Photo By Cheryl Phillips | Sgt. Jacqueline Santana, 91B, wheeled vehicle mechanic, 140th Quartermaster Company,...... read more read more
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FORT MC COY, Wis. – Army Reserve Soldiers are working hard to enhance their skills at Operation Platinum Wrench at the 88th Readiness Division Draw Yard here while observing corona virus safety guidelines.
Leading the non-commissioned officers is Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Sturdivant, a 91X, maintenance supervisor, with the 1015th Maintenance Company from Forest Park, Ga. In guiding the team of maintainers, Sturdivant said “I’m learning more as they learn from me.”
When the OPW students return to their home bases, they will bring with them enhanced skills that will contribute to unit readiness, among Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels’ priorities as leader of the Army Reserve.
Joining the six Army Reserve Soldiers in the maintenance bay was Sgt. Jacqueline Santana with the 140th Quartermaster Company, Fort Totten, N.Y. She reclassed as a 91B two years ago.
“I’ve learned so much in just the first week,” she said. “This is the best course I’ve ever been to.”
While 91B, wheeled vehicle mechanic, isn’t a typical MOS for a female, Santana said she chose it because she spent a lot of time in the motor pool driving vehicles, “so why not learn to maintain them.”
Santana believes that she can be a positive influence on other women. “Maybe more female Soldiers will be receptive to me and want to listen to me,” what to be aware of when driving a vehicle to avert maintenance problems.
A 91B with the 672nd Engineer Company out of Missoula, Mont, Sgt. Tyler Rogers has learned quite a bit every day, including how to perform tasks more efficiently and faster. “I’m learning and doing things I haven’t done before,” he said.
OPW is held every year at Fort McCoy. Because of COVID-19, roughly 150 Army Reserve Soldiers have participated in calendar year 2020. Typically Soldiers train for two weeks over six months; other groups come for longer periods of time.
The program “is a good opportunity for Soldiers to get training in low-density MOSs, as a lot of them don’t have the chance to work on their own equipment a lot at their units,” explained Jason Johnson, maintenance technician at the Draw Yard.
Besides the accolades from the Army Reserve Soldiers participating in OPW, the numbers underscore the value of the program. From Fiscal Year 2018 to August 2020, more than 455 Soldiers have completed roughly 560 services producing more than 9,640 man hours of effort. Those are tangible results.
Possibly the program should be renamed Operation Palladium Wrench after the most expensive of the four precious metals (silver, gold, platinum and palladium) because of its value to the Army Reserve and contribution to unit readiness. That doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well as the existing name, so maybe we’ll pass on that suggestion.
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2020 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 376431 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 134 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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