SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Ditomasso recently returned to his home station of Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., after serving as the maintenance superintendent for the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's Sentry aircraft maintenance unit at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia.
Ditomasso had deployed from the 513th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Tinker AFB. His hometown is Hyde Park, N.Y., and he is a current resident of Oklahoma City, Okla. In leading the maintenance effort for deployed E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, Ditomasso supported maintenance of the E-3 planes deployed with the 965th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron.
He supported the success of AWACS aircraft to fly combat missions in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility providing an airborne command and control capability. To keep the E-3 Sentry flying in the deployed areas, Ditomasso's Sentry AMU Airmen from the 380th EAMXS managed the maintenance of the E-3 -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to its Air Force fact sheet, the E-3 Sentry is an aircraft with an integrated command and control battle management, or C2BM, surveillance, target detection, and tracking platform. The aircraft provides an "accurate, real-time picture" of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. AWACS aircraft provide situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle space, and early warning of enemy actions during joint, allied and coalition operations, the fact sheet states.
Ditomasso returned from his deployment to Southwest Asia in May 2010.
The 380th EAMXS is a sub-unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
| Date Taken: |
05.15.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
05.15.2010 01:55 |
| Story ID: |
49716 |
| Location: |
(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: |
364 |
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This work, Tinker chief master sergeant, Hyde Park native, returns from Southwest Asia deployment after leading AMU, by MSgt Jenifer Calhoun, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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