Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Daniel Dickerson, who is a traditional guardsmen in the...... read more read more
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The 158th Fighter Wing in Burlington, Vermont, is a strong foundation of the Green Mountain State and home to the Vermont Air National Guard (VTANG). The service members of VTANG deploy when needed worldwide, provide support during national disasters, and assist in putting out fires on and off the airport with its elite firefighting unit.
In 2013, the United States Air Force selected the 158th Fighter Wing based out of Burlington to be the first Air National Guard Unit to receive the F-35A. Marking its place in Air Guard history, the first F-35As arrived at Burlington in 2019, followed by a steady delivery of more joint strike fighters that now bring the force total to 20.
Like his wingmen at VTANG, Master Sergeant Dan Dickerson is committed to public service. He works full-time at the Legislative Joint Fiscal Office, a part of the Vermont General Assembly in addition to his duties as an Avionics Specialist with the 158th Maintenance Group.
"Everything I've done has been due to my commitment to public service, whether it is in the Guard or working for state government," he said.
His path to the F-35 and Vermont began in Illinois.
"I enlisted in the Illinois Air National Guard 183rd Wing right out of high school in 2001, where I grew up in Springfield," said Dickerson.
Dickerson was very active in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom for six years following the tragic events of 9/11. Those first years were crucial in getting him where he is today.
“As a traditional guardsman, I spent so much time on active duty during those years going on deployments and being a part of aircraft modifications. Learning what it means to be activated was huge for me. That experience has been what I fall back on with the transition to the F-35. Whatever challenge we face, we make it work," he said.
In 2007, Dickerson learned about a position available at the 158th Fighter Wing at Burlington with the Home Station Alert Mission supported by F-16 fighter jets. He applied and was hired.
"I never stepped in Vermont before, but the unit welcomed me. I did the Alert Mission for a few years and then returned to Illinois to finish my undergrad at Southern Illinois University and graduate school at the University of Illinois in Chicago," said Dickerson.
But the VTANG left an impression on Dickerson. When he finished his education in 2013, he landed his first job as a fiscal analyst with the Vermont General Assembly. He continued to come to the base on weekends to work with the VTANG maintenance crews and the F-16. Then the base received exciting news.
"In 2013, I learned we were getting the F-35. After working on F-16s for 12 years, I was excited about the new warfighter. We welcomed our first set of F-35s in September of 2019 and have been going pretty strong since. It will be fantastic for the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. moving forward. I'm happy to see these new F-35s on our ramp," said Dickerson.
Dickerson has been working solely on the F-35 for three years now. It has been a new learning curve for his team of avionic specialists. They have had to learn to make quick adjustments to the intricate parts of the fifth-generation aircraft.
"We oversee and maintain the electronics, navigation, radar, flight controls, weapons delivery, threat warning and response, and the wiring and components of the fighter plane. And now with the F-35, you add extra layers of complexity with the environmental systems and the new electronic layout," he explained, adding that the years spent working on the flight line with the F-16 supported his new focus on the F-35.
"Before the F-35's arrival, the crews were working with a 35-year-old aircraft with unique issues. We found that one system would fail because of an issue with a completely different system. That challenged everyone. But once we figured it out, we were better off because it forced us to think outside the box," said Dickerson.
"If something fails. We think, ‘What thing within this schematic, even if it is the smallest linkage, could cause this?’, and then (we) drill down and single out every possible avenue for interference or failure. That is the mindset and skills that our people within avionics bring to the F-35," he continued. "For me, it's not enough to know I fixed something; it is knowing how I fixed it, and how we can prevent it from breaking down again."
Because of the fellowship, Dickerson is proud to be a part of the 158th Fighter Wing. Even with a global pandemic causing unforeseen complications, the cohesiveness of his F-35 unit demonstrated how capable they are in the face of unexpected obstacles beyond their control. As a result of this, the crews exited a three-year conversion process at the end of December 2021 (despite new COVID restrictions) and are now ready to fully operate as an F-35A wing.
"We operate at such a high level. We hold ourselves to the highest standards at VTANG. Being the first Air Guard unit to receive the F-35 has really shown how resilient we are as a unit. We have been successful thus far and we will continue to be successful," he expressed.
Dickerson and the avionics specialists at the VTANG have driven success in the past year by developing and executing new F-35 training scenarios. The full-time maintenance crews developed these training scenarios to help the younger airmen better acclimate to the new warfighter. Dickerson pointed out that the F-35 has fantastic capabilities, but there are challenges when learning a new jet.
"I think everybody within the avionics element has come in eager to learn. It is not just doing an operations check and calling it a day. We keep the F-35 safely flying," he said.
The hands-on training has been a valuable tool for the drill status guardsmen within the VTANG and airmen who have spent their careers maintaining the F-16.
"The F-35s here are pretty good, so there have been fewer opportunities to get out there and fix something that is actually broken, said Dickerson. “So the training scenarios have been beneficial to re-create a realistic situation with a new F-35.”
On a global stage, the F-35 has proven to be a cornerstone of the U.S. National Defense Strategy, with operations currently taking place worldwide to deter aggressors and sustain peace. But for Dickerson, the fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter does not just represent global air dominance. It also means jobs to the local economy in Vermont.
"VTANG is a large employer in the state. We have local Vermonters working on these jets, and that is a great part of bringing the F-35 here," he said.
Alabama, Florida, and Wisconsin will join the VTANG by transitioning to the F-35 at their Air National Guard bases in the coming years, with committed air guardsmen like Dickerson to keep those aircraft flying for decades to come.
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2022 10:07 |
| Story ID: | 416430 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VA, US |
| Hometown: | BURLINGTON, VT, US |
| Hometown: | SPRINGFIELD, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 740 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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