1108th TASMG brings PMI to Camp Arifjan

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Amber Simpkins | Sgt. Joshua McDoniel, 1108th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group, is conducting maintenance on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a preventative maintenance inspection, Sept. 28, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Amber Simpkins, 1108th TASMG Unit Public Affairs Representative)  

KUWAIT

10.10.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Amber Simpkins 

1108th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The 1108th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group (TASMG) began a Phase Maintenance Inspection Cycle-1 (PMI) at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait on Sept. 28 and successfully returned the completed aircraft to the 1/137th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, two weeks later.

There was much collaboration and many different moving parts that had to fall into place to make this PMI a success and the phase team ensured every piece of the puzzle ended up fitting perfectly into place.

When Staff Sgt. Joshua Perry, phase team lead, heard about the PMI coming to Camp Arifjan and the possible equipment and part issues, his immediate response was, “There’s no task too difficult.”

That was followed up by his assistant phase team lead, Sgt. Richard Poole saying, “Challenge accepted.”

Since their arrival in Kuwait nearly seven months ago, the first aircraft for PMI had finally arrived. This was exciting for the team of mechanics who were eager to put their skill and expertise to the task.

“The guys looked like ants on old meat,” said Master Sgt. Vernon Dedeaux, quality control noncommissioned officer in charge. “The aircraft was covered from nose to tail in minutes to be disassembled and from there, we were all in.”

Prior to the start of the PMI, the phase team had numerous meetings preparing for the upcoming maintenance. Perry knew his team didn’t have all the necessary equipment to perform the required maintenance tasks at Camp Arifjan so he coordinated with his production control and maintenance office to acquire the needed equipment from the GSAB.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christopher Clark, 1/137th GSAB production control officer, received the list and began gathering the necessary items to send to the phase team to ensure a successful PMI. The detailed coordination resulted in a seamless transfer of the required aircraft parts from Camp Buehring, allowing the PMI to proceed without delays.

Staff Sgt. Otniel Manzat and Sgt. John Stone, 1/137th GSAB avionics technicians, were instrumental in the completion of the phase by expeditiously providing all necessary avionics equipment. They wasted no time in gathering the test equipment and loading them on a Catfish Air flight heading to Camp Arifjan the day after the request went in.

Even with a minor setback during test flight, an Army 10-mile run and a day off, the PMI was completed on time and to the quality everyone expects from the 1108th TASMG.

The successful completion of the PMI can truly be attributed to successful collaboration between two aviation units on separate bases. Each section functioned exactly as planned with both production control sections communicating their needs to each other and pushing them out to the respective sections. The 1108th TASMG overcame every obstacle placed in front of them and returned a quality product to the 1/137th GSAB.

The phase team concluded their mission with the phrase, “We did it live.”

• Date Taken: 10.10.2015
• Date Posted: 11.23.2015 02:42
• Story ID: 182587
• Location: KW