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4/7/2010 - KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNS) -- For two vehicle maintainers attached to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, their job responsibilities extend beyond this base. They work at Forward Operating Base Diamondback in Mosul, Iraq, as maintainers for three aircraft cargo loaders. Tech. Sgt. Greg Marchand and Airman 1st Class Chris Kuczynski, both members of the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, work on the Army-controlled airfield in Mosul to support its movement control team mission. "Basically, the MCT handles both the cargo and the passenger side of things on the airfield," Sergeant Marchand said. "Of course we Air Force...

4/23/2009 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) -- During Red Flag-Alaska, thousands of feet above the rugged Alaskan terrain, pilots push their aircraft to the limits, performing dog fights and defensive maneuvers against aggressors, honing their skills for combat missions. However, pilots aren't the only ones who are contributing to mission success. During the Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercise, there are men and women on the ground who ensure those aircraft are safe and ready to go into combat and engage enemy targets. "Maintainers are an integral part of the mission here," said Staff Sgt. James George,...

3/24/2009 - NEW AL MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNS) -- Two maintenance Airmen took three Iraqi air force members from here to Camp Taji, Iraq, March 24 to help fix one of Iraq's C-130s In an attempt to help members of the Iraqi air force better cross utilize their resources and assets. Technical Sergeants Jim Grifasi and Bobby McKenzie, advisers with the 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron here, spearheaded this effort to teach the Iraqis to use one another to help solve problems at the lowest level. "That trip taught them more than technical skills. It taught them things that...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan, Jan. 8, 2008 – For the past year, a trio of airmen here has helped bring self-governance, security and economic growth to the people of Afghanistan’s Paktia and Logar provinces. The efforts of Air Force vehicle maintainers Tech. Sgt. Kendrick Ouzts and Staff Sgts. Andrew Hawley and Russell Achee enable members of the Gardez Provincial Reconstruction Team to cross the province’s rough terrain safely as they work to improve life for area villagers. “The vehicle maintenance shop keeps the PRT roadworthy,” said Air Force Capt. Mark Stevens, the PRT’s civil engineer. In addition to constantly...

3/27/2006 - MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN) -- In a dusty tent in the middle of maintenance town, computers are humming and a lone radio squawks the status of an incoming C-17 Globemaster III. The only sign that anybody works here is a row of desert camouflage blouses hung neatly near the door. A few of them belong to crew chiefs. The rest were shed by jet engine specialists, hydraulics specialists, navigation and avionics specialists, and fuel cell specialists as the calls came in for one jet landing after another. “We’re all crew chiefs here,” said Staff Sgt. Jason Wells,...

3/27/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- In the world of sports, there have been some incredible streaks. Cal Ripken Jr. played in 2,632 consecutive major league baseball games. Lance Armstrong was victorious in seven Tour de France races. Football great Johnny Unitas threw at least one touchdown pass in 47 straight games. But none of these streaks compare to the impact that one unit is having on the war on terrorism. The 99th Aircraft Maintenance Unit is working on a streak of more than 155 consecutive launches without a maintenance-related cancel to meet the air tasking order for the U-2...

12/7/2005 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFPN) -- Some people have compared the specialists at the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to gears in a watch. The watch can’t tick without the gears -- just as aircraft can’t fly without the Airmen. Within the squadron, specialists in each of the three aircraft maintenance units work behind the scenes to make sure all the B-52 Stratofortress’ aircraft systems work. The Airmen learn one or more aircraft systems to make sure each is ready for every sortie. “Each specialty is out there supporting the launch to ensure there are no mission breakers...

11/1/2005 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- A group of Edwards aircraft maintainers recently joined efforts to restore a historic aircraft for the Air Force Flight Test Center museum. A team of 36 maintainers from the 412th Equipment Maintenance Squadron's corrosion control, armament, structural maintenance, inspection flight and fabrication flight and from the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron worked weekends and nights for more than three months to restore an F-106 Delta Dart in time for display at the 2005 Edwards Open House and Air Show. Maj. Matt Humes, 412th Equipment Maintenance Squadron commander, said he got the...