Quality assurance maintains Marines’ safety

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

09.25.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - When aircraft are damaged, someone has to ensure they are fixed correctly, safely and quickly. Aviation quality assurance representatives provide guidance to the personnel who maintain the aircraft.

“Quality assurance is responsible for the overall safety in the maintenance department, quality of maintenance and prevention of defects,” said Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Pojda, the quality assurance chief for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Every aircraft and component has guidelines and criteria it has to meet to be certified as ready for flight. Quality assurance provides maintenance Marines with the information necessary to make effective repairs.

“Anytime a new manual or guidance comes out we make sure that it gets to the Marines, so they can have the most up-to-date information,” said Lance Cpl. Alexander Wolhoy, the central technical publication librarian for HMLA-469.

Once the Marines have the information they need and begin repairs, quality assurance observes parts of the process to ensure that no one’s safety is compromised, including the Marines who will use the equipment once the repairs are complete.

“Quality assurance is constantly spot checking the Marines, making sure they’re doing things by the book and making sure they’re using the right personal protective equipment,” said Pojda.

Pojda explained that most civilians go through years of college and training while most Marines only train from three months to a year before reaching the operational forces.

“Our guys are much younger and most of their training is on the job. My job is to make sure they’re getting that training,” said Pojda.

However, some repairs are too extensive for the Marines to fix. If the frame of the aircraft is malformed or other extreme damage is present, the unit will use contractors to perform the maintenance. Those contractors are often sourced through equipment manufacturers, and are often veteran service members with years of experience.

“Civilians do depot-level maintenance,” said Pojda. “They come in and do major repairs to the aircraft or the components.”
Quality assurance representatives ensure that all repairs, no matter who performs them, are up to the standards of the Marine Corps. Whatever the task, the Marines are always looking for ways to improve.

“The quicker the Marines can learn to do their jobs and the more efficient they are with doing that maintenance, the more turn around we get on the aircraft,” said Pojda.

Pojda explained that, like the rest of the Marine Corps supporting establishment, the quality assurance Marines’ goal is to do everything in their power to support the Marines on the front line.

• Date Taken: 09.25.2014
• Date Posted: 10.01.2014 16:58
• Story ID: 143956
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US
• Hometown: MODESTO, CA, US
• Hometown: YANKTON, SD, US