Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) provided hands-on lessons in routine pump repair maintenance to USS Bataan (LHD 5) Ship's Force (S/F) in their production shop in Norfolk, Virginia, on April 15.

MARMC's pump shop provides a 'Self Help Lab' where ships on the waterfront can send Sailors for assistance, training and routine maintenance with pump repairs. This creates an atmosphere where S/F can ask questions from seasoned MARMC Sailors and civilians, including managers, about the various aspects of pump repair.

"These Sailors were very interested in coming over here and overhauling a few of their pumps while Bataan was in a Chief of Naval Operations Avail," said MARMC Pump Shop Zone Manager Jason Smith. "So we saw this as a great learning opportunity to help them repair their own pumps."

The Pump Shop Self-Help Lab provides all the necessary tools and equipment needed to make almost any repair.

"The Sailors worked on pressing liners out of the pumps, and loading the bearings and seals correctly. There are also a lot of measurements involved, which they probably haven't seen before," said Smith.

The Pump Shop Self-Help Lab is yet another capability, in addition to MARMC's Maintenance Assist Teams (MATs), the command is providing to the ships on the waterfront.

MARMC's MATs aim to increase equipment and systems material readiness, and reliability, through enhancing shipboard Sailors hands-on maintenance ability to "find, fix, and document' material deficiencies using preventative maintenance systems, integrated comprehensive monitoring program tasks and technical manuals. MARMC currently has ten MATs: auxiliary, deck, electrical, gas turbine, valve, rigid-hulled inflatable boat, watertight door, gun, laundry and galley team.

"We encourage any ship that needs help with their pumps to come over and we would be more than willing to not only repair the pump, but show their Sailors general maintenance and repair best practices," said Smith.

For additional information on MARMC please visit; http://www.navy.mil/local/nssa/

For more news from Norfolk Ship Support Activity, visit www.navy.mil/.