Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Corenthia Fennell | Senior Airman Matthew Ramirez, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron sheet metal...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - For many Airmen a piece of metal is just that, but for an aircraft structural maintainer its usage is limitless.
The mission of the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron sheet metal shop is to provide structural support to the F-16 Falcons at Joint Base Balad.
"We're pretty much a body shop for aircraft," said Staff Sgt. Traiven Williams, 332nd EMXS aircraft structural maintenance non-commissioned officer in charge of sheet metal.
Metal fabricators can fix and make new aircraft parts or panels, repair composite materials and swage hydraulic tubes to keep aircraft operational, Williams, who is deployed from Misawa Air Base, Japan, said.
Airman 1st Class Bianca Myers, 332nd EMXS structural maintenance journeyman, said she was intimidated by the task at hand in the beginning. With the experience gained from this deployment, she is more confident in her work.
"I had the opportunity to fabricate and replace several cracked C-130 Hercules panels," the native of Scottdale, Pa., who is deployed from Misawa AB, Japan, said. "We were able to knock it out quickly and had them on their way."
Sheet metal fabricators may work in the "back shop," but their contributions are just as important as any others.
"We work hand in hand to provide a service to the 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit and they keep us employed by using our service," Williams, a native of Shreveport, La., said. "I believe we are all important and work well as a team."
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2011 10:14 |
| Story ID: | 70058 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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