Free computer repair

TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -- Tobyhanna continues to deploy personnel in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Four technicians in the depot's Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems Division, Communications Systems Directorate, spent nearly three months at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, repairing SINCGARS, Vehicle Intercom Systems and Vehicle Intercom Communications systems.

"We left for Kuwait Nov. 16 and returned Feb. 13," said Bryan Califano, electronics mechanic.

"Our mission was to test and repair radios and intercom systems in vehicles."

Working with U.S. Army Materiel Command Logistics Support Element personnel, Califano, Brian Gregory, electronics mechanic leader; Stephen Beck, electronics mechanic; and Aaron Morrison, electronics mechanic; began repairs on vehicles ranging from M1 Abrams tanks to Humvees.

They carried out repairs and tests to about 200 Abrams tanks alone.

"We reset and tested several radios," Califano said. We also replaced bad antenna cables."

The four were often separated, carrying out different duties. For example, Beck repaired several amplifiers. "The amps are used for long-range communications," he noted.

"We had a small shop and worked in a large staging area for vehicles from different units," Beck said. "One of the hardest parts of the mission was working inside the vehicles. There isn't a lot of room when you're trying to remove or install cables and other equipment."

Repair times varied from 20 minutes for an error-free test to hours if they found a major problem. They also had to contend with the weather.

"It was the rainy season and it would get muddy and sticky," Califano said. The temperature ranged from the upper 60s to lows in the 30s.

In appreciation of their work, all four were presented with a certificate by BG Robert M. Radin, commander of the AMC LSE for southwest Asia, and a certificate and commander's coin by LTC Scott N. Fletcher, commander, Combat Equipment Battalion-Kuwait.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is the Defense Department's largest center for the repair, overhaul and fabrication of a wide variety of electronics systems and components, from tactical field radios to the ground terminals for the defense satellite communications network. Tobyhanna's missions support all branches of the Armed Forces.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Fort Monmouth, N.J., CECOM's mission is to research, develop, acquire, field and sustain communications, command, control computer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors capabilities for the Armed Forces.

Mr. Ricchiazzi is with Tobyhanna Army Depot's Public Affairs Office.