Truckin' On Dec 2015
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Transcript of Truckin' On Dec 2015
Disclaimer: Truckin’ On is an unofficial newsletter published every month in the interest of serving Air Force active duty, civilian and retired vehicle operations
and maintenance personnel. Articles submitted by its contributors are not to be considered official statements by the U.S. Air Force.
1 Dec 2015
Dedicated to the Men and Women of
AF Vehicle Operations & Maintenance — Past, Present, and Future
Truckin’ on
Special Points of Interest:
Moon Buggy - Lost & Found PG 1-2
Vietnam at 50 - 1965 PG 2
Inside this issue:
Wolfpack Vehicle Maintainers PG 3
Aussies Purchase LAV PG 4
AF & Industry Develop Vibration Technology
PG 5
Winter Driving Tips PG 5
Maintenance Talk PG 6-7
Your First Car PG 8
JBPHH - Driving Energy
Independence in Hawaii PG 9-10
With a little help from my friends
PG 11
The Way We Were PG 12
‘Moon Buggy’ - Lost & Found
Long-lost Apollo Lunar Roving
Vehicle prototype saved by scrap
dealer
Published October 29, 2015
FoxNews.com
Where’s Harry Broderick when you need
him?
That obscure reference is to “Salvage 1,”
a short-lived 1979 TV series starring
Andy Griffith. It was about a junkman
who built a spaceship to travel to the
moon and recover the equipment the
Apollo astronauts left behind, with the
intention of selling it for a fortune.
In the end, he gave the gear back to
NASA free of charge, because it was
Andy Griffith, after all. But now a real-life
scrap dealer owns an obscure relic from
the Apollo program and is planning to
put it up for sale.
The website Motherboard recently
reported on its investigation into the fate
of an early prototype of the Apollo Lunar
Roving Vehicle. A famous NASA photo
shows rocket scientist Werner von Braun
cruising around in the vehicle,
which looks nothing like the ones that
went to the moon but was used to
develop many of their systems.
Related:
Out of this world driver Eugene Cernan
recounts his ride on the moon
Government documents uncovered by
Motherboard said the vehicle ended up
in a backyard in Blountsville, Ala., about
an hour south of NASA’s Huntsville
research facility, and its existence was
reported to NASA in 2014 by a U.S. Air
Force historian who spotted it while
passing by.
Continued on PG 2
‘Moon Buggy’ - Lost & Found
Continued from PG 1
Unfortunately, according to the documents, by the time the
space agency got around to investigating the matter, the
vehicle had been sold for scrap to an unidentified dealer and
destroyed.
But after Motherboard ran the story, the scrap dealer, who
remains anonymous, contacted the site and said he knew
exactly what it was, and that he still had it in storage. In fact, he
said, NASA had been in negotiations with him to acquire it last
year, but didn’t offer any money.
"NASA told me when they came out to inspect it that they had
looked for it for 25 years. It is the von Braun, the first and last
they made. I was told it is the rarest of all the units," he said.
The dealer said NASA tried to get him to loan the vehicle to it
as discussions continued, but he feared once NASA had it in its
possession, his negotiating leverage would be lost.
NASA has not commented on why it gave up trying to retrieve
the vehicle, or why it reported it was destroyed.
The junkyard owner said he still plans to sell it, but he believes
it should be saved.
A photo he provided to Motherboard shows that the 600-pound
vehicle is rusty and corroded, but largely intact. Its tires are still
with it but have been removed from the wheels. / See photo
below.
Editor’s Comments: For a generation of veterans who
served during the Vietnam Era, in-country or elsewhere, that
period, for reasons of our own, will always hold a singular
place in our lives, evoking fond memories for some and bitter
ones for others.
In March 2014, we featured a front-page article called,
‘Vietnam — a look back.’ It reflected on personal accounts of a
few transporters who were there.
This, the last month of 2015, marks our final salute to the 50th
anniversary of the beginning of that tragic and controversial
war. We pay homage, however, not to the war itself but to the
veterans who served.
The Stars and Stripes has been running a spectacular series
this year titled, ‘Vietnam at 50.’ I thought I would share this link
with you and let you browse through the stories and photos.
I want to call your attention to an “Interactive” section in this
article that covers the events of 1965, key players in the war,
and the Ia Drang battle map. It’s very well presented and
worth a look.
http://www.stripes.com/news/special-reports/
vietnam-at-50/1965
2
Wolf Pack vehicle maintainers keep mission moving
By Senior Airman Ashley L. Gardner, 8th Fighter Wing
Public Affairs / Published November 16, 2015
Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea --
Grease splatters across their coveralls while oil and grease
stain their hands. One turn of a wrench at a time, the 8th
Logistic Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainers are keeping
motorized vehicles across Kunsan Air Base running.
Vehicle maintainers must know how to work on all types of
vehicles. Everything from fire trucks to fork lifts; they are
keeping the mission flowing by making sure the vehicles are
repaired and ready.
"The customers’ needs are our number one priority,"
said Master Sgt. Michael Wright, 8th LRS vehicle maintenance
manager. “Our goal is always to provide quality repairs in a
timely matter. We do all we can with what we are given."
The LRS Airmen maintain conveyances in order to fulfill the
mission and to assist Airmen in completing their ideal task in the
long run. It isn’t until a vehicle breaks down that some may
realize how important transportation and equipment are for
day-to-day jobs.
Squadrons that use group transportation rely on LRS
maintainers. “If vehicle maintenance could not perform their job
in a timely manner, it will cause a domino effect and will greatly
hinder the Kunsan mission,” said Master Sgt. Arwin Sarinas, 8th
LRS vehicle management superintendent.
“With vehicle management having oversight and control over all
maintenance responsibilities on all Air Force vehicles, failure
would hamper the wing's mission.”
If those vehicles break down it may be tougher to re-coordinate
plans depending on when the problem arises. That, in the end,
may negatively impact the mission.
“We touch all the vehicles on base,” said Senior Airman
Anthony Benitez, 8th LRS vehicle maintainer. “If we don’t do our
job, nobody really moves.”
LRS vehicles are used for base security, for construction, and
for many other reasons. If they aren't maintained properly, the
mission could fail.
The Airmen work together and strive for excellence.
“The Airmen here without a doubt are the best group of Airmen I
have worked with,” said Wright. “They are hardworking,
enthusiastic and have great attitudes. This is a great shop.”
Though vehicle maintaining is the 8th LRS vehicle maintainer’s
primary duty; everyone can help them by taking care of the
vehicles that are essential to the mission.
“Take an ownership mentality of the vehicles assigned to their
unit,” said Sarinas. “Most importantly, drive safely to prevent
accidents which could cause unnecessary repairs, vehicle
downtime, and expenses, or worst, injury or loss of life.”
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anthony Benitez, 8th LRS vehicle maintainer prepares an engine after it is removed from a vehicle at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 13, 2015. Vehicle maintainers must know how to work on all types of vehicles.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anthony Benitez, 8th LRS vehicle maintainer prepares an engine after it is removed from a vehicle at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 13, 2015. Though vehicle maintaining is the 8th LRS vehicle maintainer’s primary duty; everyone can help them by taking care of the vehicles that are used daily and essential to the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley L. Gardner/Released)
3
Hawkei armored patrol vehicle hits the mark for Australian military
| FoxNews.com
It wasn’t named after a superhero, but it was designed to carry
real heroes.
The Hawkei PMV (Protected Military Vehicle) is the Australian
Defence Force’s newest recruit. The department just ordered
1,100 of the new light armored patrol vehicles for about
$800,000 each.
About the same size as the U.S Military’s new Oshkosh L-ATV,
the 15,000-pound Hawkei is similarly protected from both
ballistic and roadside explosives thanks to a V-shaped hull
design and armor constructed from ceramic composites and
steel, but is still light enough to be transported into action by a
CH47 Chinook helicopter.
The Hawkei was developed by a partnership between Thales,
Boeing and armor specialist Plusan. Its name is taken from a
species of death adder snake, and relates to the larger
Bushmaster PMV currently in use.
The 4x4 truck can carry four-six passengers and rides on a fully
independent double wishbone suspension system. It’s powered
by a Steyr six-cylinder turbo diesel that sends 260 hp and 450
lb-ft of torque to the wheels via six-speed automatic
transmission. Its top speed is 80 mph, and it has an operation
range of up to 373 miles.
Specially-designed cargo trailers are part of the package, and
Australian officials expect the vehicle to be adopted by some
foreign militaries, as well. It will primarily replace the Land
Rover Defender-based vehicles currently in use by the
Australian Defense Force when it is deployed in 2016.
Related Image
4
AF & Industry to Develop Vibration Technology
Battlespace Tech
Air Force to ID targets by their
vibrations
By Kevin McCaney
Nov 13, 2015
How do you identify targets when a well-armed foe has the
firepower to put manned vehicles at risk and keep ISR drones
at bay? The Air Force has one idea: using laser-Doppler
vibrometry to identify vehicles, from a distance, by the
vibrations they create.
The Air Force Research Laboratory has issued a
solicitation looking for systems with vibrometry sensors
capable of automated target recognition, identifying
features such as vehicle type, engine type, engine speed,
the number of cylinders a vehicle has or a fingerprint of
the target for identification and recognition.
The program is called Vibrometry Interrogation for Battlefield
Exploitation, or VIBE, and AFRL has set aside just under $15
million for it. Specifically, the Air Force wants VIBE to function
in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments, in which an
adversary has the missiles and other munitions to make
approaching an area dangerous. A2/AD is something the
Defense Department is concerned about with regard to
China and other countries.
Vibrometry uses lasers and the principles of the Doppler effect
to scan an object, take fine-grained measurements based on
its deflections (caused by vibrations in a vehicle’s motor or a
transformer), and use that information in order to identify the
object. AFRL’s solicitation says laser vibrometry, which
currently is used in aircraft and structural inspections as well as
manufacturing, is now mature enough to use for target
recognition. A video from the company Polytec offers a primer
on how vibrometry works.
AFRL said VIBE will make use of state-of-the-art technology to
enhance its air-to-ground and air-to-air target recognition.
The Air Force is not interested in any proprietary hardware or
software, but says VIBE is an algorithm development effort, for
which is has already performed some preliminary work. AFRL
said it would exercise four options under the contract, based on
the performance of the automated target recognition systems
that are developed.
The response date to the solicitation is March 15, 2016.
Winter Driving Tips
powered by
Editor’s Note: This is a useful website, and a timely
one, with winter driving tips just in time for holiday travel
plans. Click on the link below and it will take you to a
website sponsored by Safercar.gov and NHTSA. Click again
on the “Begin” button and drill down through the various
topics. Note: The green circles on the car will open to more
specific tips.
http://www.safercar.gov/WinterDrivingTips
5
Maintenance Talk
The low-down of vehicle break-downs
by Airman 1st Class Michaela R. Slanchik
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
11/4/2015 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Team
Whiteman depends on hundreds of vehicles to accomplish daily
tasks in support of the mission. Without proper maintenance
and care, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., could lose these vital
assets.
The 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) vehicle
maintenance unit performs daily maintenance on government
vehicles to ensure they are fully operational. However, they
need every operator's help.
509th LRS provides an Air Force Form 1800, Operator's
inspection Guide and Trouble Report, which operators must
review to inspect vehicles before each use.
Accomplishing inspection items on the checklist, such as
checking fluid levels, helps with early detection of problems and
ensures vehicles are returned in proper condition.
If Airmen do not follow proper procedures or mishandle
vehicles, the consequences can cost thousands of dollars that
the Air Force is not provided funding for.
"When government vehicles are not treated correctly, they
break down more often and more severely," said Brian Poese,
509th LRS vehicle management flight chief. "When a vehicle is
driven with a known problem, it drives up repair costs and
vehicle downtime very quickly.
For example, if you hear your brakes squeaking but you don't
turn the vehicle in until you hear them grinding, the difference in
repairs jumps from less than $100 to costs that can easily
exceed $1,000 for larger vehicles." For calendar years 2012
through 2015, the total cost of government vehicle accidents
and abuses at Whiteman is $398,100 to date.
"The vehicle maintenance shop receives at least one vehicle a
day that has no oil showing on the dipstick," said Poese. "This
means the engine is at least two quarts low, and in many cases
can be five or six quarts low on oil.
The potential is that an engine with no oil will seize, and new
engines cost anywhere between $3,000 for a small, gas engine
and up to $30,000 or $40,000 for a large diesel engine like
those found in truck tractors or heavy equipment."
In addition to vehicles forming mechanical issues due to
misuse, government vehicles have suffered body damage
resulting from unsecured cargo.
"Whenever a vehicle is turned in with damage or mechanical
issues that cannot be attributed to fair wear and tear, a vehicle
accident or abuse case is opened and the owning unit
commander is directly notified," said Poese.
"According to Air Force Instruction 24-302, any costs
associated with this damage are billed to the unit at fault for the
damage."
Maj. Kellie Courtland, 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron
commander, said that Airmen should take care of government
vehicles like they would their own.
509th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) vehicle maintainers perform maintenance on government vehicles in the maintenance garage at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Oct. 26, 2015. The mission of the 509th LRS vehicle maintainers is to perform daily maintenance, body work and upholstery repairs to vehicles to ensure they are fully operational. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Miguel Lara III/Released)
Continued on PG 7
6
Maintenance Talk Continued from PG 6
The low-down of vehicle break-downs
"A lot of these vehicles are mission essential, but when they are
abused, we no longer have them operational for the mission,"
said Courtland.
A common misconception among vehicle users is that
government vehicles can easily be replaced, said Poese.
"Unless a vehicle is destroyed or requires repairs beyond a
reasonable expected return on investment, vehicles will
generally not be replaced until they are 20 years old," said
Poese.
To avoid fraud, waste and abuse and to promote longevity of
government vehicles, they are to be used solely to perform
mission-related tasks.
To discover the purpose of an assigned vehicle, ask the unit
vehicle control officer (VCO) to see the Air Force Form 601,
Equipment Action Request, which justifies the vehicle's use.
LRS plans to implement new programs to keep vehicle
operators aware and informed in order to prevent accidents and
abuse.
"In December, we are going to provide new, face-to-face VCO
briefings to remind operators how to better maintain these
vehicles, ensure proper care is being accomplished and answer
any questions," said Courtland.
"The next part of the solution is to have a Maintenance Day at
each squadron. In January, Whiteman's mechanics will go out
to each squadron and teach Airmen how to spot early signs of
vehicle concerns."
Another program that is being employed is the VCO of the
Quarter Award.
See additional photos at: Low-down of vehicle break-downs.
Senior Airman Jeremy Lee, 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron general purpose mechanic, checks the transmission fluid level in a government vehicle at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Oct. 26, 2015. Fluid levels are checked regularly to ensure the functionality of engine components. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Michaela R. Slanchik/Released)
Find your first car or the one you drove while in high school or
college; hopefully that particular car brochure is available.
This has to be one of the coolest websites whether you have
gasoline in your veins or not.
This particular website features the original factory brochures
for nearly every American car you have ever owned or made.
Just pick the manufacturer, the year and the model.
Click Here: Brochures
Editor’s Note: In September 2013 we did a survey of first
car stories. It was a fun exercise and received a great
response. Now, Chief (Ret) George McElwain has shared
this fantastic website that will give you an opportunity to find
your first car online and relive the memories once again.
7
JBPHH—Driving Energy Independence in Hawaii
Hawaii’s Quest to Go Off Grid
By Sanjena Sathian
Aug 21, 2015
From the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu, you can
see palm trees, a wide open sky and a clear blue inlet of water.
It’s warm, it’s pleasant — it’s friggin’ Hawaii.
But set against the beachy vibe are an airfield, pockmarked
buildings still bearing the scars of 1941 and … a
small hydrogen fuel cell that makes, dehumidifies, compresses,
stores and dispenses hydrogen to a few converted buses, Ford
vans and Mack trucks, all used by the military.
The guy showing off the setup is retired Air Force Brig. Gen.
Stan Osserman, the recently appointed hydrogen czar — and
director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation
Technologies (HCATT) — on the island.
He’s an evangelist for the unloved and still-slightly-obscure
renewable source, lobbying for H2 to play a serious role in
edging out traditional energy, from gas in transit to the grid. “We
really do have grid stability problems,” he says, declaring it’s
time for a real “paradigm shift.” That seems to be the sense in
the salty-smelling air here in the islands, where hydrogen is
increasingly discussed as a viable source of alternative energy
… maybe even, if Osserman types have their way, as a route to
going off-grid entirely.
This is an urgent time for all things energy in Hawaii: In 2012,
according to the U.S. Energy Information office, Hawaii was
importing 93 percent of its energy; in 2013, it suffered from the
highest electric prices in the country.
Just last month, gas ran about $3.30 a gallon, well over the
national average, according to state data.
But it’s also an ambitious time: This summer, Governor David
Ige signed a bill setting an expectation for the state to hit 100
percent renewable usage by 2045 — a first in the U.S.; now
Vermont has followed.
And don’t forget Hawaii’s own Elon Musk: Henk Rodgers, the
guy who owns the popular video game Tetris and who just
made a mega statement by taking his ritzy home and ranch
completely off the grid.
When you’re busy trying to figure out how to make your vehicle
not explode, you create some pretty thick-skinned stuff.
So people here are talking about the Earth and its environs in a
way beyond just its ambrosial appeal. Which includes that
uniquely Hawaiian convergence of energy and the military.
The Hickam fuel cell sits right atop the spot where the original
Pearl Harbor bombs were dropped (and across from a row of
photovoltaic solar panels, kitty-corner to the scaffolding of a few
wind turbines).
Continued on PG 9
Stan Osserman, HCATT director, points out the engine on a hydrogen transportation van on a military base in Honolulu. SOURCE: MARCO GARCIA FOR OZY
8
JBPHH—Driving Energy Independence in Hawaii
Continued from PG 8
Hawaii’s Quest to Go Off Grid
And while that might seem a strange contrast to some,
Osserman, a trained pilot, can rattle off a long list of exactly why
the military should be driving hydrogen research and
generation: It’s a quiet fuel, ideal for covert ops; it doesn’t leave
much of a heat imprint and won’t explode; you can even hide
your vehicle for a long while in a closed, compact space without
fearing carbon monoxide poisoning.
Much innovation on this island comes from the military, of
course: When you’re busy trying to figure out how to make your
vehicle not explode, you create some pretty thick-skinned stuff.
Already, a little over $8 million in funding has come from the
Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), a research unit at the
University of Hawaii at Manoa, while the Department of
Defense is developing stuff like the Pearl Harbor site and
another project on the Big Island.
Proponents say what’s needed is more money for research,
more cars that prove hydrogen works and, particularly,
infrastructure. That means more fuel cells around civilian parts
of town like the one here on Hickam — after all, where are you
going to fill up? In general, the one-off research and
development on stuff like functioning vehicles and batteries will
have to spread out to a macro-plan for connecting hydrogen to
the whole mass-transit system, and therefore to the grid.
Energy from hydrogen, the most common element on the
planet, is made by breaking down water — H2O into H2
(hydrogen) and oxygen — by electrolysis. Simple enough,
right? In theory, sure, but there are wrinkles: There’s a “chicken
-and-egg problem” when it comes to basic infrastructure, says
Mitch Ewan, hydrogen program manager at the HNEI.
All the hydrogen cars on Earth won’t do anything without a good
fueling station, and without that attention to the larger electrical
grid.
Much of the innovation in hydrogen has begun in transit — cars,
buses — which is also Hawaii’s biggest fossil-fuel gobble,
explains Chris Yunker, energy systems and transport manager
at the Hawaii State Energy Office; that’s coming from everyone
from Toyota to the Department of Defense. Yunker figures the
two are interrelated, transit and the grid, and that energy free-
dom for the latter will ripple from the former.
Then there’s the obvious: cost. En route to the base from
HCATT’s workshop — which houses a few of those hydro-run
vehicles with their engines popped dramatically out —
Osserman worries about his cuts.
Osserman’s HCATT got $24 million in federal money between
2006 and 2013, but has reaped nothing more federally since
and is relying on the Air Force for backing. And even “on a
grassroots level,” he says, some people remain afraid of
hydrogen’s “bad reputation” — Hindenburg, H-bomb.
But the other fear in the air all over this isolated state,
summarizes Yunker, is just how long it can remain so far from
the rest of the world, importing everything from its mangoes to
its fuels to its energy corporations. Everything, some worry, that
could be Hawaii-homegrown. >>>>>>
Hydrogen storage tanks on the property of the HCATT on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Source: Marco Garcia For Ozy
Pacific Air Forces News
HCATT hosts U.S. Senator
By Senior Master Sgt. Kristen Stanley, 154th Wing Public Affairs / Published August 28, 2015
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, left, is greeted by Stanley Osserman, Director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technology during a visit to the center at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Aug. 26, 2015. The tour showcased Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam’s smart energy production, storage and use. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Kristen Stanley/released)
RELATED STORY:
9
Training for Tomorrow’s Technology
Trucking’s future won’t happen without trained techs
by Jack Roberts
Forecasting the future is always tricky.
CCJ last month took an in-depth dive into what
trucking’s future likely will hold, such as equipment innovations
like self-driving vehicles, smarter highways and truck platoons,
along with dramatic shifts in global freight movement, trucking
operations and major workforce changes. You can see the
whole package at CCJdigital.com/future.
But even the best, brightest and most well-informed futurist
can’t anticipate all of the variables and unknowns that come
into play when trying to look ahead even just five years. There
always seems to be something incredibly simple that everyone
overlooks but that ends up changing everything.
Trucking’s future workforce: Will drivers still
drive? Will hours of service and driver pay
change?
Fear — that's what many in today's trucking
workforce feel when they think about tomorrow’s
technology and what it means for their jobs. The future
does … See more
Fifty years ago, no one had the simple idea of connecting every
single computer together via phone lines to quickly and
efficiently share information. Yet the Internet is one of the most
important technological advances in human history, with a
profound impact on virtually every aspect of our lives today.
I’m convinced that the one that will have the most immediate
impact on truck fleets today will be advanced vehicle telematics
systems.
In 10 years, you’re going to wonder how you survived without
real-time vehicle telemetry, self-diagnosing powertrains and
geographic-focused repair options with bay times prescheduled
and parts guaranteed in stock.
Soon you’ll be able to manage vehicle downtime in ways you
barely comprehend at the moment. And while breakdowns
never will be eliminated from trucking completely, they will
become rarer, and the causes usually will be the result of
uncontrollable events such as accidents, road debris or
vandalism.
What will trucks of tomorrow look like?
Where autonomous trucks, on-demand
repairs, platooning and alt fuels are
headed.
The trucks of the future will be bigger and smaller, smarter,
connected, green, fuel-efficient and safe. And they will be
profitable. But above all else, … See more
Invariably, with all of these advances will come new problems.
As a recent hacking event with a Jeep SUV proved, connected
vehicles are extremely vulnerable to cyber-hijacking attacks.
Much work needs to be done to create highly secure
Internet-based Wi-Fi communications networks to guard
against these crimes.
There’s another stumbling block that doesn’t get nearly the
attention that it should: Finding technicians to maintain and
repair all of these new systems coming our way.
Frost & Sullivan analyst Sandeep Kar calls trucking’s current
technician shortage a “ticking time bomb.” He’s spot-on, and it’s
a problem that’s going to get exponentially worse in the near
future unless the trucking industry starts taking bold steps now
to address and correct this trend.
Every futurist I spoke with CCJ’s Trucking’s Future Now was
bullish on the future of trucking: It will be a vital industry for the
world of tomorrow. But that future won’t happen unless
trucking, as a united industry, makes bold steps and forges new
alliances with education and government to start training
tomorrow’s technicians today.
Trucking’s technician shortage: Young techs
talk how fleets can better recruit them.
Five active technicians spoke at the
Technology and Maintenance Council's
(TMC) Fall Meeting in Orlando this week, where they were
quizzed on why they entered … See more
10
With a little help from
my friends…
Mentoring as a valuable retention approach
by Ellen Voie CAE, President/CEO Women In Trucking, Inc.
Remember back to your first day on the
job? You had so many questions, but you
weren’t always sure who to ask. Whether
it was learning where to store your lunch
or coat, or finding your way around the
office, you needed someone to steer you
in the right direction.
Finding someone who will guide you around the office or in
the industry will provide you with a resource when
questions arise. A mentor is a person who will lead you and
support you as you become familiar with the organization
and your new role.
Most successful people attribute at least some of their
accomplishments to their mentor’s influence. If you’ve
never had this level of insight from a more seasoned
colleague, then consider reaching out for a mentor now.
Regardless of where you are in the company or industry,
there will always be someone who has some wisdom to
offer.
Why would you want or need a mentor? Consider the value
someone could bring to your career as a coach or teacher.
For someone starting out, a mentor can help you adjust to
the company’s culture. What clothing is appropriate to
wear? How much autonomy do you have in making
decisions? What level of risk is acceptable? A mentor can
also help you identify people who are there to support you,
such as the human resource manager or the janitorial staff.
A mentor will be available to respond to your questions and
concerns, but more importantly, he or she will try to
anticipate some of the challenges you will be facing and
address them before you’ve been deterred.
Your mentor can help you set goals for both work and your
personal growth. Then, this person can help you work
toward these objectives and encourage you along the way.
A mentor can also introduce you to people and resources
who can assist you in your career.
For those of you who have been working in your chosen
field or company for a while, a mentor can still be a
professional asset for further advancement.
In addition to motivating and encouraging you, a mentor
can help you get back on track if you’re moving in the
wrong direction. He or she can help identify areas where
you might need help.
Finding someone who is willing to share his or her
experiences to help you avoid mistakes is invaluable. Once
you work with your advisor for any length of time, this
person will help you by pointing out weaknesses and
encouraging your strengths. You want your mentor to be up
front with you and provide an honest assessment of your
abilities. Your friends may not tell you that your public
speaking skills are lacking, but a mentor will!
Companies who encourage mentorship have found a
positive increase in both morale and engagement. This not
only makes the mentee a happier employee, but it
increases retention and boosts productivity.
If you haven’t established a mentoring program at your
company, consider the benefits and create either an
informal or a formal partnership by providing the resources
for your employees. You can create a bulletin board type
infrastructure where potential mentors can write a brief
biography and allow a mentee to contact them for follow up.
There are software programs available for this.
You can also provide an onsite opportunity for potential
mentors and mentees to meet and find common ground
before they make a formal commitment.
Women In Trucking Association has a mentorship match up
service for our members on our website (http://
mentorboard.careerwebsite.com/WIT). This service is for
drivers, owner-operators, safety professionals, technicians,
executives, and anyone willing to lead or who wishes to
learn from another member.
“If you cannot see where you are going, ask someone who
has been there before.”
― J Loren Norris, Author
11
AF Vehicle Management — a snapshot in time
by Roger Storman, SMSgt, (Ret/2T3)
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much things have
changed in Air Force vehicle management since I first enlisted
47 years ago.
I retired from active duty in 1993 and from federal service in
2011, and at the pace things were changing then I fear I would
be lost if I were to suddenly find myself in charge of a vehicle
maintenance shop just four years later.
I can almost hear it now, “We don’t do it that way anymore,
boss.” Believe me, I’ve had a few nights when I imagined I was
back only to wake up to reality and the fact that I’m still retired.
Whew!
Another thing that got me to thinking about this is that I’m
working on a vehicle management timeline from 1947 to 2015
and beyond. One of our members suggested it and it has been
a fun exercise digging into our history.
It will soon be posted on our new website, www.truckinon.org,
as a living document to which Truckin’ On members can
comment, correct and/or add information as time goes on and
noteworthy events occur.
Of course, no discussion of changes in vehicle maintenance
would be complete without a few comments about automation.
It’s undoubtedly the most significant development of our time.
Many of you remember well the days when daily transactions
were entered into a keypunch machine and IBM keypunch
cards, like the one below, were taken to base data automation
for processing through B3500 computers. Output products were
huge and kept in large, blue binders at the shop.
The reports and analysis section,
known as R&A, was responsible for
data processing. Their AFSC was
391XX. In addition to vehicle
maintenance, R&A personnel were
subject to being assigned to aircraft
maintenance, civil engineering, and others. They reported
directly to the squadron commander, and performed QC duties.
Maintenance control was a separate work center and dealt
solely with the shop workload. It had a large, manual control
board with vehicle historical records and work orders marked
with color-coded ETIC tabs to indicate which day of the week a
vehicle would be released. Try keeping up with that!
We filled out timecards daily and accounted for every job on a
work order. It was tough sometimes getting 8 hours of direct
time when work was slow. I remember one of my supervisors, a
WW2 vet, would always ask me at the end of the day what I did
and if I didn’t have enough 01 time, he would fudge the work
order to make up the difference. I always liked that guy!
A few more subtle changes:
Toolboxes: I’m truly impressed when I see the huge, rollaway,
Snap-on toolboxes our mechanics have today, and I say good
for them! It’s about time.
In comparison, however, we were
required to report to base supply’s tool
issue section where we were issued a
set of pre-approved automotive
mechanic tools, based on AFSC, and
a “suitcase” style toolbox (see photo).
We kept a signed listing of our tools,
turned them in to base supply upon PCS assignment, and were
held accountable for missing tools.
Coveralls: I’m told at one time mechanics
worked in their fatigues, which made it difficult
to be presentable when away from the work
section. Many, however, used discarded flight
suits obtained from DRMO.
Perhaps each base was different, but we
were issued white coveralls at my first duty
station. They had to have stripes, name tags,
and patches sewn on (like in the photo). If I
recall correctly, we each had three sets and
they were cleaned free of charge at the base
laundry. They always came back so stiff from
starch that we had to pry the legs open.
Details: We also performed details such as barracks orderly
where we were assigned on a rotational basis for a week at a
time to clean the common areas and cut grass. We were pulled
away from our maintenance duties to do this, so I assume there
were no manpower shortages then. After we got done with
these details, however, we went back to work at the shop.
Base Service Station: There was a time when vehicle
maintenance personnel were responsible for manning and
managing the base service station.
Maintainers had the opportunity to give every vehicle coming in
for fueling a quick once-over as to its condition, an opportunity
to debrief the driver as to the vehicle’s serviceability,
and an opportunity to capture and improve correct odometer/
hour meter readings at the time of refueling.
Similar to the customer service center (CSC) today, this cadre
of maintainers were also responsible for performing minor/light
maintenance and adjustments at the station as well. Replacing
light bulbs, wiper blades, fuses, and topping off fluids
were the primary kind of things that could be done without
pulling the vehicle from the user to go to the maintenance shop.
A French critic once wrote, “The more things change, the more
they stay the same,” and so it is with vehicle maintenance. After
all these years and changes, we still fix trucks.
The Way We Were
12