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Maintenance team sustains the task force

Courtesy Photo | Spc. Gilbert Jaramillo, artillery mechanic, of Belen, N.M., Company G, 3rd Bn., 29th...... read more read more

CAMP ADDER, IRAQ

12.13.2010

Courtesy Story

3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

By 2nd Lt. Theresa Ockrassa

CAMP ADDER, Iraq - The core of any unit is its ability to sustain itself and at the heart of that effort for 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd AAB, 4th Inf. Div., is Company G.

One of the busiest sections is the maintenance team, which is responsible for the upkeep of over 109 pieces of equipment and vehicles belonging to eight different platoons.

On a weekly basis, each platoon comes in to have its vehicles checked by the mechanics. The hours are long, but the mechanics don’t see it as anything unusual.

“You just get the job done; it’s nothing special to us,” said Sgt. Reid McGeehan, a wheeled vehicle mechanic from Buena Vista, Colo, “We are here to ensure everything is mission capable, whatever it takes.”

The service and recovery section performs semi-annual services for all of the vehicles, with several scheduled each week. They also provide vehicle recovery and welding services.

“We have the best guide-on stand in the battalion, and I might go as far and say brigade. I couldn’t ask for better,” said 1st Sgt. Irvin Collins of Douglas, Ga.

The power generation mechanics are responsible for the service and repair of all the generators on Camp Adder and surrounding camps. These mechanics are in high demand, especially during the hot summer months, and spend a lot of time traveling around the area.

The soldiers in the parts supply office are the “go-to” Soldiers of the motor pool. In addition to receiving and processing thousands of dollars of needed repair parts on a daily basis, they are responsible for dispatching all of the battalion’s vehicles and equipment on Camp Adder.

“The [supply clerks], and the mechanics, are the guys who mend Superman’s suit when it tears. They’re key players, but they often don’t get the credit,” said Cpl. Anthony Maldonado, a logistical supply specialist from Luling, Texas.

In addition to their daily tasks, the soldiers in the motor pool have made a point of improving their work area. When the battalion arrived at Adder, the motor pool was full of excess parts and containers. Little by little, the mechanics worked to clear out the area.

Recently, the maintenance team shut down operations and cleaned things up. This clean up became a dramatic effort in which Company G turned in over 55 shipping containers filled with excess parts.

“It was difficult to get the motor pool cleared because we could only turn in 15 different parts each week. It was a real pain and made it difficult to get all the junk out,” said Staff Sgt. Jean Throckmorton, wheeled vehicle mechanic from Colorado Springs, Colo.

The mechanics worked hard to clean up the battalion motor pool, working long days to get the motor pool up to standard.

“They have set the standard for the entire brigade and the whole battalion will benefit from the new and improved motor pool,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane Hayward of Catonsville, Md., maintenance control technician.