CA State Guard helps keep National Guard vehicles rollin’

The California State Guard (State Defense Force) has been involved in a multitude of missions augmenting the National Guard during the Covid 19 national emergency, one of those missions involves augmenting the National Guard vehicle maintenance operations at their Combined Support Maintenance Shop.  State Guard troops have been providing preventative maintenance checks (PMCS) on vehicles and verifying faults, as well as performing annual services on generators and light medium tactical vehicles (LMTV).

Here are some photos from the mission:

Image may contain: one or more people and people sitting

California State Guard Staff Sgt. (CA) David Steinback, noncommissioned officer in charge of maintenance with the 224th Support Detachment, repairs the door latch on a Humvee at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) in Long Beach, California, May 4, 2020. State Guardsmen are currently filling in at the CSMS for California Army National Guard Soldiers who are supporting COVID-19 response missions. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Ramelb) #CSG #CaliforniaStateGuard#CaliforniaNationalGuard #CalGuard#InThisTogether

 

Image may contain: one or more people

California State Guard Sgt. (CA) Donald Margullis, a security forces sergeant with the Fresno Aviation Support Detachment, repairs the wheel assembly on a deployable rapid assembly shelter trailer at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) in Long Beach, California, May 2, 2020. Margullis is one of several State Guardsmen augmenting the California Army National Guard at the CSMS to assist in vehicle maintenance operations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Ramelb) #CSG #CaliforniaStateGuard#CaliforniaNationalGuard #CalGuard

 

Image may contain: one or more people, people standing and outdoor

California State Guard Staff Sgt. (CA) David Steinback, left, and Sgt. (CA) Bao Mai, both assigned to the 224th Support Detachment, remove a tire from a deployable rapid assembly shelter trailer at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) in Long Beach, California, May 2, 2020. Steinback and Mai are members of a team of State Guardsmen augmenting the California Army National Guard at the CSMS to assist in vehicle maintenance operations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Ramelb) #CSG#CaliforniaStateGuard #CaliforniaNationalGuard#CalGuard

Source: 224 Sustainment Brigade, California Army National Guard 

 

Here is the article:

California State Guard Supports Vehicle Maintenance

LONG BEACH, CA, UNITED STATES

05.07.2020

Story by Staff Sgt. Matthew Ramelb 

California National Guard   

LONG BEACH, Calif. – California State Guard (CSG) Soldiers are currently augmenting California Army National Guard Soldiers in vehicle maintenance operations at the Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) in Long Beach, where they have been since April 26, 2020. The CSMS, which is mainly staffed by Soldiers who work as full-time technicians, provides maintenance support to Army National Guard units across Southern California. When many of the full-time technicians were activated by their military units to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CSG responded to fill in.

“They’re self-sufficient and have exceeded expectations,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Vasquez, a motor sergeant with Headquarters Support Company, 40th Infantry Division, located in nearby Los Alamitos. “They have been critical in doing preventative maintenance checks (PMCS) on vehicles and verifying faults, and now they’ve stepped up to performing annual services on generators and light medium tactical vehicles (LMTV).”

Vasquez, who is supporting the CSMS for his annual training, said that two of his Soldiers have been working with four State Guardsmen, and together they have completed the PMCS on over 60 pieces of equipment. Since his arrival April 27, they have serviced Humvees, trailers, LMTVs, power generators and a water buffalo.

The CSG is primarily comprised of nonpaid service members who train once a month and serve the state directly in a military capacity. They are subject to be called for emergency state active duty (ESAD) by the Governor, and they bring unique areas of expertise to meet emergency operational needs. A factor that makes the CSG versatile is the diversity of its members, as they vary in background experience and civilian occupations.

California State Guard Staff Sgt. David Steinback, a noncommissioned officer in charge of maintenance with the state guard’s 224th Support Detachment said, “I wanted to join the National Guard, but I was too old, so I joined the CSG eight years ago because I wanted to do something for my country.”

Steinback is 65 years old and an automotive instructor at Victor Valley College in Victorville. He has been an automotive instructor for 25 years, and his experience has translated well at the CSMS.

“I’ve got some CSG Soldiers with limited maintenance experience, so I’ve got to watch their work and give them hands-on training,” said Steinback. “Plus, some of the National Guardsmen, if they need help doing something, it’s part of my job to show them.”

Steinback and three other state guard Soldiers at the shop are currently on orders until mid-May, but they could be extended to meet mission needs if National Guard Soldiers continue to support COVID-19 response missions.

“Someone’s got to do it,” Steinback said about the work. “I like it.”

Source: DVIDS

Tags: No tags

One Response

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *