Preventive Maintenance Monthly

Preventive Maintenance Monthly

http://tinyurl.com/zjc8bjx

PS Magazine
During World War II and its aftermath, the Army’s prevailing attitude was that vehicles, weapons, and equipment were to be used, worn out, and replaced. The Korean War made it clear that the “use it up and replace it” attitude was flawed because Army materiel had not been maintained and did not function as needed early in that conflict.

As a result, the Army decided to emphasize preventive maintenance as the principal means of improving Army materiel readiness. Army leaders remembered a World War II publication, Army Motors, which used a few cartoon characters to discuss maintenance problems, and decided to use it as the model for a new publication. In June 1951, the first issue of , PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly, was published using the cartoon format. Popularly known as PS magazine, it was eventually classified as a monthly technical bulletin (TB), TB 43–PS–series.

Today, Soldiers recognize magazine as a tool to get the latest PMCS actions for their equipment. magazine is a pioneer in the instructional use of cartoon characters, and 60 years of continuous publication validates the usefulness of cartoon sequential art as an information medium. magazine characters and talking vehicles deliver maintenance, supply, and logistics information to the Soldiers, Army civilians, and contractors who work in companies and battalions—the units that actually own, operate, and maintain the Army’s equipment.

Occasionally, Soldiers write to the PS magazine staff and ask what official publication their commanders can reference to implement what was published in the magazine. What is the magazine’s source of information?

The answer is PS magazine. It is an official Army technical bulletin and is as reliable as any other technical publication. Unfortunately, some people don’t take it seriously because of the cartoon characters. However, all PS magazine articles are cleared twice by Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Army Materiel Command, life cycle management commands, the Department of Defense, or the Army equipment proponent. The proponent subject-matter expert for each piece of equipment addressed in the magazine agrees with the PS magazine article and concurs that its instructions should be implemented by field-level units.

Readers of PS come away with the conviction that preventive maintenance is preferable to equipment breakdowns. The slogan of the magazine goes right to the heart of the matter and asks each Soldier individually, “Would you stake your life, right now, on the condition of your equipment?”

Category: Politics