KUWAIT 06.23.2020 –
Soldiers of the 42nd Infantry Division working in the motor pool play a critical role in keeping the division and Task Force Spartan Shield mission capable and is responsible for more than just working on equipment.
“We have to order parts to keep all of Task Force Spartan operating,” said Sgt. Eric Monk. “Without us staying on top of things here, vehicles would go down and we wouldn’t be mission capable.
Parts and general vehicle maintenance are only part of remaining mission ready.
“It’s very important that we stay focused here and complete work orders in a timely manner,” said Staff Sgt. Edward Rucker. “Working on the equipment is just a part of what we do here.”
Another component of remaining mission ready is organization.
“Work orders are used to let the mechanics know what is ready to be worked, and in what order they should be worked,” said Monk. “It can get crazy around here with all the work we have.”
The Task Force Spartan team does not just handle equipment organic to the task force or the division or even the usual military equipment.
“We work on ARCENT stuff, there’s everyone’s vehicles here on post that we work on,” said Rucker. “It’s not only the trucks you might think of like the Humvee’s, we also work on things like the gators you see on post.”
Added equipment means increased challenges.
“With all the different equipment we work on, ordering parts can be a challenge sometimes,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffery Tajon. “We have to track all the parts and there special ID [identification] numbers to ensure we are getting and using the correct parts for the job.”
Despite all the added responsibilities and work, these professionals manage to keep all supported elements mission-capable while maintaining the sections' morale.
“Tracking all the reports we have to do and still training up other Soldiers can be overwhelming at times, but we get it done,” said Monk. “We even have soldiers here that we are helping to train from other companies, like the 302nd MP’s [military police].”
“With all the work we do helping other units, working on our equipment, training Soldiers, and keeping up on reports, the most import thing we do is take care of each other,” said Rucker. “Trying to keep morale up with Soldiers helps them to stay positive, which in turn they help to keep things running.”