Purging resolving calibrating ... oh my! Night vision goggles ...

Dear Half-Mast,

There are three problems In night; vision goggle (NVG) maintenance that Just won't go away.

One, they are not being serviced (purged) every 180 days.

Two, the resolution test is not being done on them.

And three, the calibration of the TS-4348 test set is not being done, period.

A major part of the reason for these three problems is where the NVGs are stored. They are stored in the arms room to meet the requirement in AR 190-51 for double barrier protection.

Now here's where things get sticky. Although they're in the arms room, they're still the responsibility of commo maintenance to be purged, resolved and calibrated. But the out-of-sight, out-of-mind principle is at work. Also, territorial disputes seem to arise. As a consequence, the job is just not getting done.

Can you help get the word out?

Archard Mathis

G4CMT C5

Dear Mr. Mathis,

In order for the 180-day service-purge, resolution check, and the PMCS--and the test set calibration to take place and take place on time, coordination is required between unit and direct support commo maintenance folks as well as arms room personnel

Otherwise, these jobs fall through a maintenance crack and are only accomplished when commo folks pull all-nighters when NVGs are going to be issued the next day.

Our recommendation is a face-to-face at a company or battalion maintenance meeting to see how these things can best be scheduled and accomplished. Then, rigorous monitoring needs to take place.

Without these two things happening, NVGs will continue to pile up in boxes in arms rooms waiting for needed maintenance.

Half-Mast