Photo By Sgt. Waine Haley | Spc. Zachary Boudreau, mechanic from Oakland, Maine, (left) and Pfc. Joshua Tidyman,...... read more read more
TIKRIT, Iraq (Jun 6, 2006) - Combat arms Soldiers may get most of the media's attention, but it's the support personnel who keep these Soldiers" equipment moving.
Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, maintain a wide range of machinery, from the generators at Division Main to the M1114 Humvee that rolls out the gate and many things in-between.
The 30 plus troops at 3rd STB's motor pool realize their job is mission essential. They might not be on the frontlines, but they feel their job is just as important to operations in Iraq. This is evident by the 97 percent readiness rate the team is maintaining.
"They do what they do, because they know it's an important job and they like being a mechanic," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Lakes, battalion maintenance technician for 3rd STB.
"We came over here and have done a whole lot without a whole lot. We are still having some issues with the transformation to a Special Troops Battalion. The main issue is getting all the tools we need, but my guys find a way of getting the job done," Lakes said.
The Special Troops Battalion is a new concept that came along when the Army had their latest transformation. It allows each Brigade Combat Team to have its own support personnel, eliminating the need for a brigade to pull assets from other parts of the division. The 101st Airborne Division is the first division that deployed with a fully integrated STB.
Lakes is on his third rotation to Iraq with the experience of Operation Iraqi Freedom I, III and now IV under his belt, he feels the STB concept is best.
"I think it works better this way -- the streamlining has helped in many different ways," Lakes said. "There isn't division in the shop... we're all on one team."
He also feels this is the best group of Soldiers he has worked with in the last three years. He sees high morale because his Soldiers love their job.
"Some of them aren't happy unless they are greased head to toe," Lakes said. "These guys do a great job day in and day out. I just wish they could get a little more recognition. Just a big pat on the back for my guys would go a long way."
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2006 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 6714 |
| Location: | TIKRIT, IQ |
| Web Views: | 213 |
| Downloads: | 21 |
This work, Support Troops Are Vital to the Readiness of Combat Soldiers in Iraq, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
