FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The Soldiers who work in the motorpool every day are those who keep the entire force running, ensuring that military vehicles and machines are operable and performing at their best for the Soldiers who use them. Though this is one of the most important locations, it can often be overlooked.
“Vehicles are very important”, said U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Escobar, a wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned to XVIII Airborne Corps. “If a vehicle is not maintained, you could wreck them, you could flip them. They’re dangerous, so you have to make sure they’re always on point.”
Various military occupational specialties work within the motorpool, including wheeled vehicle mechanics, utilities equipment repairers, Stryker system maintainers, and quartermaster and chemical equipment repairers. Power generation equipment repairers, mechanics who specialize in repairing generators, also work in the motorpool. All of these Soldiers with different Military Occupation Specialties (MOS’s) work together to create an effective unit.
Even with rapidly expanding technological development, the most straight-forward types of equipment are still important. Ensuring power is running wherever and whenever remains one of the most important jobs in the military.
“People need power,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Joseph Benson Stubbs, a power generation equipment repairer assigned to XVIII Airborne Corps. “If you don’t have any generators, you’re not charging any phone and you’re not running any direct line communications.”
Mechanics’ roles are not limited to maintenance and repair. Additional skill identifiers, or ASIs, expand these soldiers’ careers, with one example being recovery operations.
“It’s dangerous, but if you pay attention, it’s fun,” said Escobar, who is also a certified recovery operations specialist. “And it’s time-consuming, but you learn how to problem-solve with it. You might not be able to hook up that truck the way you want to, and you have to pull it out in another way.”
As America’s Contingency Corps, the XVIII Airborne Corps has the capability of being anywhere in the world within 96 hours. This responsibility helps motivate and encourage the mechanics of XVIII Airborne Corps HHBN Motorpool to do their job to their utmost ability. For example, the mechanics aim to have an 80% capacity of all trucks within the motorpool available on a regular basis.
The Soldiers who work in the motorpool maintain vehicles, generators, and coordinate repair and recovery operations across multiple echelons. Numerous jobs with different roles collaborate to ensure efficiency inside of a motorpool. These Soldiers perform an essential duty for maintaining readiness across the force.
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