Photo By Staff Sgt. Kylee Warren | Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Kern, a crew chief with the 153rd Maintenance Squadron discusses...... read more read more
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Kern, a crew chief with the 153rd Maintenance Squadron’s Recovery and Reclamation shop, spent a cold December morning removing aircraft tires from their wheels alongside fellow maintainers in the Wyoming Air National Guard’s tire shop. By the afternoon, the team had warmed up the cylindrical wheel washer, loaded a few wheel parts inside and prepared them for a thorough cleaning.
“We had four or five wheels where the tire was deemed flat or too worn,” Kern said. “We cut the tires apart to break them down, removed them from the wheels, disassembled the wheel halves and put them in the washer to be doused and cleaned with a chemical solution.”
Kern has served in the Wyoming Air National Guard for 12 years. Now a seasoned noncommissioned officer, he not only performs hands-on maintenance but also oversees younger Airmen, ensuring they are trained and confident in the tasks required to keep the aircraft safe and mission-ready.
Much of Kern’s work centers on the Hercules’ landing gear—one of the most critical systems for ensuring the aircraft can return safely to the ground. Kern said his favorite part of the job is the problem-solving it demands. “I like being put into a situation where I’m being depended on,” he said. “They rely on me to figure out what’s going on with the plane.”
In the Recovery and Reclamation shop, that kind of thinking is essential. “A lot of our stuff is not step-by-step,” Kern said. “It really comes down to mechanical aptitude and figuring it out.”
He recalled moments when that skill set directly contributed to mission success. During an isochronal inspection, his team discovered cracked components that typically show no damage.
“We were repairing struts and found other parts that needed attention—things that would have been missed if we didn’t have specialists looking closely,” Kern said.
“It’s more than just reading instructions and turning a wrench,” he added.
“It’s really thinking through the problem and coming up with the solution.” Kern said the shop’s mission may seem simple—keep the aircraft reliable and the tires clean—but its importance is undeniable.
“Without tires, planes can’t fly,” he said.
For Kern, service is grounded in purpose.
“Coming here and getting in uniform always kind of recenters you,” he said “It humbles you a little bit. This isn’t all about me. This is a group effort. This is a mission. It’s a bigger picture, and it actually means something.” Outside the military, Kern owns and operates an equipment rental company, but he said his service with the Wyoming Air National Guard remains a central part of his life.
“It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself,” he said. “Every wheel we inspect, every strut we repair, keeps our aircraft safe and ready for the next mission. That’s what makes it all meaningful.”
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2025 12:47 |
| Story ID: | 553329 |
| Location: | CHEYENNE, WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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