During blistering cold weather, Army Reserve Soldiers with the 705th Transportation Company trained to be battle-ready at January’s drill, while also preparing for future training events.
Soldiers tried looking beyond the freezing temperatures Saturday morning as they moved outside to the motor pool to clear snow off line-haul tractor trucks and fuel trailers. The 17F degree temperatures presented hurdles that impacted the functioning of their equipment. Soldiers inspected and started vehicles to ensure they worked properly and conducted test drives on roads in the eastern suburbs of Dayton, but not without ease. “Some engines didn’t want to run properly because it’s so cold,’ said Spc. Terry Hollenvaugh, a Heavy Truck Driver.
Conducting preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) is part of a monthly training requirement to ensure equipment is functional. “We maintain a fully mission capable rate of 98.9%. But with such cold weather this winter, we have to start 10 vehicles a day to remedy that," said Senior Truck Master, Master Sgt. Gerald Ryan. “Civilian motor pools plug their trucks in, but our unit does not have that luxury.”
The 705th TC’s mission is to transport petroleum products. With an upcoming annual training event approaching, this unit will be responsible for picking up and delivering petroleum to fuel bag farms. This type of mission requires the units truck drivers to travel hundreds of miles daily to a fuel pick up site to receive and then drive back to deliver fuel to units in order to sustain the mission.
As a vital sustainer to the Army mission, maintaining equipment readiness is a top priority for the 705th. While other Army Reserve units will rely on airplanes to travel to their upcoming training event locations this spring, the 705th will transport their vehicles and equipment by packing equipment, placing items in CONEXs, packing tents, desk, and other mission essential items.
With the next training event approaching the 705th Soldiers are confident and ready. “This unit will commute their equipment to drive to annual training and I see movement, running excellent. We move ourselves, totally, always," said Master Sgt. Gerald Ryan.