FORT CARSON, Colo. — Sgt. Joshua Peña, left, a canon crew member with Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducts preventative maintenance checks and services May 13, 2020, with his squad on an M777 howitzer. Routine maintenance ensures critical equipment is ready and serviceable at a moment’s notice. (Photo by Sgt. Gabrielle Weaver)
Story and photos by Sgt. Gabrielle Weaver
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Sgt. Ronnie Maples, left, and Spc. Britney Benjamin, wheeled vehicle mechanics with Forward Support Company, 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, begin repairs on a Humvee May 13, 2020. (Photo by Sgt. Gabrielle Weaver)
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Despite the current climate of COVID-19, Soldiers must be ready to fight at a moment’s notice. Soldiers with Forward Support Company, 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, continued diligently working to maintain their equipment May 13, 2020.
FSC’s focus is to keep its essential equipment ready and operating smoothly.
“Our main priority (is to work on) pacing items,” said Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Tryon, maintenance control sergeant with FSC, 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., 2nd IBCT. “Supporting batteries as they come in to do preventative maintenance checks and services, fault repairs and services and other critical equipment — is priority.”
A normal day prior to COVID-19 consisted of the FSC Soldiers conducting physical training at 6:30 a.m. and beginning their work day with a brief of their tasks at 9:30 a.m.; working until 5 p.m. At least 50 mechanics were present to handle the workload.
“I believe maintenance is always important regardless of the situation,” Tryon said. “We may have to realign priorities, but maintenance overall should always be priority. We could be activated for a mission, and have to be ready to fight.”
Soldiers are now working their shop with a fraction of the force.
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Spc. Britney Benjamin, wheeled vehicle mechanic with Forward Support Company, 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, inspects a light medium tactical wheel May 13, 2020, as part of preventative maintenance checks and services. (Photo by Sgt. Gabrielle Weaver)
“Every squad is working one day a week now to mitigate the risk of being around a lot of people and catching (COVID-19),” said Sgt. Ronnie Maples, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with FSC, 2nd Bn., 77th FA Reg., 2nd IBCT. “We will work on three to four essential taskings of the day and go home.”
When working together in small spaces or sharing tools, Soldiers wear face masks and gloves as every effort is made to keep Soldiers safe.
“We have a couple measures to ensure safety,” Tryon said. “We socially distance accountability, we make sure Soldiers have their personal protective equipment and we ask a series of screening questions before starting the work shift.”
The importance of their work is not lost on the Soldiers as they diligently continue to provide maintenance support for their battalion in their new normal.
“I have a talented group of individuals and they have handled this amazingly,” Tryon said.