Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Douglas | Soldiers and Airmen worked together to lift the heavy engine from a C-130 for repairs,...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq— The last thing that service members scheduled to go on mid-tour leave from Iraq want to hear is that their aircraft has been grounded because of a maintenance and that the estimated time for repair is four days.
This can feel like a lifetime when waiting to go home. Fortunately for service members who found themselves living out this scenario June 28 on Forward Operating Base Warrior, in the Kirkuk province of Iraq, Soldiers from Company F, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, were there to lend the Air Force a helping hand.
One of the aircraft's engines was overheating and the Air Force did not have the proper machines to lift it out of the plane for repairs, explained Staff Sgt. Joe Barragan, an Odessa, Texas, native and a mechanic with Co. F.
"They came to us requesting assistance in removing the engine, and the Outlaw Recovery Team with their M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle was more than willing to help," he continued.
The extraction began early, really early; the flight line was still pitch black except for the portable lights that had been placed there for the repairs. But this wasn't the only problem that this team of mechanics faced.
"There was limited space and movement had to be exact due to the position of the engine and the large size of the M88A2 Hercules," said Barragan.
But once started, there was no stopping this team.
"The mechanics jumped on it, it was an opportunity that came once in a lifetime," explained Barragan.
"It was great from a maintenance perspective to work on something that flies through the air rather than rolling on the ground," said Cpl. Joseph Seager, a Richmond, Va., native and a mechanic with Company F.
With extensive practice working as a team, the "Outlaw" mechanics first helped to remove the propeller and then started taking out the engine.
"There was no room for mistakes," said Barragan. One mistake could create cracks in the wing, disabling this vital piece of equipment used to transport troops home. "This made the job long and stressful."
"It was a great opportunity to show what we were capable of," said Staff Sgt. Michael Wegner, an Oak Harvor, Wash., native and a mechanic also a mechanic with Co. F.
The entire process took all night, and most of the morning, but thanks to cooperation between the two services, it was completed perfectly.
"The Air Force personnel were more than grateful that we were able to complete a four-day job in less than 24 hours," explained Barragan.
Not only did this effort prove that the M88A2 Hercules, which is designed to recover assets like the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles, or M1A2 Tanks, it can also effectively work on any piece of equipment, but also that through joint efforts "any mission can be accomplished," he continued.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 07.09.2009 19:42 |
| Story ID: | 36184 |
| Location: | KIRKUK, IQ |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 146 |
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