Photo By Staff Sgt. Elliot Boutin | Snow removal vehicles assigned to the 157th Civil Engineering Squadron clear snow from...... read more read more
PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. — Airmen and civilian employees at Pease Air National Guard Base work around the clock each winter to ensure snow and ice do not disrupt air refueling operations for the 157th Air Refueling Wing.
The installation’s snow removal team plays a critical role in maintaining base readiness, clearing more than 60 acres of flightline, roads, parking lots and sidewalks across the installation. Their work ensures aircraft can launch and recover safely despite New Hampshire’s harsh winter weather.
Scott Sneirson, a state employee with the 157th Civil Engineering Squadron known by the callsign “Snow King,” has supported snow removal operations at Pease for more than 35 years.
Sneirson oversees crews and ensures personnel are trained to high standards while keeping safety a top priority during winter operations.
“We are always busy,” Sneirson said. “The aircraft are always doing something. We have to show the world that we can do the mission when it’s bad like this. We have to plow it, clear it and do what we have to do to show the mission can still happen.”
The snow removal team includes more than 20 personnel made up of state employees and 157th Air National Guard augmentees. Crews typically operate on 12-hour shifts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with snowfall determining the pace and intensity of operations.
Heavy equipment operators must remain ready to respond at any time, often shifting between snow removal duties and their normal maintenance responsibilities.
“The hardest part of the job is staying flexible,” said David Monroe, a state-employed maintenance technician who also serves as a heavy equipment operator on the snow removal team. “Sometimes we are moving snow for half a day, sometimes we are back on the normal maintenance routine. It can be challenging keeping up with the parameters of the mission.”
After several winters with lighter snowfall, this season has brought more demanding conditions for the team.
“We had a lot of slack years,” said Dan Healey, a state employee maintenance technician who also supports snow removal operations. “If you look at these snow piles, they are getting pretty big.”
Through heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures and long shifts, the team’s work ensures Pease Air National Guard Base remains operational throughout the winter, allowing the 157th Air Refueling Wing to continue delivering global air refueling capabilities whenever and wherever they are needed.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2026 14:08 |
| Story ID: | 559641 |
| Location: | NEWINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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