PMEL prolongs equipment effectiveness

by Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

are quickly approaching more than 60 years old and still flying with systems requiring calibration equipment no longer manufactured making our mission very important."Just as people perform regular maintenance on their own car or truck, PMEL does this with their standards and calibration equipment to prolong equipment's useful life effectively saving the Air Force millions of dollars. Loe said they maintain equipment by means of a science called metrology.Metrology is the science of measurement and required to ensure Air Force systems are accurate and can reliably perform their designated missions. Every system in the Air Force inventory requires some type of accurate and reliable measurement to be made."PMEL is absolutely vital as properly calibrated tools are essential for us to complete our mission correctly," said Airman 1st Class Marcel Acebo, a 92nd MXS crew chief and San Luis, Calif., native. "Without PMEL, there's the grim potential for damage to not only the aircraft, but anyone working on and flying them as well."Prior to the 1950s, the Air Force had no formal, centralized calibration program. However, during this period of rapidly expanding technology, operational and testing accident rates increased dramatically and contractor conformance deteriorated. So in 1958, a project dubbed, "Test Shop," was established directing that test equipment repair and calibration activities be established at Air Force bases worldwide eventually becoming what is now PMEL."What we do is very important for getting those tankers in the air," Bidler said. "They can't do what they do without us."

Academy cadets deploy, experience expeditionary life

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

work day-in and day-out to get the mission accomplished, but they're truly an inspiration."This glimpse of what cadets refer to as the "real" Air Force is meant to develop these future officers and help them determine which career fields to put on their preference sheets. Their immersion included everything from civil engineering to communications, medical to equipment management, maintenance to operations."It's awesome to get them out here and in the environment we work," said Staff Sgt. Samuel Martinez, a 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron boom operator deployed from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. "This program gives them the insight they need to figure out what they want to do in the Air Force."Despite sweat, sand, wind and heat, the cadets shadowed officers, senior and junior NCOs, gaining insight, inspiration and a bit of humiliation important to their Air Force careers."This experience is very motivational for them as it gives them a glimpse at what they'll be doing in a few years," said Maymi.