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Balad's Iraqi vehicle maintenance: the apprentices are now masters

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  Just as Luke Skywalker became a Jedi Master by learning to control the "Force" in Star Wars, eight Iraqi vehicle maintenance apprentices officially became masters of vehicle maintenance during a ceremony by the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance Flight Iraqi Mentorship Program Oct. 7, 2010, Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

"All the training I have received has been very good, and I like working with the Americans very much," said Ammar Nagem Abid, a graduate of the VMF IMP. "I am now able to replace engines, change the different parts in vehicles and put a transmission together along with other skills. I want to thank the Air Force and the base communities for letting us get this training."

After 13 months of training, these Iraqi vehicle maintainers now have the technical expertise found in every vehicle repair shops in the Air Force, said Master Sgt. Christopher Irving, 332 ELRS Vehicle Maintenance superintendant.

"It is exciting to be a part of this program and watch them grow," said Sergeant Irving, a native of Ridgecrest, Calif., deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. "This is similar to other Air Force upgrade programs. Some apprentices came in with no skills whatsoever, while others had some maintenance knowledge. Now that they have graduated, they will be able to run their own vehicle shops, or work with other businesses and contractors if they want."

And just like the Jedi Masters in Star Wars, the Iraqi maintainers can in turn take their newly acquired knowledge and make their Iraqi galaxy even better.

"This program will be very useful for our country," said Ehab Jahwad, a VMF IMP graduate. "We have a lot of opportunities now, and can hopefully work here with our friends, or maybe with the Iraqi Army after the U.S. departs."

Before beginning with the 332 ELRS vehicle maintenance shops, many of these young local men were just wandering around in town looking for work, said Mark Mader, IMP project manager. Some were ex-military during Saddam's reign, some were kids off the street and some only had basic knowledge of 1960 or older model vehicles.

In addition to building the future of Iraq, these apprentices-turned-masters have also made the mission of 332 ELRS VM more productive, said Sergeant Irving.

"We would struggle to meet the high percentages of quality work without our Iraqi coworkers," said Sergeant Irving. "They are integral for general maintenance. Currently, 93 percent of vehicles are fully operational here, and we have an 83 percent 24-hour turnaround rate; stateside average about 70 percent. With this program, we have been able to lower the Air Force deployment manning requirements."

The program continues today, with new apprentices training to become masters of vehicle maintenance. For the newly graduated masters of vehicle maintenance, the hope is that this program will continue and expand.

"I hope this program can get bigger," said Mr. Jahwad. "There are a lot of Iraqis with no jobs, and programs like this can help hundreds of those out of work, as well as their families."