The ‘Patriot Pool’

The ‘Patriot Pool’
Daggers Edge Magazine Volume 1, Issue 12
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard Jones
May 3, 2007

There I was, standing in a small, square piece of desert with a swamp in the middle. A member of the Camp Liberty Mayor Cell told me that for a small price this could all be mine. My future home looked bleak, but we had trucks coming and vehicles to fix. It was time to get busy, so the mechanics got to work establishing the “Patriot Pool” for 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment.

After receiving 130 vehicles and 30 large shipping containers in a period of only four nights, the maintenance platoon quickly established repair facilities for the Patriots. The two maintenance tents were erected in no time, but lacked the necessary concrete pad for a floor. The search was on for aluminum Air Force pallets, and with the help of the Mayor Cell, we found enough to establish hardstand floors in both tents. Finally, the toolboxes came out and the Gladiators of Golf Forward Support Company were ready for action.

Action is what we got as the battalion had signed for an additional 18 HMMWV’s from other units on Camp Liberty. These trucks lacked additional armor and had been previously used only on the base. It was our mission to get these vehicles up to standard and back in the fight. 11 of the vehicles came to us in Non-Mission Capable status, with faults ranging from brakes and ball joints to air conditioners and engines. I issued the challenge and the mechanics were ready to meet it. Spc. Crane and the PLL crew quickly learned their way around the Victory Base Camp as they set out to chase down parts. Within just a few days, the list of deadlined trucks began to shorten. But as that challenge went away, another presented itself. The next task was to execute a regeneration process to refit and re-arm vehicles returning from combat patrols and make them ready to fight again on a moment’s notice.

The Gladiators had developed a system at the National Training Center, and now it was time to put the plan to use. The distribution platoon established Class I, Class IV, and Class V issue sites and the maintenance platoon manned the “Jiffy Lube” for checks and services. The Communication’s Shop set up an area in the motor pool to address all communication issues. Diagrams were drawn and briefed to key leaders and the maintenance battlefield was prepared. We were ready.

When combat patrols complete their daily tour of duty on the dangerous streets of Baghdad, their first stop is the motor pool. The vehicle crews are required to complete an after-action maintenance check and resupply their trucks with everything from ammunition to MREs. The mechanics move in, poised to handle any issue that might have developed during operation. At first, the vehicle crews were a little disgruntled since all they wanted after missions was to shower and hit the rack. Maintenance was the last thing on their minds. However, after seeing that regeneration ensured the timely repair and return to duty of their equipment by the next day, they realized the program was the way to go.

From receiving equipment, unpacking shipping containers, and setting up their maintenance fox holes, Golf Company has prepared for any mission that the Proud Americans and the Dagger Brigade sends their way. So bring your broken equipment and hungry Soldiers, because the Gladiators are ready to “Sustain the Fight!”