Recycled Batteries in Rustimayah

By Staff Sgt. James E. Brown Jr.

1st Sustainment Brigade, PAO

Camp Rustimayah - There was no lack of activity inside the Level III Maintenance facility in Rustimayah; Iraqi Army maintenance technicians were busy changing tires, repairing carburetors, fixing fuel pumps, doing body repairs, and even welding - a big turnaround compared to a year ago.

"I think the biggest impact that we have had is just to be able to teach them certain maintenance procedures, such as balancing tires, repairing alternators, checking engines, and testing them," stated Chief Warrant Officer Four Norman May, a Walters, Okla., native, with the 168th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade. "Instead of ordering all new parts and just putting all new parts out we are getting them into the process of thinking about trying to make the part last longer, recondition it to save them time and money."

The battery shop has been the biggest highlight of the entire Level III maintenance facility when it comes to saving money. The few simple techniques they taught have saved the Iraqi government thousands of dollars every year as they simultaneously increased the number of batteries available in the supply system.

"Once a battery was dead, they would take the metal out of the batteries and use it for welding while throwing away the remainder of the battery into the trash," said Chief Warrant Officer Two Simone Clarke, a native of Bergenfield, N.J., and Logistics Training Advisory Team member, from the 168th. "The battery shop (now) recharges and shows them how to care and maintain their batteries ... how to put in the acid, distilled water, rebuild, and recharge their batteries."

The LTAT in Rustimayah is now part of a larger effort under the command and control of the 1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry Regiment, also under the 1st Sust. Bde, and it's members will continue to train their Iraqi counterparts to high standards; making sure each job is done correctly, so that they can one day work themselves out of a job here in Iraq.