Mobile Training Team reclassifies ordnance Soldiers to repairers

Pfc. Brian Labombard, 13th ESC Public Affairs
Thursday, June 21, 2012

A Mobile Training Team from Fort Lee, Va., visited Fort Hood to reclassify ordnance Soldiers from artillery repairers to armament repairers.

The month-long course began May 15 and concluded Friday.

The 47 Soldiers attending the reclassification training, held at the 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division’s motor pool, received hands-on training from the armament repair MTT.

“The Army is phasing out the artillery repairer military occupation specialty and reclassifying those Soldiers as armament repairers,” said Sgt. 1st. Class Rodney Siddons, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the MTT.

“This is the best training Soldiers can get, they aren’t rushed like the initial training environments, and we give them hands-on assistance when they need it. The best part is Ordnance pays for the training, not the units,” Siddons added.

Sgt. Ronald Turner, now an armament repairer at the 263rd Maintenance Company, 4th Sustainment Brigade, said, “This is a positive career change for me. It’s going to open new promotion options for myself and other Soldiers. Before, it was difficult to reach staff sergeant, and now I will have a few more skills needed to help reach my goals.”

“These Soldiers were trained primarily to work on tank turrets before reclassifying, and now they are learning how to repair and maintain small arms that can be stored in a unit’s armament room,” Siddons said. “We also train the Soldiers to repair the M777 Light Towed Howitzer, which is another great addition to their skill-set.”

Sgt. Shawn Wagner, an armament inspector assigned to the 263rd Maint. Co., 4th Sust. Bde., said, “I’ve worked on turrets for most of my career, but I also learned a lot about small arms repair. I’m glad I’m finally getting formal training.”

The formal training means a permanent change in Wagner’s and the other 46 students’ military occupational specialty.

“I’m glad that I will have a new, permanent MOS; this would be a lengthy school to attend in the civilian sector. I will have better opportunities while I’m in the Army, but this training will also open up a few new doors for me if I leave the service,” Wagner said.

“Our next scheduled classes are at Fort Carson, (Colo.), and Fort Riley, (Kan.), in August of this year. The classes fill up quickly, so it is best for units to request slots early. If the Soldiers are deployed or unable to attend the classes, the unit will have to send the Soldiers to Fort Lee to receive the training,” Siddons said.

The students were pleased with the overall instruction and those providing it.

“The instructors are extremely informative and professional,”

Wagner said. “They are willing to take the extra time with the students and sit down with them if they are having trouble, which is a good thing. At the school house (during Advanced Individual Training) if you didn’t understand something, you could easily get left behind in the class. It’s not like that here, the instructors are the most knowledgeable and easygoing instructors I have worked with.”