Welders Develop Prototype Mount

Multi-National Division Baghdad

Story by Staff Sgt. April Mota

11.08.2009 BAGHDAD, Iraq– Two U.S. Soldiers of the 101st Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade have developed a prototype antenna mount for use on up-armored commercial vehicles, here, at Victory Base Complex.

"We were looking for something that kept a low profile so it would not obstruct the driver's field of view," said Beto Salazar, of Chaparra, N.M., a Department of Defense employee.

Sgt. Robert Hall, of Groton, Mass., and Spc. Chad Parks, of Steuben, Maine, both welders with Forward Support Company, 101st Eng. Bn., were happy to help Salazar with his request. The Soldiers worked together to come up with a plan that would meet all of the requirements.

"I took the dimensions and ran with it," Hall said.

Hall thought it was a great opportunity to work on the up armored vehicles as a change of pace from the typical equipment seen in the motor pool.

The most difficult part of the project was drilling the holes for the mount in very precise locations. If the locations were not accurate, the mount would not be able to hold the antenna and wires properly.

"If our prototype is accepted, we may have to make more of these mounts. It may even go into production next year, which is really exciting," Parks said.

Sincerely appreciating the help from the 101st Soldiers, Salazar said the mount the two welders designed places the antenna exactly where they had hoped, without interfering with the cables or the field of view.

"Our design is simple, but it's efficient. It works," Parks said.

The prototype, currently in the testing phase, has the possibility to be in a production phase sometime next year, with the potential to create a safer means of transportation throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.