The lone mechanic of Camp Olson

Courtesy Photo | CAMP OLSON, Iraq (Nov. 9, 2005) - Spc. Jonathan Nohel, Troop C, 1-33 Cavalry, works on a transmission at his shop here. The Owosso, Mich., native is Mr. Fix It at this base camp in northern Iraq.  

SAMARRA, IRAQ

11.18.2005

Courtesy Story

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Lee Elder
133d Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP OLSON, SAMARRA, Iraq (Nov. 10, 2005) " If something mechanical breaks at this base camp in northern Iraq, chances are the first person who gets the call is a lanky Michigan native who serves as a mechanic here.

Spc. Jonathan Nohel is, in fact, the only mechanic at this base located in downtown Samarra along the banks of the Tigris River that houses the 101st Airborne Division's C Troop, 1-33 Cavalry. While he is trained to repair light-wheeled vehicles, like the Army's humvees, Nohel often finds himself working on the unit's 5-ton trucks, generators and air conditioning systems.

"They say if you are a mechanic, you can fix anything," Nohel said.
An Owosso, Mich., native, Nohel, 21, has even toiled with plumbing and electrical outlets in the facility housing the unit soldiers. The facility was once a government-owned hotel.

The company has two mechanics, but only one on site at a time. They rotate back and forth between Camp Olson and nearby Forward Operating Base Brassfield-Mora. The mechanic on site does whatever repairs he can while higher maintenance is done at Brassfield-Mora, according to Nohel's commander, Capt. Sean McGee.

For his part, Nohel likes the arrangement.

"I get to set my own hours which is nice," Nohel said. "Plus, I don't have any extra duties."

There is always plenty to do with his wide range of responsibilities caring for the vehicles and other key systems that support the mission at Camp Olson. The Infantry and Cavalry Soldiers here patrol the area in and around Samarra, a hot spot in northern Iraq for insurgent activity.

This afternoon finds Nohel tearing into a large wooden crate using a crowbar. He removes a new transmission and prepares to install it into a humvee.

As if to underscore the importance of the task, the vehicle's driver drops by to check on its status. He misses "his" vehicle and is anxious to get it rolling again.

Keeping the Army's fleet of vehicles running is a challenge, Nohel said. The conditions in Iraq " the blistering heat, damaged or non-existent roads and the threat of small arms fire and explosives " heighten the task.

Getting the needed part is often a challenge onto itself.

"You have to beg, borrow and steal sometimes," Nohel said. "Getting supplies can take three or four days here."

A key element with the unit's extra-armored humvees is the heating and air-conditioning systems. During Iraq's summer days " when temperatures soar to more than 130 degrees " the air-conditioning system must function.

"In the summer, it deadlines the vehicle if the air-conditioning doesn't work," Nohel said. "If that happens, you can't use them."

Despite the challenges, Nohel said he likes what he does here.

"Every day, you're doing different stuff," Nohel said. "We have up and down days, but there's always something that needs to be fixed."

• Date Taken: 11.18.2005
• Date Posted: 11.18.2005 16:08
• Story ID: 3792
• Location: SAMARRA, IQ