Flyby - Cpl. Richard K. Brown

Photo By Lance Cpl. Paul E. Wyatt | Cpl. Richard K. Brown, an electronic countermeasures technician with MALS-14, works on a weapons replaceable assembly at the MAG-14 NITE lab October 18, 2012. Finding the problem in a WRA, which contains more than 200 components, is what Brown says is the most difficult part of his job.  

CHERRY POINT, NC, UNITED STATES

10.18.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Paul E. Wyatt 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CHERRY POINT, N.C. - When repairs are needed on an EA-6B Prowler, the squadron will try to fix it. When they can’t fix it, they send it to the Marines of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14 where Cpl. Richard K. Brown, an electronic countermeasures technician, works.

Brown, a native of Marion, Ohio, has the know-how and the equipment to be able to pinpoint an issue down to a single microchip on a weapons replaceable assembly which has more than 200 components.

His job directly supports all four of the Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadrons on the air station. In his day-to-day work, Brown always keeps in mind what could happen if he did his job wrong.

He knows that if repairs aren’t made correctly "there could be serious consequences like losing an airplane or loss of life."
When deployed, the reward for doing his job is greater. He says that when “you can actually see the Prowler flying, you can see it doing its mission, you can see it helping the Marines on the ground.”

Even with the added pressure, he said he loves the complexity of the job, working on equipment most people have never seen or heard of.

• Date Taken: 10.18.2012
• Date Posted: 10.23.2012 14:15
• Story ID: 96634
• Location: CHERRY POINT, NC, US
• Hometown: MARION, OH, US