Lee deploying with Vermont aviation unit

Photo By Maj. J. Scott Detweiler | U.S. Army Spc. Jason Lee, crew chief, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (Air Ambulance), 86th Troop Command, Garrison Support Command, Vermont National Guard, conducts an interview during pre-deployment training, Ft. Sill, Okla., July 15, 2018. The unit is preparing for a deployment overseas for a year to provide medical evacuation support. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. J. Scott Detweiler)  

FT. SILL, OK, UNITED STATES

08.02.2018

Story by Capt. J. Scott Detweiler 

172nd Public Affairs Detachment

FORT SILL, Okla., -- U.S. Army Spc. Jason Lee, 31, of Murfreesboro, Tenn. is preparing for a year-long deployment to Southwest Asia and the Middle East with the Vermont National Guard’s Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (Air Ambulance).

Lee serves as a crew chief on an Ambulatory UH-60M Black hawk helicopter, a highly technical role that includes, “clearing the pilots when we’re making a turn. When we come to touch down making sure that we’re not canted off to one side to induce a roll over. Making sure everything is hunky-dory in the back,” described Lee.

Lee moved down to Tenn. about three years ago but has continued to serve with this Vt. unit to complete this upcoming deployment.

While not serving with the Guard he works as a residential Pest Control exterminator. According to Lee, both of his jobs complement each other to make him a better employee. “Attention to detail is huge, especially doing what we’re doing here. Coming up with scopes of services for people’s homes and protecting their homes requires detail, so they correlate very well.”

Lee has been able to leverage that attention to detail to refine his skills as a crew chief here prior to deployment. When not on a mission, he frequently sits down with more senior crew chiefs who provide additional coaching. “It’s a lot of information whether it be a fuel check, emergency procedures, whether we’re running a hoist, there’s a lot of different variables that are going on in the back. We keep going over it so it becomes muscle memory and we can use it in a real life mission. It is very technical, guys that have been doing this for many years are still learning, so it’s ever changing.”

While Lee misses his wife and three “fur babies” he values his opportunity to work as a crew chief. “I love to fly, there’s nothing more exhilarating than riding in the back of one of these and being involved in what’s going on with the aircraft. That’s very rewarding to me.”

• Date Taken: 08.02.2018
• Date Posted: 08.02.2018 11:13
• Story ID: 286921
• Location: FT. SILL, OK, US
• Hometown: MURFREESBORO, TN, US