Richardson printer distributor does its part to help U.S. troops
July 1, 2007
Think repairing a computer printer isn't patriotic? Just ask John Nelson, co-owner of Splash of Color in Richardson, a distributor of large format printers.
"I received this message, 'There's some guy from Iraq on the phone and wants to talk to you.' "My first thought was, 'Please don't let it be a recruiter!' "
It was, but the person on the other end of the line wasn't looking for more
combat troops.
"They were looking for a Roland distributor," Mr. Nelson said. "They called us
and said, 'We have a Roland printer here in Iraq, and we can't get it working
properly.'
"Now, understand, we're not responsible for service calls in Iraq, not by a long
shot," Mr. Nelson continued. "I didn't know where to start, so we just walked
them through it. After some troubleshooting, we told them they didn't need parts.
We were able to fix their problem without spending any of the taxpayers' money. Initially, they were expecting to spend way over a couple thousand dollars on parts they actually didn't need."
Splash of Color is a wholesaler to dealers of sign-making systems including large format printers and laminating machines. It has been in Richardson since 1985 and has five employees. Although Mr. Nelson said his company doesn't advertise, it does have a Web site. And that's how the U.S. military found Splash of Color.
Employee Mike Sebastian said the repairmen in Iraq were in a bit of a quandary.
"They just got this large printer in to repair … but they had no manuals, software or accessories….nothing." "This was really off the wall for them. They're used to working on desktop printers, and then this big thing comes in. ...
This wasn't your average desktop inkjet printer, Mr. Sebastian said. The printer is a 54-inch Roland HiFi JET Pro FJ-500 eight-color printer and originally cost about $25,000. It's used to produce large signs, banners and high resolution maps.
"It's even certified for fine art reproduction," he said.
We're good for a couple calls a week from Iraq now. I can tell you, shipping parts to Iraq is a challenge." And working on the machines over there apparently is no small task. "They have a printer repair depot – just to fix computer printers," Mr. Sebastian said, shaking his head. "Can you imagine all those printers they repair that are used in that sandy, dusty environment? I was told they repair around 200 printers a month."
Not long after that initial phone call, the company received another surprise through the mail. "The box came while I was conducting a training class," Mr. Sebastian said. "I was expecting some training materials, so I opened it. It totally caught me off guard."
The box had been sent from the Tobyhanna Army Depot at Balad Air Base in Iraq. Inside was a certificate, an Army Field Support Battalion Logistics medal and an American flag.
But the flag wasn't just any American flag. This one had seen combat action.
"When they're on convoys, they use M-1117 Gun Trucks armed with machine guns and grenade launchers to protect them," he said. "This flag came from one of those gun trucks. ... We were really amazed that they would go to the trouble of sending us a flag that flew in combat."
While printer repair may be somewhat predictable, working with people in a war zone definitely isn't, Mr. Sebastian said, recalling one unnerving incident when he was on the phone.
"There was this pause in our conversation, and he told me to wait a minute," Mr. Sebastian said. "I asked him what was going on, and he said, 'Apparently we have some incoming.' I said, 'Do I need to let you go?' He just said, 'No, I think I'm OK.' I told him, 'Look, you can call me back!' I've never done printer
support for someone under fire. That was wild."
Mr. Nelson, a self-described Army brat, said he has a deep appreciation for the military. His father, a retired colonel, served all over the world.
"We could have easily said, 'We can't help you. It isn't our responsibility.' But, we'll help anyone; that's what we do. I mean, we're sitting here and aren't doing anything to fight the war, well, except pay for it. We were happy we could actually do something to help."
In fact, this isn't the first time an SOS has come in from outside the U.S. Mr. Nelson said the company has been contacted by people in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
"People find us and we take care of them," he said. "We like doing it."
He said he and his employees are filled with gratitude that the soldiers in Iraq took time to remember them.
"When we opened the box and saw the flag, it really got to us," he said. "This – the certificate – would have been a really nice surprise, and we would have been proud to receive it. Then we saw the flag and the medal.
"Wow, this was really special."
Carolyn Tillery is a Dallas-based freelance writer.
tillery@swbell.net
