Photo By Vanessa Jimenez | Lance Cpl. James C. Riley, A fixed-wing aircraft safety equipment mechanic with Marine...... read more read more
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CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines - Many missions have a backbone. While it’s usually behind the scenes, without it the mission would not be accomplished. There would be mission failure.
The aircraft maintainers of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 were the backbone during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013 at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, June 10-14.
Both Squadrons are with Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
HT13 is a bilateral exercise conducted between the Philippine air Force and U.S. military.
The small-scope training included close-air support, airborne forward air control and dissimilar air combat training in order to enhance relationships and increase the proficiency of MAG-12 and the PAF.
“We’re out here training Filipinos on how to properly call in ordnance, so we’ve been making sure ordnance has been loading up properly,” said Cpl. Ryan Bentley, a fixed-wing aircraft powerline mechanic with VMFA-122. “We’ve been making sure the jets are ready, so the pilots do what they do best and give the Filipinos some good training.”
HT13 helps maintain a high level of interoperability and enhances military-to-military relations and combined combat capabilities.
Approximately 20 Marines participated in the exercise and found they had to depend on each other and work together.
“We’ve had to rely on each other and help each other out because we had limited tools and limited personnel,” said Bentley. “We’ve had to do things we normally wouldn’t do together, but it takes teamwork and always being vigilant to get things done.”
As the backbone, maintenance is the oil that keeps the machine running. Maintenance Marines inspect and maintain aircraft airframes and airframe components, ejection seats and they perform duties relating to flight operations. They are the first and last stop during inspections to determine whether the aircraft will fly.
“We can’t launch (jets) without anything (the maintainers) do; from putting gas in the jets, to ordnance, to servicing the oil, hydraulics and running all the checks they do when they come back or before they launch in the morning,” said Maj. Kevin Goodwin, maintenance officer in charge with VMFA(AW)-242. “We don’t go airborne unless the maintenance Marines have taken care of their job.”
During HT13, maintenance Marines were able to adapt and overcome the obstacles they faced to put jets in the air.
“They do phenomenal work day in and day out to keep jets up and running, to allow us to go out and fly and be prepared for anything that may come along for us to do,” said Goodwin. “I want them to know I feel extreme pride in the work they constantly put out, no matter the conditions, no matter the pressures, no matter the situation. They’re always out there getting it done, and mission accomplishment is the top of their priority list.”
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2013 20:47 |
| Story ID: | 109423 |
| Location: | CLARK AIR BASE, PH |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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