Photo By Sgt. Anthony Hooker | Spc. Edson Mascorro, 602nd Maintenance Company, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th...... read more read more
Subscribe
JOINT BASE BALAD, IRAQ – Bz-z-z-z-zt!! Knock! Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock!
These sounds regularly come from the 602nd Maintenance Company's woodshop but are not the ones Spcs. Robert Bender, Jr. and Thomas Hensley expected to produce regularly when they learned they were on orders to Iraq.
Bender, a fire-control specialist, and Hensley, a small-arms repairman, are two of eight soldiers selected by the 602nd to construct wood products in support of the 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry Regiment. Stationed at LSA Anaconda for two months, the two were told during mobilization that it would be a strong possibility they would not performing their military occupational specialty.
That possibility became real when they arrived at Anaconda, with only at-need jobs being available. "Getting woodshop was a surprise," said Bender, "I was happy we would get to work indoors. The alternative was working tower guard or [as a] security escort."
Some items the woodshop creates are storage containers, sheds, water container covers, and space savers. To have a product made, customers have to stop by the office, put in the work order, and attach a diagram of the item. A big job usually takes one or two days and the turnaround on an order usually takes a week. Although the 1/293 is the unit's primary customer, all units are welcome to put in work orders.
Both soldiers said the work has been steady so far, putting in an average of ten hours a day. "We've tried to hit the ground running," said Bender. Each said down time has been scheduled, but know to expect calls whenever special projects are requested.
Cpl. Christopher Duane serves as a floor manager. Among his duties are making sure the shop has enough supplies, that the floors and tables aren't dusty or slippery, and that everyone operates with earplugs and the proper eyewear. Duane also must listen for reports of incoming mortar attacks since shop tools often drown out any outside noise.
Duane, a mechanic, previously served in Iraq on a camp near Sadr City in 2004-05. After maneuvering to get an assignment that would send him back into theater, Duane said the job he holds is not what he had expected for his second deployment. The thought concerned him enough that he suggested his basic soldiering skills might not remain sharp.
"A lot has changed," said Duane, "The rules of engagement are more strict than when I was first here, but the stuff we have available to us [swimming pools, movie theater, quality of food] can make us too relaxed."
The woodshop's supervisor, 1st Lt. Michael Hannah, said the contributions his soldiers will offer over the next 13 months should not be minimized just because they are menial tasks.
"On a day to day mission, we'll build something as small as a chair or desk," said Hannah, who also manages the base's carpentry, metal, and air conditioner repair shops, "The work we put in allows soldiers to have something that they don't either have the time or the skill to make."
Hannah stated the woodshop's intent is to improve the quality of life for Anaconda soldiers. "When the soldiers come in to pick up the products, you can see how [what we make] affects the soldiers' morale," he said. "These products make a difference at the end of the day when soldiers come home. Just having the convenience of having a little more room space and comfort allows them to say, "I can do this."
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2008 11:48 |
| Story ID: | 22694 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 42 |
This work, It's all wood for selected members of the 602nd Maintenance Company, by SGT Anthony Hooker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
