It was the first time they had really seen the inside of an AGT 1500 turbine engine.
They had performed preventative maintenance on the engines before and pulled the power packs from vehicles or run tests to see how they were performing. But, they had never seen the inner workings - how the parts fit and worked together.
For Sgt. Ian Chapman, Cpl. John Sada-Guerrero and Pfc. Kole Sanders, learning to not only fully disassemble the engine, but how to properly put it together again after it has been repaired or overhauled was an eye-opening experience.
The Soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team from Fort Bliss, Texas, spent almost two weeks at Anniston Army Depot, cross-training to gain additional knowledge of the M1 Abrams tank and M88 Recovery Vehicle.
"This was an in-depth look at what we work on," said Sanders. "We are all tank mechanics."
The Soldiers gained an overview of the depot's overhaul process for the M1 and M88 from the Combat Vehicle Repair Facility through the turret and engine shops and to Final Operations at the test track.
They were impressed by the depot's efficiency and the level of experience of the workforce.
"They have huge amounts of knowledge," said Chapman. "We tried to get tips and tricks on how they do things."
Following their training on disassembly and assembly of the engine, the trio spent time in the dynamometer test cells learning how to troubleshoot engine problems and the various signs to look for if there are issues.
Though they spent most of their first week on the installation in the engine shops, they were also able to train in other areas and wish they could have seen more.
"If we could spend two weeks putting a turret back together, that would be awesome," said Chapman.
During their time in the Powertrain Flexible Maintenance Facility and Powertrain Transmision Facility, Sanders was able to gain some additional knowledge regarding the M113 family of vehicles and the V6 diesel engines which power them.
ANAD calls itself the "Pitcrew of the American Warfighter," an homage not only to its location in Alabama, but also of the way the installation repairs and overhauls vehicles to better than new condition.
Training of Soldiers is another way the installation has supported the warfighters.
In the last five years, ANAD has hosted approximately 600 Soldiers for training from National Guard units, Army Reserve units, active duty and the Warrant Officer Advanced Course.
Training not only improves the level of maintenance the Soldiers are able to provide in their shops, but also enables the ANAD workforce to interact with those who receive their products.
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