Vehicle maintainers keep mission moving one bolt at a time

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Phyllis Hanson | Senior Airman Tien Nguyen drills a hole into a mounting bracket in order to replace a...... read more read more

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Phyllis Hanson | Senior Airman Tien Nguyen drills a hole into a mounting bracket in order to replace a coolant reservoir on a deicing truck, June 19, at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. Airman Nguyen is assigned to the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, and is deployed from the 366th LRS at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. He is originally from Houston.  see less | View Image Page

MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZSTAN

06.24.2009

Story by Tech. Sgt. Phyllis Hanson 

376th Air Expeditionary Wing

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MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan — Vehicle maintainers are a crucial 'cog in the wheel' that if missing the mission could come to a tread-burning, screeching halt.

Whether it's changing oil or changing out an engine, the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Vehicle Maintenance team here keeps Manas on the move.

Some 300 vehicles, valued at $44 million, keep the 376th ELRS shop humming from sun up to sundown, and in between. Divided into two bays and a refueling section, the teams repair everything from aircraft deicing machines, fire engines and refueling trucks to all-purpose vehicles such security force trucks, humvees and busses, to name a few.

'Wrench crankers' are the driving force behind Manas' vehicle maintenance success. And it is the obvious the love these Airmen have for the jobs they do.

"Vehicle maintenance is something I've wanted to do since I was a kid," said Staff Sgt. Robert Forbes, 376th ELRS. "Being that I get to do it in the Air Force is even better," he said.

"I really enjoy this job, because it's something that I can take home with me. I can help people out with their vehicles even when I'm not there. I can help walk them through it. "It's a nice tool to have and is a skill I'll always be able to use," said Sgt. Forbes who is deployed from the 366th LRS at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

"I enjoy spinning wrenches on trucks and wherever I need to do it, I'll do it, whether it's here or in the states or anywhere in the world either way, I'm happy," he said. "A toolbox and a truck is all I need."

In the mechanic's world patience is must. With each new day come new challenges. Changing out hard-to-reach fuel filters or having to dismantle the guts of an engine compartment to fix a fuel injection control sensor buried within can be trying, but routine maintenance.

In one corner an Airman might be elbow deep in the front end of a fire truck, while another Airman replaces a deicer engine. Across the way fuel injectors might need some attention while another Airman rivets out bolts on a cargo loader.

Despite the team's proficiency, some projects don't always work out as planned. An Airman can labor all day, and into the next, removing a bad engine, taking its parts to put onto a refurbished engine only to find out that the replacement engine knocks and now it's back to square one.

What makes the maintenance team mission successful is that even though they mainly work independently, they are always willing to lend a hand.

"It's something I've always wanted to do...I watched my dad do it, and in high school I took auto mechanics because I knew that's wanted to do when I joined the military," said Senior Airman Steven Jordan, 376th ELRS.

"It wasn't what I expected at first, and it's had its ups and downs, but ... it's turned out for the better. I've learned a lot — especially here I continue to learn every day and then some," said Airman Jordan, who is deployed from the 99th LRS at Nellis AFB, Nev.

"Knowing I'm helping people out on an everyday basis is very satisfying," the Airman said.

As skills develop and rank grows on an Airman's sleeves, there comes more responsibility. A technical sergeant is expected to be proficient at each developmental juncture -- be able to lead an entire maintenance shop. But here the skills are shared which gives younger Airmen plenty of chances to excel.

"There are 26 2T3's [vehicle maintenance members] from five AFSC's [Air Force Specialty Codes] working here and they are asked to work on all vehicle types regardless of their specialty," said Master Sgt. Robert Reynolds, 376th ELRS vehicle fleet manager.

The snail-paced speed limits on base, ranging from 5 to 15 miles per hour, can wreak havoc on the vehicle fleet and assuredly keep the maintenance team busy.

"Slow speeds and poor fuel quality create engine sludge, fuel injection system and exhaust/emission systems to clog creating a constant work flow," said Sgt. Reynolds, who is deployed from the 4th LRS at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.

"Most of these repairs are not simple and require partial engine tear down, exhaust system replacement and on six occasions, complete engine replacement," he said.

For the many on the maintenance team, their six-month deployment is reaching an end, but looking back they have much to be proud of, he said.

"Of late, the team is on task to build rebuild snow equipment," he said. "We've pulled 26 vehicles in and gone through them bumper to bumper," said Reynolds.

"Since we worked on them all winter and know each one of their special quirks, we've identified and ordered the parts needed," said Reynolds.

"We want to get as many parts installed before we leave so they can concentrate on what lies ahead for them. To date we've ordered over $60,000 in parts just for summer rebuild," he said.

The crews also improved the aircraft refueling fleets mission-capable rate by more than 10 percent which required a complete overhaul of a dilapidated fleet," he said.

The Airmen's accomplishments are proven every day as vehicles of every size, shape and purpose travel about the base to accomplish the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing's mission.

Vehicle maintainers get a stronger sense of the base's bigger mission being right next to the flightline. The bays fill with warm winds blowing in jet fuel from the Air Force's refueling and cargo planes. The jet engines winding and the planes that fly above, blend with the diesel trucks revving, power wrenches rattling and the radio blasting.

But those aircraft could not go without the sounds of constant progress buzzing inside the vehicle maintenance bays.

The Airmen's blackened-tan boots and their grease-embedded finger nails, hands and elbows are the true mark of success for a hard day's work.

And as new crew members arrive, and this rotation's team hand over the tools, the vehicle maintenance mission will continue to cruise like a well-oiled machine.