Eielson senior airman, East Wenatchee native, supports AGE ops for Southwest Asia wing

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Senior Airman Christian T. Pierce, an aerospace ground equipment, or AGE, journeyman assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, organizes items in the tool storage area he manages during operations at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia, Feb. 5. Pierce is deployed from the 354th Maintenance Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and his hometown is East Wenatchee, Wash.  

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02.10.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Senior Airman Christian T. Pierce is an aerospace ground equipment, or AGE, journeyman assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. Pierce is deployed from the 354th Maintenance Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and his hometown is East Wenatchee, Wash.

At the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, the flightline is a busy place every day. With KC-10 Extender, E-3 Sentry, U-2 Dragonlady and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft taking off for combat missions every day, aircraft maintenance Airmen have to have the generators and other aerospace ground equipment available to keep those aircraft prepped to go at any time.

That's where Airmen like Pierce are standing ready in the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. Pierce is an aerospace ground equipment, or AGE, journeyman deployed from the 354th Maintenance Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. He described what he does for his deployed duties.

"My job here requires that I control and maintain the programs for the AGE flight, including hazardous materials and hazardous waste, technical data and more than 3,000 tools," said Pierce, whose hometown is East Wenatchee, Wash. "Maintaining everything involves knowing and understanding many Air Force regulations and implementing inspections for serviceability and accountability. This helps to keep the mechanics diligently at work and ensure the flightline remains free of foreign objects as well."

In 2009, KC-10s from the 380th AEW flew more than 4,700 sorties, E-3s flew more than 370, U-2s -- more than 790, and the RQ-4s flew more than 360 missions. That's more than 6,000 combat missions that wouldn't be possible without the support of AGE maintainers, Pierce said.

"Without the delivery of aerospace ground equipment, aircraft cannot be properly tested, analyzed and repaired," said Pierce, a 2004 graduate of Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee. "Basically, without AGE, aircraft are not flying safely or in a timely manner."

A four-year veteran of the Air Force, Pierce reflects fondly on his service to his country to this point and said it's one of the best decisions he ever made.

"I'd never take back the four years I've put into the military so far," Pierce said. "The technical training and overall job experience I've received will be with me forever -- not to mention the amount of schooling I've got done and plan to continue on once I return to civilian life."

Pierce said he also knows the demands of being deployed and being "an important part" of making the deployed mission happen.

"If you're deploying or want to deploy, just remember to bring a working mindset for long hours because that's what you're here for -- to make those sorties fly," he said.

The 965th EAACS is an attached unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing supports Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa and Operation Enduring Freedom.

• Date Taken: 02.10.2010
• Date Posted: 02.10.2010 01:11
• Story ID: 45170
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)