Equipment Fault

The last step in requesting the repair part is to identify the equipment fault that the part is being requested to repair. The faults that the clerk entered earlier are listed on the FAULT NUMBER SELECTION screen. The clerk highlights the fault and presses <Enter> and the part is requested.

After the clerk adds the faults to the database and requests the parts, the DA Form 5988-E is updated by printing a new form.

For our example, all of the faults reported by the operator or crew have been added to the database. When the DA Form 5988-E is updated, it will have the entries as shown below. There have been some changes from what the crew reported and what the clerk has entered in the database.

Notice that the status symbol for the headlight has changed from a "/" reported by the crew to an "E" status symbol. ULLS-G uses an "X" for NMC faults and an "E" for safety deadline faults.

Also, notice that the headlight fault is entered twice. It is entered once for the correct status symbol and once to request the part. This should change when the ULLS-G program is fixed.

The clerk returns the updated form and the original form to the maintenance supervisor. The maintenance supervisor checks to make sure corrective action has been taken for each fault. The maintenance supervisor needs to inspect the form concerning the areas shown here.

The parts that were requested will appear in the center part of DA Form 5988-E when it is updated. Three parts have been requested for D2, each using a different IPD. Notice on the form that:

	The first column indicates the fault number that the part is ordered to repair. This number is assigned by the ULLS-G computer.
	The DOC NUM column indicates the Julian date the part was requested and the sequence number of the part. The first four digits in the document number are the Julian date. The last four digits are the sequence number of the part. This number is assigned by the ULLS-G computer.
	The PRI column is the IPD of the parts request. The DLC column is the deadline code. The DLC is either a "D" for not mission capable-supply, or an "N" for mission capable. The DLC is automatically assigned by the computer based on input on the supply request.

When inspecting DA Form 5988-E, it is best to compare the form with the equipment. The form should list all the uncorrected maintenance faults on the equipment and the corrective action taken to repair the maintenance faults. There should be no uncorrected faults on the vehicle that are not listed on DA Form 5988-E and vice versa.

When the maintenance supervisor is satisfied with the updated DA Form 5988-E, the updated form should be returned to the crew. The unit must decide the disposition of the original form. It is recommended that the original form be returned to the crew so the crew can ensure that for all reported faults appropriate corrective action is taken in a timely manner.

Unit supervisors must constantly inspect the DA Form 5988-E to ensure that it reflects the current vehicle status and the current status of supply and maintenance actions at unit level. Each unit specifies the interval for updating DA Form 5988-E to keep it current. Most units require updating the form on a weekly basis. The form must also be updated the same day the status of equipment changes so that the deadline report is accurate also. The date in the upper left corner of the form is the date the form is printed. If your unit requires the form be updated weekly, the date must be no older than a week old.

Supervisors must also make sure that supply actions in the Parts Requested section of the form are acted on in a timely manner. When a part is received and DA Form 5988-E is updated, the number received will move from the QTY DUE to the QTY REC column of the form and an ordinal date will appear in the DATE COMP column. The unit SOP will specify how much time is allowed between the date of receipt and the date the part is installed. Generally, a UND "A" part is given the highest priority for installation and UND "C" parts are given the lowest priority. When the clerk enters the part as installed into ULLS-G, that part will not appear on subsequent updates of the form.

The date of the maintenance fault in the lower portion of the form is the day the fault was discovered. The Julian date in the document number in the parts requested section of the form is the date of the request. This information is useful in determining how long it takes the unit to take corrective action when a maintenance fault is reported. This is an important issue and one you should closely monitor. The unit SOP will specify how much time the commander allows between the date of the fault and the date of the corrective action. An "X" status symbol maintenance fault is the most serious, and units must react faster to these faults than to a maintenance fault that is assigned a slash status symbol. For example, a typical FAD II unit will allow 24 hours from the date of the fault to the date of the corrective action. This means that crews must report NMC faults as soon as they are found and that organizational maintenance must react quickly to NMC faults to meet the SOP requirement.

The maintenance fault was discovered on 8 Aug 96 by the crew and organizational maintenance diagnosed the problem and requested the part on Julian date 6220 (8 Aug 96). This indicates an effective maintenance operation. When the unit takes too long to take corrective action, you must check with the crews and maintenance supervisor to reduce the time between fault identification and corrective action.

When equipment is job ordered to the direct support unit (DSU), a new fault is entered and then the job order is printed. The ULLS-G program automatically enters an organizational work order number in the "corrective action" column of DA Form 5988-E when a job order has been submitted to DSU.

An organizational work order number in the corrective action column indicates that a job order has been printed for the associated vehicle fault.

When the maintenance supervisor returns the updated form to the crew, that is the end of the cycle. When the crew finds another uncorrected fault, it is written in the lower part of the form and the process starts again.

DA Form 5988-E is the heart of all unit level maintenance operations. It must reflect current vehicle status and all maintenance and supply actions taken to repair the vehicle. Everyone, from the driver to the commander, must understand information on this form to have an effective maintenance program. As the BMO you must check how well vehicle crews and organizational maintenance personnel understand the form and schedule training if necessary. It is critical that the form is routed through supervisors at crew and organizational level to ensure the appropriate maintenance actions are taking place within the specified time allowed. By emphasizing this process, you will be able to effectively evaluate your unit's daily PMCS procedures.