Marine welders example of Corps’ diversity, versatility

From Marines.com

Every Marine is a trained rifleman, something the Corps takes a lot of pride in. However, in order to accomplish the Marine Corps’ mission, there are countless jobs that require Marines trained in many different military occupational specialties. A Marine Corps welder is one unique example.

Welders from General Support Maintenance Company, 3rd Materiel Readiness Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, flex their creative muscles for the Corps using skills learned in their formal MOS school and ingenuity that can only be learned on the job.

These welders can repair damaged Marine Corps gear such as vehicle parts as well as fabricate completely new parts, many of which can’t be purchased, at a fraction of what it would cost the Corps to purchase them through the civilian market.

“We can create or repair pretty much anything made of metal,” said Lance
Cpl. Alejandro Echevarria, a welder with GSM company, and an Austin, Texas, native.

Marine Corps welders attend the Basic Metal Workers Course at the Army Ordnance School, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., There, students with exceptional talent can receive a certification from the American Welding Society. Once in the Fleet Marine Force, the welders can use their on-the-job training to apply for additional certification.

According to Sgt. Travis R. Nichols, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the weld shop and native of Hemet, Calif., a welder is like an artist. The skill level and patience needed for both professions is very similar.

Welders must be prepared to think outside of the box when jobs come in to optimize the capabilities of the Okinawa-based units they support.

According to Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Lashley, machine and weld shop staff noncommissioned officer in charge, one recent example that highlighted the type of fabrication work the welder Marines can perform saved the Corps thousands of dollars. A communications unit needed lids for cases to protect their equipment. The lids, available through order, were expensive and made of plastic. The weld shop fabricated metal lids for less than half the cost.

Welders must also have a vast knowledge of the materials they work with. They must know the best materials and procedures for making objects based on their structure and intended use.

“We have to be able to identify different types of metal and know what temperatures they fuse at by just looking at them,” Echevarria said.

The Marines of the weld shop take pride in their job and satisfaction from their work.

“It’s amazing when you make something out of nothing,” Echevarria said. “Seeing the finished product as something that was created by hand while saving the Marine Corps money is very rewarding.”