CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq — Multi-National Division – Baghdad mechanics in the motor pools have a very important job for the success of the overall mission in Iraq. It is their responsibility to ensure every vehicle leaving the base for a mission is in top working order, is safe and is going to be a reliable ride if something bad were to happen.

The pressure to stay on top of the vehicle maintenance falls on the shoulders of Soldiers like Pfc. Jacob Gilmon, a Leander, Texas, native, who serves as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic with Headquarters Support Company, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.

On a daily basis, he works hard to ensure every vehicle he checks is going to be safe and mission-ready before it leaves the motor pool. He wakes up each morning, hits the gym and prepares himself for the long day ahead.

The Soldiers working in the motor pool have a 12-hour workday, so according to Gilmon, they try to take care of the non-work related things right away in the morning before they even get to the office – or garage, rather.

Once he starts working, most days, it’s a solid day of hard work, which ranges from rechecking maintenance work on the vehicles to disassembling the entire front end of a humvee only to change out one panel.

“We usually have trucks come through in the morning right away for (quality assurance/quality control) checks before they’re dispatched; then, it’s really a matter of fixing things as they come in,” said Gilmon.

Quality assurance/quality control checks are inspections where mechanics check the fluids and ensure there are no defects on the vehicle that would pose a danger or cause a failure while the operators are out on mission.

When he’s not fixing immediate problems with vehicles, Gilmon said he spends a lot of time fabricating various parts for the vehicles that are used by the DSTB.

“I’m one of the few guys who can weld well, so I’ve been spending a lot of time building covers for wire conduits in the new (Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles),” Gilmon said. “When it gets to that part of my job, it gets a little too repetitious; but, for the most part, not every day is the same, which makes life more interesting.”

Gilmon’s hard work and willingness to do whatever it takes to get vehicles in, fixed and back out on the road as fast as possible has not been overlooked by the Soldiers who are above him in the chain of command.

“Gilmon is a good Soldier,” said Sgt. Timothy Smith, a Meeker, Okla., native, who serves as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic and recovery specialist with Headquarters Support Company, 4th Inf. Div. STB. “He is always willing to do whatever it takes to get our mission accomplished and get these vehicles out of here and in the fight as quickly as he can.”

On top of his willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission, Smith also said he is impressed with how quickly Gilmon and the rest of his crew have learned how things are done in the shop.

After work, Gilmon said he is so exhausted he generally just goes to bed. Every now and then, he’ll throw a movie in or play some video games, but the experience is usually shortly lived.

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually seen the end of a movie,” he said. “I usually pass out right after putting it in.”

Other than the occasional partial movie, Gilmon said he enjoys talking with his wife, his 7-year-old daughter and his 6-year-old son back in Texas.

In order to keep safe vehicles on the road, MND-B Soldiers working in the motor pools will continue to work hard to ensure every vehicle on the road is safe and able to aid Soldiers in accomplishing their mission in Baghdad.