isn't built right or strong enough people can get hurt," Ramos Fee said.
When the welders built deflectors for a weapons test-fire pit, the challenge was setting up more than 4,000 pounds of sheet metal at the correct angles to ensure rounds were deflected into the pit and not back on the Soldiers. They completed the project without any problems.
Vehicle maintenance for the battalion can also be a challenge. Spc. Scott Burke, a Conroe, Texas, native and FSC vehicle mechanic, performs maintenance for all the companies in the 65th Eng. Bn. Responsible for ensuring their trucks are mission ready, he said the most important thing is getting Soldiers back from missions safely.
Often times performing overflow maintenance for other units, and with so many vehicles in the battalion's fleet, Burke and other maintenance section personnel have been extremely busy. But the unit has still taken the time to mentor their Iraqi counterparts on maintenance and vehicle repair.
The FSC understands the critical role they have in keeping the 65th Eng. Bn. operational and they recognize the significance of their mentoring efforts in aiding the Iraqi army.
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2009 07:13 |
| Story ID: | 37284 |
| Location: | TIKRIT, IQ |
| Web Views: | 482 |
| Downloads: | 361 |
This work, Support company keeping U.S. Army and Iraqi Army engineers rolling, by SSG Melanie Trollinger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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