Courtesy Photo | Spc. Shawn Gillingham, Soldier of the 298th Quartermaster Company, 13th Combat...... read more read more
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By 1st Lt. Samuel Malone
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq– The hot summer brings months of dry, 140-degree heat, while the winter brings 40-degree days and heavy rain downfall. Sand and dirt gets into every crack, hole, and crevice on equipment with the wind’s help.
This is what the equipment of the 289th Quartermaster Company, 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) endures during a year’s timeframe. Soldiers depend on this equipment to respond and effectively perform on a daily basis.
But what keeps these machines running? What keeps soldiers able to perform their task to complete their mission day after day without fail? And when the machine breaks down, who has the knowledge and resources to get it back in the field for the soldier? Who does the 289th QM call on when the mission is on the brink of failure?
That’s when the 289th Quartermaster Company maintenance team springs into action and gets the mission back on track for their company. This maintenance section is different from any other company maintenance section on Balad for two reasons.
One, they have a large work load. Sgt. Christopher Garcia, from Colorado Springs, Colo., and 289th shop foreman for the 289th, directs and supervises everything that happens on the shop floor, from supervising work flow to monitoring repair procedures. And with a fleet that includes forklifts, wretches, and many 5-ton vehicles, that is no small feat.
Garcia’s remains even keeled due to his soldiers which perform all Level 1 and Level 2 maintenance when needed to fix faults on the overworked equipment. They also conduct more than 20 different Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services and more than 30 Quality Assurance/Quality Control checks weekly.
On the administrative side, the Saber Maintenance team keeps a watchful eye on the parts needed to get the equipment back out on the road. If there is a stall, or an issue with getting the part, they raise the flag and bring attention where it is needed in order for the mechanics to get what they need to finish their job. They also keep track of those parts that need to be turned back into the Army system.
Sgt. 1st Class Terrence Peele, a Rich Square, N.C., native and the motor sergeant, is directly responsible for the overall motor pool effectiveness. Because of him, the company keeps an Organization Readiness rating of more than 90 percent at all times. He has the duty of ensuring the mechanics are properly trained and prepared to conduct their duties.
The second reason this maintenance team is different than any other company maintenance team, is their pride in their work, and their pride in their company. These Soldiers repair and maintain the company’s equipment, not because they have to, but because they want the very best for their battle buddies. They believe the 289th Quartermaster Company is the best of the best, and they intend on keeping it that way, by ensuring they have the equipment they needed to conduct the mission at hand.
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2011 19:01 |
| Story ID: | 64908 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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