thedrifter
06-23-07, 06:55 AM
During the war in Iraq, one thing has proven to be true: up-armor saves lives.
That is why the Marines with the Up-Armor Team of Engineer Ordnance Platoon, Maintenance Company, 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), know the importance of their job.
The team is responsible for up-armoring all the engineering equipment that comes into their bay, said Sgt. Tayvon T. Peterkins, the Up-Armor section head.
“We get the equipment from the unit and then strip it down to the bare minimum,” the Baltimore native explained. “The kit comes with a booklet and also a (representative) from the company shows us how to install them.”
The team up-armors multiple types of heavy forklifts, scrapers and bulldozers as well as most other engineering equipment with armor from American Defense Systems, Inc.
The Marines in the team are all heavy equipment mechanics with an attachment of welders who previously worked on different types of projects before being assigned to the team.
The process requires precision in the exact fitting and welding so it can fit on the piece of equipment correctly, but the more the team works on them the better they get.
“It took us about two and a half days to do this one, but the first one took four,” Cpl. Jaston T. Vunk, a heavy equipment mechanic with the team said in reference to a forklift they recently completed.
Working on the exteriors of vehicles is a change of pace for the mechanics who are used to working mostly in the bowels of the equipment.
Lance Cpl. Mark N. Moraga, a heavy equipment mechanic with the team and Oakland, Calif., native, can be seen working around the bay in his Oakland “A’s” hardhat and is one of the Marines who enjoys taking the new experience head-on.
“I love it because it’s something besides turning wrenches and changing filters, something I have been doing for three years,” Moraga said. “Force protection is something new and is something else I can add to my resume once I get out of the Marine Corps.”
The team also works together as a tight-knit group, Peterkins said.
“My favorite thing is working with my guys and getting things knocked out,” he said. “We work nights and we can all count on each other.”
Other Marines count on them as well.
“You can fix a piece of equipment a lot easier than you can fix a Marine,” said Moraga.
Peterkins cited a real life example of this.
“It basically saves lives,” Peterkins explained. “When the (I Marine Expeditionary Force) started this, one of the (forklifts) got hit with an (improvised explosive device) and the operator was totally cool, no bumps or bruises. That’s what makes it worth while.”
That is why the Marines with the Up-Armor Team of Engineer Ordnance Platoon, Maintenance Company, 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), know the importance of their job.
The team is responsible for up-armoring all the engineering equipment that comes into their bay, said Sgt. Tayvon T. Peterkins, the Up-Armor section head.
“We get the equipment from the unit and then strip it down to the bare minimum,” the Baltimore native explained. “The kit comes with a booklet and also a (representative) from the company shows us how to install them.”
The team up-armors multiple types of heavy forklifts, scrapers and bulldozers as well as most other engineering equipment with armor from American Defense Systems, Inc.
The Marines in the team are all heavy equipment mechanics with an attachment of welders who previously worked on different types of projects before being assigned to the team.
The process requires precision in the exact fitting and welding so it can fit on the piece of equipment correctly, but the more the team works on them the better they get.
“It took us about two and a half days to do this one, but the first one took four,” Cpl. Jaston T. Vunk, a heavy equipment mechanic with the team said in reference to a forklift they recently completed.
Working on the exteriors of vehicles is a change of pace for the mechanics who are used to working mostly in the bowels of the equipment.
Lance Cpl. Mark N. Moraga, a heavy equipment mechanic with the team and Oakland, Calif., native, can be seen working around the bay in his Oakland “A’s” hardhat and is one of the Marines who enjoys taking the new experience head-on.
“I love it because it’s something besides turning wrenches and changing filters, something I have been doing for three years,” Moraga said. “Force protection is something new and is something else I can add to my resume once I get out of the Marine Corps.”
The team also works together as a tight-knit group, Peterkins said.
“My favorite thing is working with my guys and getting things knocked out,” he said. “We work nights and we can all count on each other.”
Other Marines count on them as well.
“You can fix a piece of equipment a lot easier than you can fix a Marine,” said Moraga.
Peterkins cited a real life example of this.
“It basically saves lives,” Peterkins explained. “When the (I Marine Expeditionary Force) started this, one of the (forklifts) got hit with an (improvised explosive device) and the operator was totally cool, no bumps or bruises. That’s what makes it worth while.”