LIMESTONE – Employees of the Maine Military Authority at the Loring Commerce Centre do good work, and their reputation is making its way around the world, at least in military circles.

And 40 to 45 MMA employees will travel halfway around the world to show other rebuilders, those near the front lines in Iraq, how their job is done.

Gary Cleaves, manager of the MMA facility at Loring, said Friday it could happen within a week to 10 days. Some of his people could be relocating to Kuwait for a 90-day period.

“We are working with different companies that are working to get a shop going in Kuwait,” Cleaves said.

“It’s a possibility for employees to take a leave of absence and then return to work for us.

“It’s good for us [the MMA] because it gives us a chance to show people what we do and how well we do,” he said. “It could help us out with contracts in the future.”

The MMA is working with Eagle Support Services, which is attempting to rebuild military Humvees near the front lines. Eagle Support Services would like to have MMA employees for up to a year, but Cleaves said they are working on programs that would lend employees for up to 90 days.

Eagle Support Services rebuilds Humvees taken out of action. The machines then are put back into service without having to make the trip overseas.

Cleaves said the Kuwait facility was set up recently and is having a hard time getting up and running. MMA employees already are trained.

The MMA facility has a long record of rebuilding military Humvees.

The MMA employees who want to go are volunteers. There are 85 employees interested in the 90-day programs. Cleaves said MMA could allow 40 to 45 to go without hampering operations at Loring.

“These are people who want to go there,” Cleaves said. “It’s their way of supporting the war effort in Iraq.

“We’ve encouraged people to go,” he said. “The company is looking for certain skills, and we have employees with those skills.”

Cleaves said it could happen quickly, within 10 to 15 days.

Employees who go would return after the holidays in January 2006.

“It goes to show that the word on our quality of work is getting around,” Cleaves said. “People are well aware of what our people can do.”