Photo By Sgt. Megan Sindelar | Lance Cpl. Timur Nenaydokh, from San Francisco and an electrician with I Marine...... read more read more
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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – I Marine Headquarters Group (Forward) engineers make the way of life better for service members at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.
The platoon of 41 is left with only 24 Marines after losing the rest to camp operations which consist of collateral duties that assist in camp improvement.
These 24 Marines work countless hours behind the scenes and come from a variety of military occupational specialties including: air conditioning mechanics, field wireman, combat engineers, generator mechanics, heavy equipment operators and heavy equipment mechanics.
“We support Intelligence Battalion, Radio Bn., Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Reconnaissance platoon and other simple units that don’t have engineer assets,” said Sgt. Donald R. Thomas, maintenance chief with I MHG (FWD). “We maintain their generators and heavy equipment as well as our own.”
Because this platoon is so small, they are constantly busy running trouble calls, preventative maintenance and fixing equipment.
“I’m very lucky to have very professional, hard working Marines,” said Thomas, from Portal, Ga. “We are extremely understaffed and have three generator mechanics that provide maintenance for over 100 generators.”
Thomas says the two heavy equipment mechanics and four operators are busy daily supporting all logistics support requests within the I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD).
The engineers pull 24-hour operations in case anything happens outside their normal working hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“As combat engineers we perform daily tasks such as signs, benches, shelves and anything that I MEF (FWD) asks for, we will build,” said Lance Cpl. Devin J. Mitchell, one of five combat engineers with I MHG (FWD) engineer platoon.
Mitchell, from Magna, Utah, said that there is not one certain thing they can do, they can build anything and they support every unit that comes through this base and falls under I MEF (FWD).
The combat engineers build the new armory duty hut, they are very proud of it because it was a challenge and they spent countless hours on building and securing it, but it also serves a specific and needed purpose.
“During work hours there are always requests and gear that needs fixed, built and maintained, it’s non-stop,” said Thomas.
Thomas said the Marines work hard so whenever the opportunity arises to boost their morale, such as the softball league they participate in, he allows them some time off, but mission always comes first.
“We have always been asked if we can support this or that,” said Thomas. “I think that in the first seven months we’ve shown that we can do anything; there is very little we can’t do as engineers.”
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2010 11:56 |
| Story ID: | 58918 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Web Views: | 260 |
| Downloads: | 5 |
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