Deployed maintainers return damaged aircraft to combat operations

by Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

hits the fan, we've got to be ready to go."And ready to go they were when recently a C-130J Super Hercules landed at a remote forward operating base in Afghanistan."It was so damaged that we couldn't save it and get it flying again," said Hartley. "So we assisted in the salvage operations."Hartley and his team were able to recover 250 components totaling more than $20 million retrieving items ranging from engines and propellers to avionics equipment and other electrical items."Those avionics boxes can cost anywhere from $100,000 to more than $1 million," he said. "So we were able to get it all boxed up and shipped home, effectively saving the Air Force millions of dollars."Long days aside, the mission wasn't easy."During our time there, the base sustained a number of indirect fire hits," said Hartley. "The particular FOB we were at is a high-threat area getting mortar attacks every other day."The aircraft still had nearly 3,500 pounds of fuel on board, making it vitally important to maintain situational awareness."It was scary," Hartley said. "We actually dug a fox hole and when the alarms sounded, we'd hit the deck running."ABDR is a sticky business, but someone has to respond, repair and get Air Force jets combat ready in the war time environment."This ABDR unit is the only major package for the entire U.S. Central Command area of responsibility," said Hartley. "It's a huge obligation, but we're definitely here and eager to help. We repair jets to get them back in the fight. I mean, how cool is that?"

Nondestructive inspection: Finding the cracks

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

8/14/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- While playing football during physical training, an Airman hurts his arm. Thinking nothing of it, he brushes it off and continues playing. Though after weeks of excruciating pain and a visit to the medical group's radiology section, an x-ray finds his ulna is fractured. Aircraft undergo similar stressors requiring specially trained Airmen to find the mechanical fractures.Nondestructive inspection Airmen assigned to 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron here specialize in finding fatal cracks in aircraft parts before they lead to catastrophic failure."We're an inspection branch and it's our job to make sure the aircraft are structurally sound," said Master Sgt. Steven McCabe, NDI NCO in charge deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and hails from Irrigon, Ore.NDI Airmen determine what test method to use and prepare fluids and parts for inspection. They also analyze worn metal content on engine-lubricating oil and other fluids, and recommend corrective actions. These Airmen are proficient in metals identification, detecting metal discontinuities and flaws, radiological safety and radiation monitoring."So in a nutshell, we find cracks you can't see with the naked eye and we have different processes to detect these cracks," said Staff Sgt. David Bayle, a 379th EMXS NDI craftsman deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and hails from Port Sanilac, Mich. "If we don't find the crack, the part itself could fail and it could be very detrimental to the aircraft and the support equipment used to maintain the aircraft."Unlike other maintenance career fields, NDI Airmen must understand a fair amount of chemistry as well."I had no idea chemistry would be involved in a mechanical career field; my recruiter just told me I'd look for cracks," said Senior Airman Darnell McConnell, a 379th EMXS NDI journeyman deployed and hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. "NDI is like the coolest field out there and is essentially a non-fail mission. One of my favorite methods is the magnetic particle inspection."MPI is a process for detecting surface and slightly subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials such as iron, nickel and cobalt. The process puts a magnetic field into the part. The piece can be magnetized by direct or indirect magnetization. Direct current is passed through the part and a magnetic field is formed in the material. The presence of a surface or subsurface discontinuity or crack in the material allows the magnetic flux to leak thus proving the presence of an imperfection in the part."MPI is easy because the crack glows very bright," McConnell said.But as with most maintenance Airmen, they're all about providing joint warfighters with the best machine possible as their work directly impacts the safety and security of aircrews down range."So if it's a wing, we're looking for a crack in the wing; if it's landing gear, we're looking for cracks in the landing gear," said McConnell. "If we don't find the crack, then eventually whatever it is, it's going to collapse and fail.""It makes me feel really good that what we're doing not only saves the Air Force money, but also saves the Air Force lives," Bayle added.

B-1B Lancer: More than meets the eye

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

6/14/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1B Lancer is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force and is flown here by the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron."We have a lot of coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan," said Lt. Col. Seth Graham, the 34th EBS commander. "They're able to focus on executing their various missions because of the air support we provide 365, 24/7."The colonel said it's hard to put into words the importance of what his unit does, but instead explained in a vignette the importance of his units air support to the nation's ground forces."On one occasion my crew arrived overhead of U.S. ground forces pinned down in a compound receiving small arms fire from multiple directions," the colonel said. "They tell the crew they are running low on ammo and need immediate air support. My crew employed a single 500 pound JDAM in close proximity to the friendly forces which forced the enemy to break contact and allowed our guys to walk out of that compound and back to their base. On the way out they told my guys 'thanks...you saved our lives today!' We make life and death decisions every day...that's the importance of what we do."This air support wouldn't be possible, however, without all the work going on behind the scenes in the squadron."We are tasked by the Air Tasking Order from the Combined Air and Space Operations Center and in turn our mission planning cell puts together everything the aircrew will need to be successful," said Maj. Aaron Mate, a 34th EBS assistant director of operations. "The mission planning cell is comprised of a chief of operations, two flyers, intelligence and an Army liaison officer."The MPC collects and processes data, integrating it into flight plans and mission folders that include all the information necessary for B-1 crews to dynamically support every regional command in Afghanistan on a given sortie. A pre-flight crew is then used to ready the aircraft. They run pre-flight checks to get the jet mission-ready for the crew who will fly the mission. They also secure a secondary aircraft in the event the primary encounters a malfunction prior to takeoff."We want our number of takeoffs to equal our landings," said Capt. Brandon Packard, a 34th EBS weapons systems officer. "So we go through these checks for the mission crew in order to, one, streamline the process and, two, for the safety and security of our crews and jets. We take this job just as seriously as flying a mission."Once the jet is ready to go and the mission crew has completed their pre-mission briefs, it's time for takeoff.The roles of pre-flight and mission crews are rotated as directed by their aviation resources managers and policy in order to manage fatigue."We can't have all the fun," Mate said jokingly. "Per AFI, we limit our crews to a 16 hour day -- this includes 13 hours in the air and 3 hours of mission preparation."The 16-hour rule can be waived by the operations group commander up to 24-hours to accommodate longer missions as directed by higher headquarters.Every crew is comprised of an aircraft commander, copilot and two weapons systems officers. With an intercontinental range and the ability to carry up to 48,000 pounds of munitions at 900-plus mph, the B-1 can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time."We are one of the most flexible close air support airframes in the Air Force," said Capt. Nikki Jansen, a 34th EBS pilot. "The B-1's speed and superior handling characteristics allow it to seamlessly integrate in mixed force packages. These capabilities, when combined with its substantial payload, diverse targeting system, long loiter time and survivability, make the B-1B a key element of any joint or coalition strike force."The aircrews and B-1s are deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and Dyess AFB, Texas."We get the greatest sense of satisfaction when the ground crew's joint terminal attack controller radios in thanking us for keeping them safe," said Graham.During the first six months of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, eight B-1s dropped nearly 40 percent of the total tonnage delivered by coalition air forces. This included nearly 3,900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions. The B-1 continues to be deployed today, flying missions daily in support of continuing operations.

Day on the Job: EOD techs

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

5/30/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Explosive ordnance disposal technicians deployed to Afghanistan perform counter-improvised explosive device operations in harsh conditions daily. Equipment and supplies are an essential element to this mission and without the modular supply depot here at the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's EOD flight, safe, secure and reliable operations would suffer."The big difference between here and stateside is that we do a lot of logistics moving supplies and equipment in and out of theater," said Senior Master Sgt. Loren Green, the 379th ECES EOD flight superintendent. "Units in Afghanistan will coordinate what they need with U.S. Air Forces Central Command and if we have what they're requesting, we'll get it to them as soon as possible."Green said if they can't support it, the request is forwarded to other AFCENT wings and eventually stateside.Instead of the traditional combat role they fulfill in Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Joel Calahan, a 379th ECES EOD craftsman, added they're also an essential element in the force protection mission here."It never gets old," said Calahan. "We volunteered for this job -- you can't be assigned to EOD, not to mention the technical school is very hard and has a high dropout rate, so you really have to be committed."But after completing the 162 days of technical training, Green and Calahan said they get to play with many of the best equipment in the Air Force."We definitely have some of the coolest toys," Green said. "That's why I got into it in the first place."Joining the Air Force in 1996, fresh out of high school, Green, deployed here from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, said he couldn't see himself doing anything else."When I first came in, we didn't do nearly as much," Green said. "Back then, we were pretty much an insurance policy and we all felt very under-utilized."Much has changed in the last 17 years, including the expeditionary nature of the U.S. military following the start of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM."Now we're an essential part of the mission," he said. "Especially in the deployed environment."As an EOD technician, Green and fellow technicians handle live explosives, daily. Their job is to detect, identify, render safe, recover and dispose of unsafe explosives and ordnance, including conventional military ordnance; criminal and terrorist homemade items; and chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons."I love blowing stuff up," said Green, the Tampa Bay, Fla., native. "They pay me extra money to do it, too. You can't beat that anywhere."EOD techs also have opportunities to work on the flightline during aircraft emergencies, on bombing ranges during range clearances, in munitions storage areas, in accident areas and in any other area or climate where an explosive hazard exists. They also analyze unknown munitions and explosives for exploitation and use by the intelligence agencies, and, in some cases, may provide protection to the president, vice president and other dignitaries in support of the United States Secret Service."We're all confident in our job and love what we do," said Calahan. "I can't see doing anything else in the Air Force."

Oldest jet in AF operated, maintained by youngest crews

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

5/23/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- For more than 50 years Airmen have flown the KC-135 Stratotanker to more places and supported more missions than most people experience in three, even four, life times. One such refueler, "57-1419," recently visited the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing en route to support Operation ENDURING FREEDOM."We have Eisenhower-era aircraft, flown by crews and serviced by maintainers whose grandparents may not have been old enough to vote for President Eisenhower," said Lt. Col. James Zick, the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander.Putting things into perspective even further, Capt. Emma House said her dad was 3 years old when 57-1419 rolled off the assembly line. House is assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and is currently the jet's aircraft commander.This 56-year-old refueler, assigned to the 190th Air Refueling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard, is expected to fly through 2040, according to Air Mobility Command officials. Gen. Paul Selva, the AMC commander, has even said the mother of the last crew chief to service this jet has not been born yet.Its age, however, hasn't hindered its usefulness, nor has it dampened its crew's eagerness to throttle up and take to the sky."It's really a source of pride for me," House said. "So many generations of other KC-135 pilots have flown her -- I can't even begin to imagine all the places she's been and the fact I get to fly her on an OEF mission in 2013 is really something special."KC-135s are responsible for roughly 65 percent of air-to-air refueling in the 379th's area of responsibility. With that said, the 340th EARS and AMU are responsible for nearly 40 percent of that."There is literally no way to do what we do over Afghanistan without these old jets and young crews that fly and maintain them," said Lt. Col. Maximilian Bremer, the 340 EARS commander. "Our troops on the ground can count on Air Force and Navy air power overhead within minutes of a request, thanks to the fuel we provide 24/7."But for the crews who fly and maintain these aircraft, it's about much more than how old it is or how much longer the AF plans to fly them."It's definitely an honor for me," said Senior Airman Rich Bradford, 340th EARS boom operator deployed from Scott AFB. "Words can't describe how I feel. My dad was 5 when this jet rolled off the line. I'm just glad I'm able to help support troops on the ground anyway I can."In 1954, the Air Force purchased the first 29 of its future 732-plane fleet. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1957. The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965."If airplanes could talk, I'd love to hear about the things '57-1419' has seen," said Capt. Neal Brinkworth, 340th EARS mission pilot also deployed from Scott AFB. "I've always wanted to be a pilot and have definitely had the bug since my first flight lesson when I was 13-years-old. So joining the Air Force was a dream come true, but this, this definitely tops the books. I'm 27 and flying the oldest jet in the Air Force -- simply amazing."The mission is two-fold, however, and the aircrew can't complete the mission without the maintainers and crew chiefs who have kept these jets flying for more than five decades.Staff Sgt. Ray Demarco, 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief deployed from the 108th Air National Guard Wing at McGuire AFB, N.J., said he has "a great deal of pride as a maintainer.""I've been a guardsman for 12 years, worked on airframes ranging from F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons to heavies like the KC-135, but the Stratotanker is definitely my favorite," Demarco said. "It's amazing that what I do and what those who have come before me have done keeps jets like these flying."Although it may be the oldest jet, this doesn't hinder the passion these Airmen have for the KC-135."This aircraft requires a great deal of flying skills," said House as she ran through her preflight checklist. "We're not passengers, the auto-pilot system is very limited and landing isn't a walk-in-the-park."These aircraft were built before human factors were a significant consideration in cockpit design, Bremer said. This makes them "especially challenging for a generation who grew up with user-friendly devices and trained in modern aircraft."The 27-year-old pilot, House, explained why she'd continue flying the Stratotanker even when its eventual replacement rolls off the production line."We're all excited to see the KC-46, but this jet isn't going anywhere anytime soon," she explained. "I hope we keep flying this airplane for another 50 years."

Fairchild Airman receives Bronze Star

A Fairchild physician was awarded the Bronze Star Medal here recently for her service during Operation Enduring Freedom at Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul from June 2011 to March 2012.When asked about her medal, Capt. (Dr.) Leslee Kane, a Bozeman, Mont., native humbly said, “I was just doing my job like everyone else.”The captain was recognized as the senior medical officer on-site during a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack. Kane helped coordinate traumatic brain injury screenings for more than 75 people in response to the attack and returned them to duty within 72 hours. She led three medics, a physician’s assistant and numerous others during the triage and treatment of mass casualties and including 17 local national patients and coordinated evacuation of two U.S. military and three local national casualties to medical treatment facilities.She was also the female engagement team lead responsible for mentoring Zabul’s Department of Women Affairs line director. The captain helped lecture a medical series for 10 Afghan female medical providers, which fostered working relationships between the Afghan health sector and people of Zabul.“My main job was to work with the regional directors advocating for the women in the cities we would tour,” she said. “As our team traveled through these cities, I would take time to talk with the women of the city to get a feel for how well their city leaders were spreading the medical care among all the villagers.”The captain also organized and oversaw long-term, culturally-appropriate economic projects directly benefiting more than 150 women and their families in the Zabul area.“She’s an excellent performer,” said Col. Blake Ortner, who was a member of her leadership team while deployed. “Captain Kane went well beyond her normal duties. Her contributions to the … programs were outstanding.”While she excelled down range, the captain missed her family no less. She said online video chatting was a welcome tool they used to keep in touch, but due to the nature of her mission, internet was not always available and 13 months away from her family was difficult.“Family aside, I would do it again in a heartbeat,” the wife and mother of two said. “But only if I were a single Airman. I’d have a hard time being away from my family for that long again.”Not only did she miss her family, but back home, her family and unit missed her.“We are very excited to have her home,” said Maj. Marc Weishaar, 92nd Medical Operations Squadron commander. “It is awesome to see the great care she provides her patients here at Fairchild is the same great quality of care she provided to her patients while deployed.”[Editor’s Note: The Bronze Star Medal is a U.S. Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit or meritorious service.]