Photo By Sgt. Jason Mikeworth | Staff Sgt. Jason Boyett, the communications and electronics shop foreman for the 694th...... read more read more
Camp Al Taqqadum, Iraq - Identifying the enemy and communicating on the battlefield is often the difference between victory and defeat. Soldiers rely on a variety of equipment to accomplish that task, like night vision devices and thermal vision equipment. Ensuring that equipment is combat ready is the main mission of the 694th Maintenance Company's communications and electronics (C&E) section.
Sgt. 1st Class Ken Armstrong, the C&E section supervisor, said his section works on a virtual potluck of electronic equipment.
"We handle any kind of communications or electronics maintenance. We deal with SINCGARs, night vision, PAS 13s (AN-PAS-13 Thermal Weapon Sight)," Armstrong said. "We also work with wire stuff, switchboards, telephones, that type of stuff."
Spc. Michael Mahon, an electronics specialist with the 694th, said his main focus is computers and internet administration.
"I manage the internet here, and help out on the jobs we get in," Mahon said. "It just depends on what we have to do for that day."
He noted that operating a network and providing internet access to the various sections of the 694th can be difficult.
"The internet here can be a pain sometimes," said Mahon. "Sometimes we'll have internet service but the shop office won't, so we have to figure out what is wrong."
Troubleshooting can involve equipment or user errors, Mahon said, but working with computers keeps him happy.
"When cables break we have to fix that, and help people out when their computers break. Working on electronics is what I like to do," Mahon said. "I just like everything about it."
Armstrong is careful not to let his section be confused for an S-6 shop.
"We're not like an S-6. We're strictly maintenance," said Armstrong. "We've done over 200 jobs in about six months. It stays steady."
Armstrong also said the wide array of equipment they repair creates some challenges, especially when they are asked to fix items the section hasn't worked on before.
"Working with equipment we're not familiar with can be challenging," Armstrong said. "The PAS-13s are something we"d never heard of before we got here, so learning how to work with them and repair them has shown some growing pains."
Staff Sgt. Jason Boyett, the C&E shop foreman, said he strives to maintain a high level of quality control for the shop.
"I supervise and inspect the work the section does and manage the workload," Boyett said. "I'm also the main network administrator here."
Boyett is also responsible for blending three military occupational specialties into one through Army-mandated conversion training.
"I'm in charge of the conversion training as well," said Boyett. "We have three MOSs that are combining together, and it takes about 400 hours of training between all of them to complete."
The prospect of completing that many hours of training while deployed to Iraq looked slim, Boyett said, but his section is coping with the transition of MOSs 35F special electronics devices repair, 35J telecommunication terminal device repair, and 35N wire systems equipment repair, becoming 94F, electronic maintenance.
"We have a year," Boyett laughed. "It takes some time but we manage. It didn't look good to start with, but our workload has gotten easier."
Armstrong said his favorite part of the job is working alongside his troops.
"Hanging around with each other is pretty fun. We're a pretty tight-knit section here," said Armstrong. "As a cross-leveled Soldier, I came into a situation where I didn't know anyone. The first couple of weeks were rough, just trying to get to know everyone's names, but it's definitely gotten better as time goes on."
Boyett agreed that the section is close, and said he enjoys the challenge of repairing computers.
"The most fun for me is fixing computers," said Boyett. "You get to use your brain and you're not going to run into anything impossible."
Armstrong said he feels a great sense of pride in his North Carolina National Guard Soldiers.
"They've all done a fantastic job. In the National Guard, a lot of our guys don't get a chance to do a lot of MOS training right out of AIT (Advanced Individual Training)," Armstrong said. "This is the only time they really get to do their job, and they've really stepped up to the plate doing a fantastic job getting stuff done."
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2006 09:27 |
| Story ID: | 5973 |
| Location: | AL TAQADDUM, IQ |
| Web Views: | 98 |
| Downloads: | 17 |
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