Combat Repair Team shares operations with Indian army during Exercise Yudh Abhyas 09

Photo By Rodney Jackson | Indian army mobile repair team soldiers, 31st Armor Division Indian army, and Bravo company, 225th Brigade Support Battalion Combat Repair Team, attached to 2nd squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division combat repair team personnel work together to change out a Humvee engine during Exercise Yudh Abhyas at Camp Bundela, India, Oct. 12-27. (Photo by Pfc. Trenton Richards, 225th BSB Combat Repair Team)  

CAMP BUNDELA, INDIA

10.15.2009

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Jackson 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

CAMP BUNDELA, India — A Combat Repair Team from Company B, 225th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, "Strykehorse," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division is to perform maintenance operations, together with the Indian army's 31st Armor Division mobile repair team, during Exercise Yudh Abhyas here Oct. 13-29.

The CRT is a group of Soldiers that perform maintenance on all of the Brigade Combat Team's vehicles and equipment, and the team has worked closely with the Indian army's mobile repair team since arriving in India.

"The Indian army mobile repair personnel were there when we needed them the most," said Sgt. Jeffrey Delp, Headquarters Troop maintenance shop foreman. "They brought in two cranes to help lift a Stryker vehicle, in danger of falling off of a trailer, while offloading. Our small cranes that we have here wouldn't go up high enough to lift the vehicle. We couldn't have done it without their cranes. That was a huge help."

The CRT is made up of mechanics that specialize in maintenance for vehicles, generators, weapons systems and recovering vehicles, and even a missile technician that maintains the Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided (TOW) missiles, Javelin missiles and night vision goggles.

The CRT has performed a variety of different jobs outside of its functional area as well, ranging from fuel support to ammunition guard during the exercise.

We've familiarized the Indian army mobile repair team with many of our vehicles and equipment systems, said Delp.

A big part of the team's work force, and an item the Indian army liked working with, and on, was the forward repair system and the Humvee, said Warrant Officer K L Narayana, mobile repair team chief, Indian army.

"We liked working as a joint repair team," said Narayana. "It was our first time working on the Humvee. Our primary vehicle is the Jeep."

The Indian army mobile repair team doesn't normally live in the motor pool, but for the CRT, the team members made an exception.

"It was nice of the Indian army's mobile repair team to actually move into the motor pool to live with us," said Sgt. John Anthony Cameron, Jr., senior CRT noncommissioned officer in charge. "We've performed everything from replacing an engine to downloading connexs and military vans, to sharing recovery vehicles, sharing similarities in vehicles, sharing differences in techniques tactics and procedures, and standard operating procedures."

"Besides becoming familiar with each other's vehicles and operations, we've exchanged some cultural language," said Delp. "I like coffee and the Indian army guys make great coffee. I've learned how to say hot coffee is good in Hindi."

• Date Taken: 10.15.2009
• Date Posted: 10.21.2009 09:04
• Story ID: 40451
• Location: CAMP BUNDELA, IN