On the mend: MRF-D mechanics repair Humvees

Marine Rotational Force - Darwin
Story by Sgt. Sarah Fiocco

Date: 07.31.2013
Posted: 07.31.2013 03:21
News ID: 111103
On the mend: MRF-D mechanics repair Humvees

ROBERTSON BARRACKS, Northern Territory, Australia – The automotive mechanics with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, do not repair the average vehicles found on most highways.

Instead, these Marines spend their time here mending 6,000-pound D1158 Humvees in preparation for Exercise Koolendong, the largest Marine Corps and Australian Army joint training evolution this rotation, which will take place aboard Bradshaw Field Training Area in the beginning of September.

“Our job is to get the trucks up and running,” said Sgt. Justin Frazier, maintenance chief, Lima Co., 3rd Bn., 3rd Marine Regiment, MRF-D. “We’re here to make sure the company can be mobile.”

The training area is approximately 870,000 hectares with ranges located all over the land. With so much ground to cover in order to reach training sites, it is important the Marines have transportation.

“They’ll have a way to get to each range instead of walking for miles,” Frazier explained. “It will also give them a way to transport food and water to different locations.”

Without the mechanical knowledge of these Marines, the company would have to rely on only two Humvees for transportation of personnel and supplies. This would hinder the training potential of almost 200 Marines in the company.

“Since we got here, we’ve fixed two additional trucks,” said Frazier. “If the company needed to leave today, they would have four functioning trucks.”

Enthusiasm and general interest in vehicles doesn’t hurt when it comes to fixing the Humvees and that’s exactly the attitude of the mechanics with MRF-D.

“When I was a civilian, I used to work on cars in a shop,” said Cpl. Barry Morehart, automotive mechanic, Lima Co., 3rd Bn., 3rd Marine Regiment, MRF-D. “I really like what I do.”

With the dedication and elbow grease of these automotive mechanics, the company has doubled their transportation capabilities. Throughout the next month, they will continue to fix an additional four Humvees, which will allow the company to transport personnel and supplies during their last field training exercise in Australia.