Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Widemond | Spc. James Barton, 520th Supply Maintenance Company, searches the toolbox in order to...... read more read more
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea - Soldiers of 194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 2nd Sustainment Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, spend countless hours on the road, from Warrior Base to Busan Air Base, providing support to units across the Korean peninsula.
“We support both divisional and non divisional units on the Korean peninsula to support the deterrence of aggression from North Korea,” said 2nd Lt. John Booker, 348th Composite Supply Company executive officer, during a recent water validation exercise near Camp Humphreys. The validation exercise allowed soldiers to keep their water purification skills current prior to upcoming missions.
The crew traveled more than an hour away from their homebase to get to their destination. Such travel times are not uncommon for the sustainment battalion. When they are not on the road, the soldiers rely on wheeled vehicle mechanics to keep their vehicle in prime condition. The 91B Military Occupational Specialty soldier is responsible for “supervising and performing maintenance and recovery operations on wheeled vehicles and associated items, as well as heavy-wheeled vehicles and select armored vehicles,” according to the GoArmy website.
Sgt. Jacob Rankin is a squad leader with the 520th Maintenance Company, and safety is at the forefront of each mission he does.
“Without equipment functioning properly, soldiers are in danger,” he said.
He and two other soldiers repaired a faulty wiring harness in the dashboard of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle or LMTV.
“It’s a safety issue, the harness was not giving out the proper readings for the gauges. After we replace this harness, the soldier can look at the dashboard and get the correct readings. The end result is that the vehicle is running properly,” said Rankin.
Next to the LMTV, two more soldiers were putting a new starter on a High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV. The starter is a key component of getting the vehicle running. Upon completion of their mission, the 91Bs will return the vehicle to the fleet and move on to the next mission.
“We are working on replacing a part on the rear axle,” said Spc. Clay Mangnall, 348th Composite Supply Company. He and fellow mechanic Pvt. Michael Leal check out the board at the start of each day to see which vehicles need attention.
As the mechanics steadily turn the wrenches, another convoy prepares to roll out in support of a peninsula-wide exercise.
Staff Sgt. Jon Vandouser, 520th Maintenance Company platoon sergeant, provides a convoy briefing to the drivers and tank commanders (TCs).
“We support all of Area II, providing maintenance support. I want to make sure that all the soldiers get to their deployed location safely,” the Waterford, Michigan, native said.
The mechanic’s work is transparent, but critical to keeping the soldiers of 194th CSSB ready to provide support that is second to none.
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.09.2016 06:12 |
| Story ID: | 191687 |
| Location: | PYEONGTAEK, GWANGJU GWANG'YEOGSI [KWANGJU-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Hometown: | WATERFORD, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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