Photo By Robert Hill | One of the earliest renderings of PS Magazine's iconic Master Sgt. Half-Mast McCanick,...... read more read more
Redstone Arsenal, AL - “Sergeant, would you happen to know the NSN for...?”
Such questions in motor pools and mechanic bays throughout the Army have spurred many a letter to PS Magazine over the last seven decades.
PS Magazine and its audience have evolved over the years. But Soldiers and Department of Defense civilians from all over the world still regularly email PS Magazine looking for help solving questions or issues they face while maintaining their vehicles and equipment.
And each day, members of the PS staff — typically in the guise of one of the magazine’s iconic cartoon characters, chiefly Master Sgt. Half-Mast — reply with an expert answer.
The reader service program has its roots in PS Magazine’s predecessor, the World War II-era Army Motors magazine.
In 1942, then Cpl. Will Eisner, who would become a legend in the comic book world, was assigned to the newly created Army Motors magazine, which featured the hapless Joe Dope character. Eisner also created Master Sgt. “Half-Mast” McCanick, who answered letters addressed to his Question Department.
Half-Mast continued his duties providing answers to Soldier inquiries when, at the outbreak of the Korean War, Eisner was tasked with producing a replacement magazine for Army Motors called PS: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly.
Soldiers and other personnel have relied on PS Magazine to get the late-breaking, correct information they need to keep their fleets combat ready. Many times these reader emails end up as the basis for articles published on the PS Magazine website.
Of course, these days, emails have mostly replaced letters. But the concept remains the same.
The inquiries continue to land in Half-Mast’s inbox every day and include everything from obsolete or bogus NSNs, questions about incorrect info in technical manuals, stubborn maintenance problems and, very often, maintenance solutions or best practices that readers want to share with others.
If you are stuck for an answer to a maintenance problem, or can’t find a part or national stock number (NSN), or see something in a technical manual that seems off, get ahold of us here at PS Magazine.
The magazine’s writing staff has years of experience answering questions about maintenance and supply issues. If we don’t know the answer, you can be sure we’ll find someone who does.
So don’t hesitate to send in your questions, suggestions, comments, article ideas, observations or best practices to:
usarmy.redstone.asc.mbx.psmag@army.mil
One comment about sending us possible solutions or best practices: all our articles are sent to the appropriate commodity owner or life-cycle management command for technical review. If they’re questions, then these subject-matter experts (SMEs) provide the right answers. If they’re ideas for how to do things differently or better, then these SMEs ensure they’re viable and can be sustained long-term. Not every idea we received gains approval, but it doesn’t mean readers shouldn’t submit them.
You can also contact the magazine’s reader service program through our website: https://www.psmagazine.army.mil/Submit-Questions-and-Ideas/
Half-Mast and the rest of the PS Magazine staff are standing by!
[Story by Steve Reeves, Writer-Editor, PS Magazine and posted by Robert Hill]
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2022 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 413457 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, PS Magazine’s Reader Service Stands Ready to Answer Questions and More, by Robert Hill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
