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NEWS | June 6, 2022

223rd Ordnance Company participates in maintenance reset mission

By Maj. Cynthia Hernandez 4th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

During their two-week annual training, U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers with the 223rd Ordnance Company (ORD CO), based out of Grand Prairie, Texas, are providing maintenance mission support to the 407th Army Field Support Battalion (AFSB) at Fort Hood, Texas.

The 223rd ORD CO is a subordinate maintenance company under the command and control of the 4th Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC). The 4th ESC is a logistical support command headquartered at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

Tasked with providing mission support to 407th AFSB, the 223rd ORD CO is working to reduce U.S. Army Reserve Command equipment maintenance backlogs. “When equipment comes back from overseas operations, it is brought to the Logistics Readiness Center so they can bring it back up to [the Army’s 10-20 maintenance standard]” said Chief Warrant Officer Two Timothy Brehm, an Automotive Maintenance Warrant Officer with the 223rd ORD CO. The Army’s 10-20 standards are outlined in Army Regulation (AR) 750-1, Army Materiel Maintenance Policy.

Ordnance company personnel consists of 91B-wheeled vehicle repairers, 91-F small arms/towed artillery, 94-E radio equipment, and 94-F computer/detection systems repairers, and leadership positions for warrant officers and officers.

Master Sgt. Alan Schmitz, the company first sergeant, says the Soldiers get an opportunity to improve their military occupational skills (MOS). “The Soldiers practice their MOS skills. They get the time to turn the wrenches and work on equipment they don’t get to work on back at home station.”

During the two-week mission, Soldiers serviced vehicles, weapons, generators, radios, and other equipment such as Night Vision Goggles. They performed routine services like filter and oil changes on heavy and light-wheeled vehicles.

The 223rd ORD CO Soldiers worked on heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks, palletized load systems, high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, and medium tactical vehicles. “Once they finish the annual services for a vehicle, they pull [that vehicle] out and road test it and bring another piece of equipment and start the process all over again,” said Schmitz.

The Soldiers are divided into teams, pairing experienced Soldiers with less experienced ones. The team makeup allows new Soldiers to learn from senior Soldiers to increase their work knowledge through mentorship.

“The benefit to the units is that when they return home from their overseas operation, they don’t have to worry about repairing vehicles, doing services right away. The reset mission gives them back a fully operational vehicle,” said Brehm.

The 4th ESC reset mission will provide other downtrace units to participate until the completion of all mission phases through 30 May.