DIYALA, Iraq - The sign out front may say 'Chop Shop,' but inside the massive tin sheet metal building located at the south end of Forward Operating Base Warhorse, there are no stolen vehicles or illegal activities. Instead, with an ever-present aroma of engine oil and transmission fluid wafting in the air above an oil and grease stained floor; the Red Lion mechanics labor through both routine and complex maintenance puzzles.

Serving as a one stop repair shop for motor-powered equipment of every shape and size, the Soldiers from Headquarters Support Battery, 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, have perfected a wide variety of specialties and skills to fix any damaged piece of equipment or vehicle that enters their lair.

Although each Soldier may have a different technical expertise, all find fulfillment in their daily work. For Spc. Brandon Fulkert, a generator mechanic, this job enables new opportunities in his post-Army career.

"I had been working in sales pretty much since I got out of high school, and with the tough economy those jobs can be kind of up or down," said Fulkert, a native of Toledo, Ohio. "When I signed up I chose this job so that I could get a strong foothold in a field that would provide a steady income for my family."

He has a deep appreciation for the job he chose because this trade not only allows him to take care of his wife and children but the generators he repairs power the radar towers that give Soldiers advanced warning of incoming fire. Every call is a test of his skills to repair those systems as quickly as possible.

"There are so many components to these engines that could cause a problem - it's like solving a puzzle - and fixing them is satisfying because it shows me that I'm proficient and knowledgeable in my job," said Fulkert. "Getting sent out there to have to figure out what's wrong, having that challenge is actually what I love about this job."

The Red Lion mechanics are always prepared to perform preventative maintenance or diagnose a deficient generator or tweak an engine component that belongs to one of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. However, most of them will tell you that it isn't always easy being the person everyone relies on to fix equipment.

"To be a mechanic you have to have a good work ethic, because some jobs are long, some are easy and some can make you mad trying to figure out the problem," said Spc. Jeremy Johnson, a Gettysburg, Pa. native. "You also really can't care about getting filthy and sweaty; because pretty much any job you do makes you sweat or covers you in oil and grease."

They inspect and fix the largest and smallest parts of vehicles, whether changing axles or checking the switch that opens a hydraulic door. 

"Every day we do QAQC [Quality Assurance, Quality Control] on trucks, minor or major repairs that come in, or try to get parts to fix the deadline trucks on our lot," said Johnson. "When there isn't a job for us to work on we are usually cleaning to help get us out of here for the day."

All of this hard work doesn't stop the mechanics from having fun once in a while. During slow periods they have been able to create their own unique brand of entertainment by putting their special skill sets to work. The 'Chop Shop' Soldiers have built a go kart from parts that were discarded in the FOB junkyard.

"When it rained a couple weeks ago we actually took out the kart to run through the puddles around the shop," said Johnson. 

The go kart isn't the only thing they have been able to work on when they don't have repair work to do. They also get the chance to improve their dance moves during down time.

"If there is enough dust to keep feet from sticking to the floor, a few of us can do a pretty good moon walk," said Fulkert. "We get pretty good at entertaining ourselves when we get down time."

Members of the Red Lions might occasionally be lucky enough to see that moonwalk. Even if they don't, they can still be confident in the fact that there is a hard-working team ready to repair even the smallest of malfunctions in a quick, professional manner.