Photo By Capt. Monika Comeaux | Spc. John W. Cranford, a medical equipment repairer with Headquarters and Headquarters...... read more read more
CAMP TAJI, Iraq - While there are dozens of unit supply clerks, mechanics or cooks on Camp Taji, some military occupational specialties are very hard to find.
Spc. John Cranford from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, is a medical equipment repairer on Taji.
As a repairer, Cranford and others provide maintenance support to all sick-call clinics, the optometry clinic, and dental clinic and even to a clinic on the Iraqi side of Camp Taji.
"I think that our job is the best job in the Army," said Cranford. "We are proud to be doing the job we are doing here."
Arriving in October, he first worked at the Wrangler Clinic. Before long, he was approached by another medical equipment repairer from the base.
"When I came to Taji, I knew there were other medical maintenance people on the post, and I was trying to see if we could work together, instead of working separately," said Staff Sgt. Wilmer L. Tapia, a medical equipment repairer with the 226th Medical Logistics Battalion. The small team checks with the clinics periodically, making sure all the equipment is operational. They also started visiting the clinic on the Iraqi side, to see whether they needed any assistance.
"I feel like I am doing something good," Tapia said. "The first time when we went to the old Iraqi clinic, I felt sorry for them. There was a lack of supplies and equipment."
When the team found out that the Iraqis were opening a new clinic, they jumped at the chance to help to get the clinic's equipment operational. "[It was] nothing we had to do, we just want to help them out . . . The sooner we get them set up, the sooner we can get out of here, hopefully," Cranford said.
They worked on several pieces of new equipment at the Iraqi clinic, some straight out of the box.
"A lot of the stuff we have to figure out on our own," Cranford said. He and his fellow medical equipment repairers sometimes have to pick up manuals, and figure out how to assemble new equipment.
"As soon as we got the X-ray machine going, they started seeing patients that day," Cranford said proudly.
The small team made friends with the clinic's staff. Most of the doctors speak some English and are able to translate between the medical equipment repairers and the Iraqi medical staff who operate the equipment.
"They do a good job," said Iraqi army Sgt. Abaide, a nurse at the Iraqi clinic. "When we get a mechanical problem, they come and help us out quickly."
The Iraqi clinic sees between 80 and 100 patients a day - soldiers and civilians working on the post. Abaide is very grateful for the help the medical equipment repair team provides to the Iraqi clinic.
As both Cranford and Tapia noted, the fun part of their job is to work on a new piece of equipment every day.
"I think the most difficult part is to get parts," Tapia said. If they work on older equipment, they have to contact the manufacturer for parts, and often the manufacturer no longer makes that particular type of medical equipment and may not have a part for it at all.
Although Cranford has only worked in his MOS for a short time, he is very confident at what he is doing. He said that his 11-month Advance Individual Training was really difficult, but prepared him well for the job.
"He is a hardworking medical maintenance guy," said Tapia. "He is very reliable and knowledgeable."
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2006 09:29 |
| Story ID: | 6016 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 23 |
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