The 1966 Ford Galaxy 500's hood is freshly painted red. To the uninformed, it might not seem like much. But for the teenage boys who worked on it at the Auto Skills Center, it is a great accomplishment. And it is a fitting representation of the center's purpose: to promote self-reliance and skills development for the individual.

"They did this hood completely themselves and they did a fantastic job of painting it. They're very attentive and they listen well," Bill Woosley, Auto Skills Center manager, said.

The boys, ages 13-18, have been working on restoring the Ford Galaxy as part of the EDGE (Excel, Develop, Grow, Experience) program offered through Child Youth and School Services. The class meets every Monday and Wednesday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Like any patrons of the center, they are provided with a safe work area, proper equipment and a clean environment.

"We've been working on this car over here for God knows how long, but it's coming along," Leroy Schumaker, a student at Sparkman High School Ninth Grade Academy, said.

"We're into our second year. It takes time to restore a vehicle," Woosley added.

"Yeah, we've been doing a lot of work on it. It's all body restoration. We've been sanding and grinding and putting on the primer. … And we're about to start painting the doors," Schumaker continued. "I've always been interested in cars … I get a lot of hands-on experience I wouldn't get anywhere else. It's a good learning experience and it's fun being here with them and working with some of my friends doing something I love to do."

Although Woosley originally taught the EDGE class, Mark Nation is currently the instructor. The EDGE program is offered free to students and includes snacks and drinks.

"We've got some kids in the class that have been with us since the very beginning. They're dedicated to being here. They enjoy what they're doing and they're very talented at what they do," Woosley said.

The center also participates in the CYSS HIRED! program, an apprenticeship for youth ages 15-18. Currently, two students work 15 hours per week for three months to learn how to operate a business and how to work on vehicles.

But the Auto Skills Center is not just for kids. Anyone with access to the Arsenal can use it. The center provides facilities, tools, equipment, diagnoses and instructions to its patrons for the maintenance and repair of personal motor vehicles.

Woosley himself restored a 1967 Charger at the center that he enters in car shows and lends to Arsenal activities like the upcoming Block Party for the Month of the Military Child.

"That car was done here. It was nothing but a completely rusted out hull when I got it and it's taken four years to get it to the condition that it is. I've been out to the Oregon coast twice in it and I'm getting ready to go again in July and August," he said.

The center has a newly heated semi-downdraft automotive paint booth. It is now open for business. It was certified through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management in December. Only the paint booth and an air line are provided by the center. Patrons must provide their own respirator, protective clothing, and Materiel Safety Data Sheets for all their chemicals. The booth is by reservation only.

"It's one of the best ones in town," Woosley said. "It's very reasonable and it's the only one around that I know of that people will rent out."

Located in building 3617 on Entac Circle, the Automotive Skills Center is dedicated to providing a method for significant cost reduction for personal automotive maintenance. Patrons save money by working on their own vehicles with qualified instructors available to help diagnose maintenance problems.

Patrons pay only a nominal fee for the use of this Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation program. Fees and charges for the shop's offerings, such as maintenance bays, lifts, diagnostic equipment and special use tools, can be found on the FMWR website under recreation, automotive skills.

All patrons must take a mandatory safety class and facility tour before being allowed to use the center. Once the safety class is completed, patrons are issued a shop safety card. Safety classes are offered at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The center also sells Jasper remanufactured engines, transmissions, differentials and radiators for most vehicles. If a patron chooses to have his engine or transmission remanufactured, the center will send it to Jasper.

Several types of vehicle maintenance can be performed at the center ranging from oil changes to auto painting. Instructors assist and provide guidance with both major and minor auto repair or restoration projects.

Licensed technicians at the center also are available to diagnose and service air conditioning systems, perform diagnostics tests on ailing engines, turn brake rotors and brake drums, and perform wheel alignments that include front or rear suspension and steering wheel inspection. Alignments are by appointment only.

Other services offered include an affordable wrecker service, short and long-term outdoor vehicle storage, and even table and chair rental. Woosley hopes to offer oil changes performed by his technicians in the future.

Any member of Team Redstone can call the center for wrecker service no matter where they are with their vehicle. They do not have to be on the installation. The service is less expensive than most towing services anywhere off post, and it does not matter how far away the wrecker has to go to get the customer. The service will also assist with other automotive problems as well.

"Anyone associated with the Arsenal can use this service. If you're at an accident scene or you have a flat tire or your vehicle won't start, your battery's dead, we'll come get you. If you lock your keys in your vehicle, we do that. I'm the one who goes out and unlocks cars and that is at no cost to the customer," Woosley said.

At this time the wrecker service and assistance is only available during the center's operating hours, although if Woosley is available Monday or Tuesday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. he will try to help. The phone numbers to call are 955-7727 or 7728. Woosley's cell phone is 665-0184.

"We've got a 21-foot rollback wrecker we bought brand new in 2008. Our old wrecker is up there. …That's the one we did a pilot program with. It was used, it had about a half million miles on it, but it lasted us for 8 years and it got us in the go. We found out it was really needed in the community. And we'll go anywhere, and I mean anywhere," he said.

Soon the center will be offering more automotive classes because a building just down the road from the center is being readied with a new roof and some remodeling. The center currently does not have the space to hold "full-fledged automotive classes," Woosley said.

In the future, Woosley also would like to add simple oil changes and a 24/7 wrecker service to the center's offerings. That will depend on funding and whether he is able to hire more people.

"Right now we are short-handed because of the hiring freeze and we are spread very thin. We just hope customers understand that we are spread thin and we do support other things on the installation that make us even thinner," he said.

Woosley is the major hand receipt holder for the majority of the special events equipment, plus the center has forklifts and a wrecker as well as the trailers that are used for staff support for special events.

Hours of operation for the Auto Skills Center are Wednesday through Friday 1:30-10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Cleanup starts 30 minutes prior to closing. The center is closed Monday-Tuesday and all federal holidays.

For more information about the auto skills center and pricing, call 955-7727 or visit the website at www.redstonemwr.com/recreation/automotiveskills.html.