Photo By Airman 1st Class Rosario Garcia | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Andrew Collier, 325th Maintenance Squadron metals...... read more read more
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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Confronted with an empty storage closet and thousands of scattered tools in the wake of Hurricane Michael, Senior Airman Andrew Collier reestablished Tyndall Air Force Base's aircraft metals technology shop from scratch. Today, the 325th Maintenance Squadron metals technology journeyman applies that same relentless problem-solving drive to the flightline, fabricating custom equipment that prevents weeks of aircraft downtime.
For Collier, challenges like these are the most rewarding part of his job. Part machinist, part welder and part 3D-printing artist, Collier is a problem-solver at his core, fabricating solutions that keep aircraft flying and save the Air Force millions of dollars.
"A lot of our job, if we do it right, saves the Air Force a lot of money," Collier said. "The price of material, whether it's plastic, rubber or metal is a lot cheaper than sending it elsewhere or buying a brand new one."
Collier designed a 3D-printed cover to protect the sharp corners of a missile loading table from striking into an aircraft. The design protects the aircraft body from damage that can cost more than $100,000 to repair. Across the flightline, the simple, custom-made cover not only helps reduce operational costs, but also prevents weeks of aircraft maintenance, keeping jets mission-ready.
This type of innovation directly supports the aircraft metals technology core mission. Serving as a critical enabler for the F-35A Lightning II, the team bridges the gap between engineering blueprints and flightline reality by repairing aircraft structures, conducting corrosion inspections and maintaining critical support equipment.
While fixing jets is their primary mission, aircraft maintenance represents only one aspect of the shop's daily workload. They assisted the 325th Medical Group by fabricating a specialized chair for pilot-specific measurements, avoiding the $20,000 cost of purchasing a replacement. They have destroyed confiscated weapons for the 325th Security Forces Squadron and the Office of Special Investigations, and have created new, correctly detailed placards for the 325th Maintenance Squadron’s aerospace ground equipment to avoid inspection fines.
"Collier is a master at designing and creating blueprints," said Master Sgt. Ryan McGarrigle, 325th MXS metals technology section chief. "He is the one behind the scenes doing the work most people never see. When civil engineering, security forces or aerospace ground equipment personnel come to the shop for help, we point them in his direction and he finds a way to make it happen."
Collier’s journey to this specialized field was inspired by family and a natural aptitude for hands-on work. His father, an Air Force veteran who served six years in security forces, encouraged him to find a career that suited his kinesthetic learning style. As a child, Collier relied on tactile experiences to understand complex ideas -- a trait his father deeply understood and nurtured.
"He did a really good job of finding out how I learned best," Collier explained. "We found out that we enjoyed working with our hands a lot, so working on cars, working on stuff around the house, just anything with our hands."
This led him to a civilian apprenticeship as a machinist at PFAFF, a German company that makes molds for the automotive industry. The skills he honed there were a direct match for the Air Force's aircraft metals technology career field. After a year and a half, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps into the military.
"I liked the idea of serving after my dad did and just serving in general," he said. For Collier, enlisting was a natural step, providing an opportunity to continue his family's legacy while applying the hands-on problem-solving skills he had honed since childhood.
He put those skills to the ultimate test when he arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base in August of 2023. The metals technology shop was still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, and Collier was one of the first three Airmen tasked with rebuilding it from the ground up.
"From day one, I was making MILs," Collier said, referring to the master inventory lists crucial for tool accountability. "Our shop had zero tools [in the tracking system], and now we have over 13,000 ... It was a lot of work."
Today, Collier finds satisfaction in results, whether he is reaming corroded F-35 fastener holes to precise tolerances, welding a broken trailer or 3D printing a custom solution.
"Our job is very tangible," he said. "You [can] see what you're doing, the impact it has because you fabricate something and you [can] hold it in your hand. I fixed this. ... I helped save money. I helped solve this problem. ... I enjoy everything about my job. I don't see myself getting out for a very long time."
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2026 14:40 |
| Story ID: | 565298 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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