Photo By Diana Nesukh | To address workforce gaps, the Mechanical Section at Wright-Patterson AFB partnered...... read more read more
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In the Civil Engineer Operations world, sometimes Airmen Engineers must think outside of the box to fill vacant Federal Wage System positions in our shops. That is exactly what the Mechanical Section did at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Upon learning about Developmental Standard Core Personnel Documents and hearing of other bases collaborating with local trade schools via the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Federal Wage System Force Development Team, the shop began its search.
Section leadership interviewed several trade school students when they met Zane Wullenweber. While in high school, Wullenweber attended Miami Valley Career Technical Center where he began his mechanical field journey as a welding trainee. Wullenweber was hired as a General Industrial Equipment Mechanic Student Trainee WG-2 and entered a two-tract training program as a pipefitter and air conditioning mechanic.
Wullenweber has been assigned to work crews with experienced technicians who have mentored and trained him over the past five years. His basic knowledge of welding learned at MVCTC has been expanded to include pipefitting duties, which are critical to maintaining Wright-Patterson's seven-mile-long steam distribution system. He has been trained to troubleshoot and repair numerous system components, including traps, regulators, tube bundles, expansion joints and other components that are crucial to system operation. His newly acquired skills were instrumental in the installation of an 800-foot low-pressure condensate line after the original shallow trench pipe was deemed irreparable.
To broaden his mechanical skills and provide versatility to the shop, Wullenweber was also trained by experienced air conditioning mechanics to operate and maintain industrial, commercial and residential cooling equipment. He gained experience performing preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and assisting in the repairs and maintenance of water and air-cooled chillers, cooling towers, air handling units and support equipment, such as pumps, strainers, air separators, and other integral system components. He was a critical part of physically replacing a 200-ton chiller, providing cooling to the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center headquarters facility.
His supervisors, upon analyzing his progression, potential and training team feedback, made the decision to shift Wullenweber’s primary duties to those of an A/C mechanic. Despite Wullenweber developing into a high-performing pipefitter, supervisors determined that being an A/C mechanic provided the best value to the shop’s mission as well as for his career progression. Understanding this, he was assigned a seasoned A/C technician as a trainer-mentor who is deliberately developing Wullenweber. Today, Wullenweber continues to hone his skills in highly visible, mission essential facilities around the installation. As a bonus, his experience in the pipefitting arena provides the shop with versatility as he is effectively able to work in both specialized areas.
Recognizing Wullenweber's career potential, his supervisor was able to secure a class seat at the Air Force’s Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Apprentice School at Sheppard Air Force Base in 2023. The formal training he received further expanded his capabilities and, coupled with his field experience and training, has produced a highly effective technician capable of fulfilling Department of Air Force requirements well into the future. As Wullenweber has continued to grow in his job proficiency, he has been promoted three times and currently serves as a WG-8. Furthermore, Wullenweber is a textbook example of how the Civil Engineer Enterprise can use Developmental SCPDs and a robust training program to grow talented young people into fully qualified technicians.
The Developmental SCPDs referenced in this article are found here:
https://myfss.us.af.mil/USAFCommunity/s/knowledge-detail?xid=20016
9W303, Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic (Helper), and 9W304, Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic, are Developmental SCPDs.
Story courtesy of Mr. Jason E. Frigon, Federal Wage System Force Development Manager, Air Force Civil Engineer Center.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2025 12:20 |
| Story ID: | 542546 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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