POL flight starts what could be 'benchmark' process

Photo By Master Sgt. Nichelle Griffiths | Airman 1st Class Justin Bell, pumps jet fuel into a tank to be transported to the flightline at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 19. Bell is a 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron petroleum, oil and lubricants specialist. The POL flight here was the first in the AOR to implement a new pre-filter system for fuel which will save time and money and deliver better, cleaner fuel to the aircraft the KC-135 refuels. (Photo by: Senior Airman Nichelle Anderson)  

MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZSTAN

01.21.2010

Courtesy Story

376th Air Expeditionary Wing

Story by: Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- The 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron petroleum, oil and lubricants flight has just implemented a process for filtering fuel that the Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support general wants to make a "benchmark."

This first in the AOR pre-stage fuel filter system drew the attention of Maj. Gen. Robert McMahon during his Jan. 17 visit to the Transit Center.

The pre-filter pulls more of the sediment, water, impurities in the fuel out and results in a better end product, said Senior Master Sgt. Henry Ellis, 376th ELRS fuels manager.

"They are only half a micron big," he said, "but it allows us to pre-filter the fuel before it goes into the regular filter separators, into the trucks and eventually into the aircraft."

Brainstormed by Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Parris, the outgoing fuels manager, the filters were easy to obtain by working with the Air Force Petroleum Engineering Team. The filters have a national stock number, so any POL flight can simply contact AFPET and get the equipment.

"It should eliminate us from having to change the filter separators every few days," Ellis said. "We're hoping we can now go three weeks or even a month."

Saving both money and time, it's a very simple process, he said, but it has a huge impact considering the KC-135 Stratotankers here go through several thousand gallons a day. This air to air refueling is what allows fighters and bombers to stay in the fight over Afghanistan.

"General McMahon came through, we showed this to him, and he was very impressed with it," Ellis said. "He stated he wants to benchmark it AOR wide if not Air Force wide."

The fact that deployed Airmen are coming up with innovative ways to improve processes proves the metal they're made of.

"It's been my experience that working in the AOR brings out the very best in our Airmen," said Col. Thomas Joyce, 376th Expeditionary Mission Support Group commander. "The initiative and get it done attitude in our fuels flight and the entire wing is truly remarkable."

• Date Taken: 01.21.2010
• Date Posted: 01.21.2010 01:37
• Story ID: 44197
• Location: MANAS AIR BASE, KG