Joint motor pool keeps MRAPs in the fight

Published May 21, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

CAMP BUCCA, Iraq -- Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are working with their Army compatriots in the base motor pool to keep the squadron's tactical vehicles running like clockwork.

Four members of the Air Force security forces unit are part of a joint motor pool and learning more than they ever thought they would about the latest tactical vehicles.

Each unit is tasked out to have a certain number of mechanics, according to Army Master Sgt. Dean Robinson, 42nd Military Police Brigade motor pool NCOIC. The units then pool their resources and personnel to form a more efficient and productive shop.

"Due to the mission requirements, the Air Force provides mechanics with your security teams for the amount of equipment they have," he said. "They work hand-in-hand with their Army counterparts to help maintain their equipment."

Master Sgt. Matthew Guiles, 887th ESFS assistant motor pool NCOIC, deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., said the arrangement is mutually beneficial for the Air Force maintainers and the Army.

"It's working good," the Grand Rapids, Mich., native said. "The vehicles are getting out. We have enough mechanics that the vehicles won't stay in the shop as long as they would if we were by ourselves. There's only four of us, so if we had to work on all the 887th vehicles ourselves, we'd be in trouble. Working with the Army is helping us out, and we're helping them out."

The four Air Force mechanics, accustomed to working on Air Force commercial vehicles, are getting a crash course in the finer points of repairing tactical vehicles such as the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.

"I asked, 'What is an MRAP?'" said Senior Airman Marcel Edwards, 887th ESFS vehicle technician, when they told him what he was going to be working on.

Deployed from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., Airman Edwards said when he found out what kind of vehicles he'd be working with, he got fired up.

"As soon as I saw it, I said, 'Oh, wow!'" he recalled. "I never thought I'd get to work on something like this. I like working on things I've never worked on before. Now I can brag and tell my friends, 'Ha! I worked on this, and you didn't!'"

Going from commercial vehicles to tactical war machines can be difficult, but the more experienced Army mechanics are there to help their Air Force brethren out.

"What we have done is we'll put them with individuals who are more proficient with that piece of equipment, and we'll train them from there," said Sergeant Robinson.

"It's going to be a challenge," said Staff Sgt. David Moroyoqui, 887th ESFS vehicle technician. "I have minimal experience with tactical vehicles, so I'm learning on the fly."

Despite some trepidation, the Airmen said they were excited to be learning something different, not only with vehicles, but with how things work in their sister service.

"Being in the Air Force, we mostly work on commercial vehicles," said Sergeant Guiles. "We don't get a chance to work on tactical vehicles that much, so being over here, we learn a lot about it. It's different. We also get a different perspective than just working in an Air Force vehicle maintenance shop."

Sergeant Robinson said the Airmen had a lot to offer the Army mechanics as well.

"It helps the maintenance program, learning both sides," he said. "The Army learns the Air Force way of doing the mission, and the Air Force guys learn the Army mission and how we do business."

Sergeant Robinson said that while some friendly inter-service rivalry is inevitable, there's no question where the Airmen stand when it comes to the mission.

"The Air Force mechanics are well-trained and have a lot to offer the Army guys because they do everything on the piece of equipment," he said. "They're not just working on one part. They have a lot to offer us. They're some of the finest mechanics I've seen in my 23 years of service."

Joint Motor Pool