5th EAMS Jokers are ready for any wild card

Photo By Staff Sgt. Monica Roybal | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hunter Davis, 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, checks the oil level on a C-5M Super Galaxy at Cargo City, Kuwait, Dec. 28, 2020. This airframe-specific skillset requires the team to remain on-call and ready to provide support at multiple flight lines since C-5 Galaxy missions are essential to the forward operating bases in the area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Monica Roybal)  

KUWAIT

12.28.2020

Story by Senior Airman Monica Roybal 

386th Air Expeditionary Wing

A flurry of neon green reflective belts can typically be seen bustling about the C-17 Globemaster III’s parked on the Ali Al Salem Air Base flight line, but an 18-person mobile team of U.S. Air Force Airmen also flaunt their green belts at Cargo City, Kuwait.

The crew is made up of 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron maintainers and supply personnel who commute to Cargo City to apply their aircraft maintenance skills on the C-5 Galaxy aircraft making pit stops at the alternate flight line.

“What’s special about our team is that our guys are dual-qualified to work C-5’s and C-17’s,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Robert Scruggs, 5th EAMS aircraft maintenance production superintendent. “We work here and at ASAB. If we don’t have any aircraft coming in on a certain day then we work at Ali’s 5th EAMS office and help there.”

According to Scruggs, this airframe-specific skillset requires the team to remain on-call and ready to provide support at both flight lines since C-5 Galaxy missions are essential to the forward operating bases in the area of responsibility.

Once the C-5’s hit the ground, the maintainers jump into action performing all the required checks to ensure the aircrew can keep their mission moving.

“We have a set amount of time for us to do our checks, so when those engines turn off we get out there and get to work,” said Senior Airman Ryan Somers, 5th EAMS aerial repair crew chief. “We start with the exterior of the aircraft: check the skin, the fuel load, the oil and ask the aircrew if they have specific issues they need us to fix while they’re stopped here.”

The 5th EAMS “Fighting Joker” mascot represents the ability to respond to any wild card the deployed environment may throw at them; a strength embodied within the Cargo City team through their dual knowledge, skillset and constant readiness.

• Date Taken: 12.28.2020
• Date Posted: 01.26.2021 02:44
• Story ID: 387597
• Location: KW