Photo By Tech. Sgt. Brigette Waltermire | Pictured in this courtesy photo is a bench restored by members of the 379th...... read more read more
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It’s hard to say who is affected more by the constant, hot Qatari sun beating down year-round on Al Udeid Air Base: the personnel or the infrastructure.
Every day, we walk by fading buildings, weathered sidewalks and dusty windows. But, there’s a mindset we have in the Air Force that Brig. Gen. Dan Tulley, the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, captured with his priorities: “Our base and culture reflect a standard worthy of our Airmen.” And it is a mindset that the Airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron live and breathe.
For the past two weeks, the 379th EAMXS have taken it upon ourselves to rejuvenate the benches in front of the Blatchford-Preston Complex Base Exchange: picking up trash, sanding and painting – bringing new life to an area the base passes daily.
Our squadron commander, Lt. Col. Fred Jackson, believes in taking care of our base no matter how long we’re deployed here:
“We all live here, whether it’s for four, six, or twelve months. We all want to leave our mark, and be proud of what we did. We’ll be able to say ‘We left AUAB better than we found it.’”
Our maintenance squadron’s primary mission is to maintain and launch the KC-135 Stratotanker, RC-135V/W Rivet Joint, and E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft. After setting the standard for KC-135 hot-pit refueling in the Air Force, the 379th EAMXS Airmen were not content to melt back into a daily routine. Staff Sgt. Marrissa Robinson, an engine technician for the RC-135, helped lead the charge.
“When you get the jet in the air, you want to keep moving,” she said. “Sometimes engine work can be a feast or famine, so we want to fill that empty time. We deploy here all the time, so we want to take care of it.”
Over the course of 14 days, Airmen from all three aircraft maintenance units took part in pressure washing and sanding down the wood, repainting the metal backstops, staining and lacquering, and inlaying placards, all while continually supporting aircraft combat missions.
The event was coordinated by Master Sgt. Vincent Lopez, the RC-135 superintendent and EAMXS lead production superintendent.
“Our job isn’t just aircraft maintenance,” Lopez asserts. “Our job is to be Airmen. With that comes an innate need to keep striving for better – for best.”
Our maintenance units work 12-hour shifts and are manned 24/7 to generate airpower in support of operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. We also support additional transient aircraft such as the Navy’s F-18s. Our Airmen rotated in and out during the project while still completing their operational mission. There is a distinct and uplifting difference to the face of the building now, all thanks to their efforts.
The next time you walk into the Base Exchange, take a look at the hard work these men and women have put into enhancing our neighborhood. And the next time you pass by a weathered structure or area on base, consider taking a page from their book, and leave Al Udeid better than you found it. Ask yourself: “Does this reflect the standards of our Airmen? Does this reflect me?”
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2020 00:29 |
| Story ID: | 383160 |
| Location: | QA |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Commentary: Exhibiting Airmanship — 379th EAMXS ‘Mavericks’ complete installation service project, by TSgt Brigette Waltermire, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
KC-135 Stratotanker
Aircraft Maintenance
Al Udeid Air Base
E-8C Joint STARS
RC-135V/W Rivet Joint
State of Qatar (Qatar)
