Photo By Terrance Bell | Pvt. Joshua Edwards examines a tire during a preventive maintenance checks and...... read more read more
FORT LEE, Va. (Oct. 18) -- Soldiers training as vehicle maintainers here can now sharpen their skills in an area that offers conditions comparable to a tactical environment.
Ordnance School troops attending the 91B Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic and 91S Stryker Systems Maintainer courses began culmination training Oct. 9 in a newly constructed Unit Maintenance Collection Point at Training Area 18 located off C Avenue, across from the Soldier Support Center.
The roughly 5-acre plot of wooded training space features 16 maintenance platforms, graveled access roads and other accommodations. The garrison’s Range Operations team was responsible for construction and worked closely with Ord. School personnel to complete the project to specification.
“I really appreciate the effort that was put into this, and I know the battalion commander and CSM do as well,” said the Ord. School’s Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Paff at an informal opening ceremony attended by Range Control and Environmental Management Division employees and others. “Thank you all so much for the dedication and hard work you put into this to make it what it is today. I cannot express that enough.”
The project was sometimes frustrating (due to environmental concerns and regulations), according to Paff, who helped to spearhead it for the school’s Wheel Maintenance Training Department. However, the garrison team was a willing partner, smoothing the rough patches along the way, he acknowledged.
EMD’s Dana Bradshaw was in attendance. He made it a point to highlight the importance of communication between units and others in completing the work.
“That’s the single biggest issue with getting things done,” he said. “When it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t get done.”
Not only was the work done to requirements, but it was expedited and completed in four months, said Jason Walters, the Integrated Training Area Management coordinator who works closely with Range Operations on such projects.
Prior to site completion, vehicle maintainer culmination training had taken place in a covered, open space located on the Ord. Campus and an open field in Training Area 15. Both did not check all the boxes. TA-18’s greenery and tree-line, shielding it from C Ave. traffic and pedestrian activity, made it more than suitable, said Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher J. Reaves, 16th Ord. Battalion CSM.
“Where we previously were was nothing like the environment Soldiers will see when they actually execute their missions in real time under real scenarios,” Reaves said. “Being in the woods, without overhead cover and amongst the elements – in the rain and snow we’re subject to – provides a more realistic scenario and location in which Soldiers can familiarize themselves with their equipment.”
The ordnance training at TA-18 is meant to replicate a field-level maintenance site where all types of vehicles can be serviced, said Lt. Col. Misti Frodyma, 16th Ord. Bn. commander.
“Field-level maintenance teams out here have an opportunity to train on MOS-specific specialty and critical tasks in a field environment as a culminating training event,” she said. “That, paired with the integrated Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills … enables them to be more efficient and competent when they get to their first units of assignment. That’s what we’re really trying to get after – providing readiness for the operational forces.”
To complete the project, workers cleared the area and brought in tons of gravel for roads and vehicle platforms, said Mike Finnegan, Range Operations safety officer. A portion of the work was performed by Colorado State University contractors through an Installation Management Command agreement.
The UMCP training site is adjacent to the Hand Grenade Familiarization Range and Qualification Course that was recently constructed for the Ord. School.
It adds to a garrison training range portfolio than includes a similar facility and brigade support area built for the Quartermaster School at TA-23.
Within the past year, the garrison has added more than 130 acres of training spaces located throughout the installation, said Walters.
| Date Taken: | 10.18.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2019 08:39 |
| Story ID: | 348184 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 74 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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