July 19, 2023 - Michigan Works! NE Consortium partnered with the Crawford County Juvenile Probate Court to host a student presentation and Talent Tour at Camp Grayling’s Maneuver and Training Equipment Site (MATES).
Two court staff members, five students and two Michigan Works! staff attended the presentation and tour. The day started at the Michigan Works! office in Grayling with lunch and a video about the MATES plant and career opportunities with the National Guard. It also covered the programs and services Michigan Works! offers for the community.
National Guard Recruiter, SSG Ryan Kline kicked off the tour telling his story of joining the Guard at a young age and working his way up the ladder at MATES and into many different roles. He capitalized on the educational opportunities the Guard offered which led to his successful career. SSG Kline spoke highly of his many years spent working at the MATES plant and how the technical skills he learned led to advancements in his career. Onsite at MATES, SSG Thomas and SSG Zigila in the equipment bay explaining all the military equipment their staff handles maintenance and repairs on. A highlight of the tour was the students were able to sit inside several of the military equipment and get a feel for how large the vehicles are, and in some cases how cramped the seating inside is.
(MATES) is located approximately 2.5 miles northeast of downtown Grayling and is part of the 147,000-acre Camp Grayling property. The MATES staff is broken out into different sections, which all work together. The sections are auto 1 and 2, armaments and electronics, tools and parts, production control, and inspections. When a unit in the field breaks down, the maintenance staff will fix it onsite or bring it back to the plant for diagnosis and repair.
The feedback from the students was positive. They enjoyed the tour, and seeing all the artillery, military equipment and parts and talking with the MATES staff.
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