Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexandria Lee | U.S. Air Force Airman Benjamin Moran, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems...... read more read more
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Electrical systems Airmen have a hand on nearly every part of RAF Mildenhall, from the lights on the runway that help the maintainers see; to the lights in the dorms enabling those same Airmen turn to on the lights in their room.
“We keep the power on for everyone, we have a hand on everything,” said Airman Benjamin Moran, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems apprentice. “Our main priorities are the interiors and exteriors of the base. The interior can be things as small as replacing light bulbs throughout buildings, to maintaining the transformer that keeps the power on for an entire sector of buildings. The exterior extends from street lights allowing drivers to see their path, to the flight line lights lighting the runway.”
All of RAF Mildenhall runs off some type of electricity and the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron electrical systems play a major role in keeping it running.
“One of our most important resources are our light bulbs,” said Staff Sgt. Thomas Harkin, 100th CES electrical systems journeyman. “We’ve spent a lot of time upgrading the lights throughout the base to light-emitting diode lights (LED), and in turn that has saved the base a large amount of money in replacement bulbs as well as man-hours.”
Some things may be seen as small but they have such a huge short term and long term impact,” he said.
With all of the responsibility of keeping the lights on for RAF Mildenhall, there does come some danger.
“One tenth of an amp is all it takes to have fatal repercussions, a typical wall socket carries three,” Moran said. “Our job can be very dangerous if precautions aren’t taken properly. That’s why trusting your team is so important. To work on any electrical circuits we have to de-energize, disconnect the electric circuit from a power supply. We depend on each other every day to make sure it’s done properly and safely, because our life can depend on it.”
The electrical systems flight takes teamwork seriously on and off field. A small flight of only 12 military personnel can build a special bond between the Airmen.
“As a brand new Airman, it can be a lot when first coming in,” Moran said. “My team took good care of me when I first arrived here and they went above and beyond. As an apprentice, I’m still learning a lot on the job, and to have a great relationship with my coworkers outside of work makes trusting them even easier.”
Electrical systems specialists play a key role in ensuring mission accomplishment Air Force wide, Air Force bases and installations require electricity to operate efficiently. They are the unsung heroes of RAF Mildenhall – responsible for installing, repairing and maintaining electrical networks.
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 03.01.2019 04:03 |
| Story ID: | 312424 |
| Location: | BURY ST. EDMUNDS, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 106 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Electrical systems Airmen light way for RAF Mildenhall mission, by SSgt Alexandria Lee, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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