Welding the bonds to success

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jovan Banks | The Airmen of the 509th Maintenance Squadron metals technology shop make repairs to various pieces of equipment at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Aug. 18, 2017. These Airmen are responsible for the creation and repair of aircraft, aerospace ground equipment, and service equipment for basewide operations. The metals tech Airmen are expected to be knowledgeable about the inner workings of a component to go beyond routine repairs.  

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, MO, UNITED STATES

09.15.2017

Story by Senior Airman Jovan Banks 

509th Bomb Wing

Whiteman Air Force Base has a
unique mission and with that mission
comes the responsibility of carrying
out daily tasks that make Whiteman
the nation's premier bomb wing.
“During my time here I've learned
that, through dedication, you can learn
anything and achieve so much,” said
U. S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Gildardo
Martinez, an aircraft metals technology
journeyman assigned to the
509th MXS.
Coming from the field of web development,
Martinez has taken that
mentality and applied himself.
“With very little knowledge about
the mechanical world, I came here,
learned a ton and have risen to become
Airman of the Quarter at the group
level.”
One thing that this could be accredited
to is the environment and the
shop’s unique approach to maintenance.
“The average metals technician
should not only be able to repair equipment
through guidance, but also be
knowledgeable enough about the inner
workings of a component,” said Staff
Sgt. Steven Lynch, a metals technology
craftsman assigned to the 509th
MXS.
Metals technology is a vital component
of not only Whiteman’s flying
mission, but also the many missions of
grounds equipment.
“Metals tech is a more unique career
field in that we are not dedicated to
only working on aircraft components,”
said Lynch. “We have a wide variety of
projects that range from routine weld
repairs on Aerospace Ground Equipment
platforms to performing maintenance
on dining facility equipment.”
Having an in-house metals tech
shop reduces the time aircraft are down
while also producing quality work on
every part repaired.
“Without our expertise, some parts
of the aircraft may never be replaced,”
said Martinez. “The base would have
to reach out to another machine shop
that may not have the same flexibility
and attention to detail as Airmen from
our shop.”
The pressure of being responsible
for parts needed in order to continue
flying can be difficult, but in the end
it is a gratifying feeling of accomplishment,
said Martinez.
“Knowing that the aircraft is
grounded, awaiting a part that I need
to manufacture is a huge weight on
my shoulders,” said Martinez. “It's
very stressful but equally as rewarding
when I complete it. Seeing it take off is
like watching your child go off to college;
you've succeeded.”

• Date Taken: 09.15.2017
• Date Posted: 09.15.2017 14:40
• Story ID: 248446
• Location: WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, MO, US