Maintenance Terrain Walk: MTW Boosts Unit Readiness

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Darron Salzer

This article was updated 4/11/2024.

No unit, no matter how well-trained, can fight and win on the battlefield with poorly maintained equipment. At the end of the day, all maintenance actions must point to the goal of unit readiness.

The maintenance terrain walk (MTW) is a tool that can increase leader understanding of maintenance and sustainment operations and, in turn, help units reach that goal.

The MTW should be held within 90 days of a battalion commander assuming command. It’s not an inspection, but an onsite briefing of maintenance management and operations across the unit. That includes the motor pool, aircraft hangar, arms and CBRN rooms, and commo shop.

An MTW includes all unit maintenance areas

The MTW usually begins with a maintenance overview brief, followed by a terrain walk of the maintenance areas. Key maintenance personnel should participate.

A typical MTW may cover topics like:

ongoing maintenance/safety initiatives
maintenance concerns and challenges
recoverable item management
tools/special tools/TMDE status
equipment status report (maintenance summary) review
review of oldest NMC equipment (DA Form 5988-E).

Or maintenance layout issues such as:

location of maintenance areas
current facilities status
future upgrade projects.

Maintenance walk-through checklist
Motor Pools/Maintenance Units/ Maintenance Meetings
❑ How many people are authorized in your motor pool? What are your manpower challenges in meeting mission requirements?
❑ How do you feel about your unit’s readiness rates (NMC rates)? What initiatives have you undertaken to improve readiness?
❑ What do you think your supported organizations would say about the quality of maintenance support your team provides?
❑ Are leaders involved in maintenance? Are maintenance operations such as command maintenance, services and sustainment training reflected on unit training schedules?
❑ What services are you doing today? Are equipment services performed within the specified intervals (vehicles, generators, weapons, night vision devices, etc.)? Is equipment that misses a scheduled service put in NMC status until the service is performed?

Resources

You can view or download an MTW video at:

See Chapter 10-14 in DA PAM 750-1, Army Materiel Maintenance Procedures (Feb 23). It’s another tool to use in prep for an MTW. Get the pub HERE.

maintenance management