The freedom of getting behind the wheel of your own car after returning from a deployment or extended time away is one of the best ways to celebrate a homecoming, but the reality of dealing with a car that has been sitting for months can turn that dream into a chore.
Vehicles that haven't been used for a number of months often develop issues such as dead batteries, flat tires, and even rodents making a home out of the undercarriage or engine. Whatever you can imagine, Gordon Devish and Lucky Savage of Deployment Maintenance Services have seen it in their years of providing roadside assistance to the military community.
"It's amazing what can go wrong when a car just sits: fluids go bad, tires go flat. You can't wait to get home but your car won't even start once you do. We see it all the time in our field, but a bit of simple maintenance can make all the difference between driving away and being stuck, waiting for roadside assistance to reach you," explained Lucky, a former Navy aircraft mechanic.
Thus, the idea for Deployment Maintenance Services was born. The two co-workers turned friends started to imagine that there could be a better way: A small business built on customer service and proper maintenance, providing servicemembers and their families with peace of mind that their vehicles would be maintained until their return.
The team will visit the servicemember's vehicle to start it up and check on it's condition, moving the vehicle to avoid the pressure spots on tires that often lead to flats. The twice monthly visits include photos or a short video of the vehicle emailed to the servicemember and an inspection to ensure that the vehicle is secure and has not been tampered with. The cost of the twice monthly service is $65 a month, with $85 getting you a weekly visit and a $125 option which includes emergency roadside service for the military family while the servicemember is away. Service visits can be extended to include motorcycle and recreational vehicle maintenance as well.
One unique service that the duo plans to offer as an add-on is flower delivery from a local flower shop, on behalf of the servicemember, to their loved one during a vehicle visit to celebrate a birthday or special event. "We want to bring customer service back to the maintenance field and are particularly committed to the needs of the military community," Gordon said.
With plans to expand into basic household maintenance such as roof cleaning and yard services, Deployment Maintenance Services is hoping to provide military families and single servicemembers with everything they need to head out on a deployment without worrying about their vehicles and property back home.
Though their website is currently under construction, Deployment Maintenance Services is already fully insured and operating on and off local area bases. The team can be reached at 253.318.2859 or by email at gdevish@icloud.com, and serves areas throughout Washington state.