ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Jerry Bohannon, an Anniston Army Depot heavy mobile equipment mechanic leader takes pride in his job and in doing it well, but quickly acknowledges his work is all about the men and women who rely on the turbine engines he tests.
"I want the best of the best out there for our Soldiers," he said.
The best, he believes, comes from teamwork across the installation.
"It doesn't matter what shop you work in, we are all in this together for the warfighters," said Bohannon.
That teamwork has enabled Bohannon, who his friends often call Bo, and the other employees of the Turbine Engine Division to solve numerous issues leading to engine failures over the years, giving the division an excellent first pass ratio.
"It is rare that we have a reject these days," said Bohannon. "We have progressed so far and corrected so many issues."
For many years, James Hawkins built the engines tested by Bohannon. Hawkins, now a heavy mobile equipment leader in power pack mating, is one of the teammates who assisted Bohannon in developing solutions to issues that arose during testing.
"He treats each engine as if it were his own son who is going to rely on it," said Hawkins.
Chris Williams, chief of the depot's Turbine Engine Division, said Bohannon's has been testing the AGT1500 at ANAD almost as long as the depot has been overhauling the engine.
"Jerry Bohannon has been testing turbine engines longer than anyone here," said Williams. "Bo's knowledge is absolutely second to none."
Bohannon came to the depot on Valentine's Day in 1984. Initially working in vehicle disassembly, he quickly transferred to work on engines and then into dynamometer testing.
Bohannon can't estimate the number of engines and modules he has placed on the test stand since 1987, the year he began to test AGT1500 engines, but his coworkers consider him an expert.
David Estes, a heavy mobile equipment mechanic leader who once was trained by Bohannon calls him a "high energy individual who cares about his job and the depot as a whole very much."
"I respect Bo very much and know the depot has a jewel in the rough with him," said Estes.
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