Face of Defense: Soldier’s Trade Supports Battalion’s Mission

By Army Sgt. Brandon Banzhaf

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

FORT HOOD, Texas, Jan. 22, 2015 – With a click of a striker, the mixture of two gases causes a large flame to ignite.

The tradesman holding the lit torch now possesses a tool that can cut through thick metal.

Army Cpl. Ian Sanchez, an allied trades specialist with 215th Brigade Support Battalion “Blacksmiths,” 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, spends his days working with heavy machinery, welding torches and buzz saws.

Sanchez’s office does not resemble a typical office space with a computer and a desk. It doesn’t even look like a garage with screwdrivers and lug nuts. His domain is a warehouse filled with welding torches, gas tanks, scrap metal and heavy machinery.

“Before I joined the Army, I was going to school and working to support my family,” he said. “I wanted to learn a trade that I can make a living with if I ever got out of the Army. I joined the Army because I needed a change, and now I feel like I can create anything.”

Safety Equipment

Before he sparks up a welding torch, Sanchez dons heavy-duty gloves, a welding jacket and the proper type of eye protection for the particular brand of torch he is using. “The eye protection is extremely important,” he said. “Looking directly into the light will burn your eyes by the UV radiation.” Because the arc produces ultraviolet rays, even its reflection could harm the naked eye, he explained.

Because the tools he works with produce a lot of sparks, his clothing is fire-resistant, he said. “It also protects my skin from the UV exposure,” he added.

With only three allied trade specialists in 215th BSB, the battalion welding shop is always busy with work orders and special projects that keep Sanchez and his co-workers running.

“Once we created six M4 weapon racks, and as soon as we got done, they wanted six more,” he said.

Also Aids in Vehicle Repair

Sanchez also assists in repairing faulty vehicles. “We spent two weeks working on a Wolverine,” he said. “We had a lot of work put in. We even had to make new brackets.”

The M104 Wolverine, or heavy assault bridge, is an armored bridge layer that can deploy an assault bridge that can support up to a 70-ton vehicle. Without the assistance from the blacksmith welders, equipment like this would have to be fixed by a contractor.

“Welders hold a special place within the sustainment organization,” said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Danny Richards, 215th BSB senior enlisted advisor. “Their specialized attention is needed to bring equipment back to life before it gets sent to an outside source. Their expertise saves us time and money, and we know how important that is.”

The brigade has only a handful of Wolverines, and the welding capability of his shop was able to return the vehicle back to the unit fully functioning.

“From welders and mechanics to fuelers and other maintainers in between, my soldiers have a key role in sustaining the line,” Richards said. “We look to these troops to ensure vehicles and equipment remain functional, which ultimately keeps all soldiers safe.”