An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Feb. 1, 2010

New Mexico mechanics keep unit mission ready

By Sgt. Candace Westlund Colorado National Guard

CAMP ADDER, Iraq, - Because of the number of miles the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles log on the roads here in Iraq, the mechanics from the 720th Convoy Security Company of the New Mexico National Guard have an important job keeping their unit's vehicles fully mission capable.

The 720th mechanics, who tasked under 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Colorado National Guard, are working overtime on this deployment. Not only do they work in the motor pool, but they are also tasked to go on missions.

Spc. Brent Pirtle, a 720th CSC mechanic, has served as a mechanic for six years. "I have been tasked out to be a gunner and a driver on missions here," he said.

Pirtle said he was proud of the fact that they have had no serious breakdowns on the road. If any incidents have occurred during a mission, they have been fixed by the mechanics.

"It is like maintaining a successful relationship. You get to know the vehicles very well and if you treat them right they will never give you a problem," Pirtle said.

There is no higher level of maintenance; everything is performed at the unit level. "There is civilian support, but we can do in one day what they do in one month," Pirtle said.

The 720th CSC has multiple types of MRAP's and the mechanics are trained to work on all of them. Pirtle explained that while the maintenance is implemented differently on each type of truck, they are the same parts, so it is easy to learn each system.

Spc. Jaun Barela, a mechanic from Santa Rosa, N.M., said, "Without us, they don't roll."

Above all else, said Barela, "It's pretty fun, too."

 

 

Related Articles
Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, visits the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, Alaska National Guard, on Fort Greely, Alaska, April 28, 2025. Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion operate and secure the ground-based midcourse defense system and are an integral piece of the homeland defense mission to protect the U.S. from intercontinental ballistic missiles using ground-based interceptors.
In Alaska, Nordhaus Sees National Guardsmen Defending the Homeland, Enabling Global Power Projection
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely | May 1, 2025
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – From within Alaska’s vast Interior, Alaska National Guardsmen defend the homeland from long-range missile attacks and enable global power projection.Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, the chief of...

Sgt. Jessica Shields, a water purification specialist with the 935th Aviation Support Battalion, Missouri Army National Guard, checks the chlorine levels of the water meant for cooking and cleaning laundry during TRADEWINDS 25 exercise at Teteron Bay, Trinidad and Tobago, April 27, 2025.
Missouri National Guard Water Purification Team Supports TRADEWINDS 25
By Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane, | May 1, 2025
TETERON BAY, Trinidad – Few resources are more critical than clean water for sustaining troops in the field. From cooking meals to maintaining hygiene, a steady supply of safe water is essential to keeping Soldiers healthy,...

Group photo of Delta Company, 341st Military Intelligence Battalion Soldiers standing in front of the Seattle / King County Clinic.
Washington Guard Soldiers Support Clinic Through Language and Compassion
By Joseph Siemandel, | May 1, 2025
SEATTLE – A group of Soldiers from the Delta Company, 341st Military Intelligence Battalion, recently volunteered at a Seattle and King County medical clinic to provide language support for visitors receiving free medical,...