Diesel Power features the latest military equipment powered by diesel. We've talked about drones, tanks, submarines, and even rockets. Now starting on DieselPowerMag.com we'll feature the diesel mechanics who keep these machines functioning. We've teamed up with Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS) who has lined up interviews for us with soldiers in the field—from all over the world.
MOS: Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Unit: 12th Marine Augment to 2/12E
Current location: Kajaki Dam, Afghanistan
Question: What’s the most common repair you have to make on the battlefield?
Answer: A lot of times the most common, repair is a shorted out solenoid or some kind of electrical problem where you just remove the component in order to keep the gear operating even at a diminished status until you can get it back to the motor pool (garage type environment where tools are kept).
Question: Have you ever had to fix an engine with bullet holes in it?
Answer: Luckily no. At that point I'm sure the engine would be beyond gone and we would just have to order a new one if at all possible.
Question: Ever work on anything that was “classified”?
Answer: No not that I'm aware of.
Question: How often do you change the oil in a military vehicle?
Answer: We usually have a PM schedule (Preventative Maintenance) since my Heavy Equipment Machinery runs an hour meter as opposed to an odometer I technically have to change oil roughly every 250 hours. Each vehicle has its own technical manual with its own specifications as to change out hydraulic oil at such and such hour or gear oil or engine oil. But at about 250 hours or so is the norm for most vehicles.
Question: What’s the best/most reliable engine/vehicle on the battlefield?
Answer: Honestly from the gear I have I'd have to say any Caterpillar model but I do also like John Deere. We use a pretty sweet forklift that we call the TRAM (it also has a bucket attachment). Its bigger than my backhoe so in my environment it would be a little bit too big for use, but its a beast and in the past (while back at my duty station) I have never really had any major problems with the engine.... Any problems are due to lack of maintenance or just plain irresponsibility.
Question: Would you recommend buying used military surplus vehicles to our readers?
Answer: Not unless you have time, money and that's what you really have your heart set on. A lot of our gear is meant to be road hard and put away wet but as with all good things they do wear out which will eventually lead to costly repairs. When needed we do put our gear to the test to get the job done so in the end buying a used vehicle you might get whatever side effect came of actually having to push the gear to its limit.
Question: Could you tell me your location?
Answer: FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZEEBRUGE, Kajaki District, Helmand province, Afghanistan
Question: The equipment you use is backhoes, fork lifts, and loaders right..what types?
Answer: JCB 4cx (Left over from when the British occupied the area over 3 years ago), light capability rough terrain forklift, and a couple of Caterpillar Multi-Terrain Loaders 227c
Question: What are the challenges of working on a battlefield compared to a civilian garage? They include not getting parts and keeping equipment clean. For example air filters and radiators. Right?
Answer: Steep Cliff side expanses and rocky and dirt terrain wears on tires, tracks, and the suspension. Of course the threat of being in Afghanistan to begin with. A recent example would be one of my 227c needed a track replacement. At the moment it did not start so it can't be moved from its current slanted location and the boom cannot be adjusted so a jack can fit under the front. As part of the improvisation I had to use the JCB/w for attachment in order to lift the front end of my 277c in order to get it onto jack stands.
A lot of the Marine Corps Mechanics I have dealt with would say the 2 tools of choice for fixing things either our Trucks Generators or Heavy equipment would be a Multi Meter and a gerber/leatherman. Usually any mechanic who knows what they are doing can fix most minor problems with these tools.
Seeing as how diesel engines are heavy duty and can usually go forever most problems are usually caused by simple electrical malfunctions or external small mechanical ones that can cause really big issues so up keep is always important and maintaining proper tune ups, pre and post operations checks.
Question: What other tools do you use?
Answer: Standard issue tools and being resourceful is used to get the mission accomplished.
General Mechanics Tool Kit
Question: How did you get started in Diesels and what was your military training like?
Answer: I wanted to be a Mechanic plain and simple. I enjoyed working on the family cars with my dad and got into auto shop in high school. Even though other opportunities were available in the end you have to do what you truly love. The majority of vehicles in the military are diesel just because of their reliability, so that was the answer to me wanting to be a Marine and a mechanic at the same time.
The training is a fairly simple 8 week course after you go through your initial Training (Boot Camp which is 3 months) and Combat Training (MCT which is 1 month). Over the course of the 8 weeks you get taught basics including how shop operations work (paper work protocols who needs to approve the work). Learning the basic principle of electricity reading schematics and using logic to find a short or open circuit. You get a crash course in engines where you get both the fundamentals of what a diesel engine is and how it operates (what is compression, the difference in 2 stroke and 4 stroke, why does it use a turbo charger, whats the purpose of the radiator etc.). You also get hands on experience disassembling and reassembling an engine. You learn hydraulics (mainly for heavy equipment) you learn about the power train and breaks. That technically concludes the by the book learning. Then before you graduate from your job school you get a week in the shop there at the school to get a feel for the gear you will be working on in the fleet and filling out paper work diagnosing whatever problem occurs on the vehicle if any do occur during your week in the shop. After all that is said and done you graduate and head out to whatever unit your orders say to report to.
Question: What is different about working on diesels in the field compared to at home?
Answer: Not having luxuries. It sounds a little complaining but in reality that is the major difference. As mechanics know things don't always go down when its convenient for you, when you are by the tools you need or a fault level surface to place a jack and lift up the vehicle to see whats going on underneath. Out here its easiest to work by sunlight because that is the main source of light I don't have the luxury of a shop with good illumination and ventilation and an abundance of electrical outlets to connect drop lights and power tools to. If a piece of gear goes down at night while on a rocky dirt road and refuses to start or move well that's where I have to fix it or attempt to tow it to a slightly better area. I have to squeeze underneath it and the rocks or dirt to see what caused the problem while using whatever flash lights or glow sticks I have available to actually be able to see. In a shop I have overhead cranes to lift heavy objects out here i have to use one piece of gear to fix another (if I need to pull out an engine for whatever reason I have to use the backhoe and some chains to pull out the engine of a smaller piece of gear). Out here I have to make due with what i have. if i don't have the proper tool i have to try and make it or see what we have available that might work.
Question: Do a lot of people in the military read Diesel Power?
Answer: I can't really speak for the whole military. One thing I love about the Marines is a lot of our guys are backwoodsy type guys they grew up hunting, fishing, and mudding... fixing cars or working out on a farm. So once some of my friends here at the unit heard I had an interview with you guys at Diesel Power they got excited because they know what it is. But like all things it takes those that are actually interested in the topic to pick it up. If someone couldn't care less about cars or engines they won't pick up a magazine that has nothing that's interesting to them. I myself have seen Diesel Power once or twice around but my actual unit is located in Japan so at times while I'm over there I don't always have the luxury of every magazine I would have access to state side.
Question:Do you have a personal diesel?
Answer: No I do not, for as much as I enjoy diesel's reliability I prefer the ability to go fast, and by this I mean American Muscle and hitting the drag strip . Eventually I will probably get myself one. I actually did want a big diesel truck as my first vehicle when I was young but then the whole game flipped with prices of fuel and Diesel became the most expensive.