JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – In May 2025, Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was faced with critical manning issues. They turned to the Personnel Force Innovation office, who aimed to connect them with qualified U.S. Army and Air Force Reservists and Guardsmen. The 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron answered the call.
The 477th AMXS sent tactical aircraft maintenance technicians U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Timothy Cooper and Senior Airman Ryan Lorenz to assist the Ogden center, known as OO-ALC.
The mission of OO-ALC is to provide logistics, support, maintenance and distribution to the nation's premier fighter aircraft: the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt.
Lorenz has been working on the F-22 since 2023 and Cooper has been working on the aircraft since 2022, making them great fits for the mission set. They both worked in the flight test block of depot maintenance while at Ogden.
“The flight test is the first and last step of the depot process,” explained Lorenz. “When the aircraft arrives, we would tear it down and then send it to the next shop to identify corrosion, small defects, modifications, anything and everything. Then they send it back to flight test, where we put it back together and retest the aircraft, ensuring full functionality.”
Cooper and Lorenz's’ assignment fulfilled more than just assisting a fellow Air Force operation; it also provided the two technicians valuable experience. “We definitely learned a lot, because we worked with different shops than we normally would,” said Lorenz. “Here, we would work with avionics specialists, but there we actually got to perform those jobs and work with the [Lockheed] engineers and get a more in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at their job.”
“We got to see the logs, the flight and what was going wrong,” added Cooper. “It really showed us why we do certain things.”
Additionally, while there, Cooper and Lorenz worked with and trained five new OO-ALC civilian employees, guiding them with their knowledge from working with the aircraft for years. “We did a lot of engine pulls with them,” said Cooper. “We also did a lot of launch and recovery, because they were very shy on launch and recovery there. We even helped teach them marshalling – the hand signs and gestures directing pilots where to park the jet.” Launch and recovery refers to pre- and post-flight inspections that maintenance technicians perform on the jet, elaborated Cooper. “A lot of what we trained them on was troubleshooting the jet and aircraft knowledge,” added Lorenz. “That way when they encounter problems, they can diagnose and fix them.”
“Tech. Sgt. Cooper and Senior Airmen Lorenz hit the ground running,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Philip Johnson, commander of the 514th flight test squadron. “Not only have they provided exceptional crew chief support to the depot’s flight test section, but they have done a large amount of much-needed training with our recent five hires, none of whom have a crew chief background.
“Their work has had a direct impact on the F-22 Alaska tails [aircraft] as well as the rest of the fleet,” added Johnson. While working at the OO-ALC, Cooper and Lorenz worked on two of the F-22s assigned to the 525th Fighter Squadron, Cooper said. Both Alaska Airmen said the entire experience was enlightening.
“It’s a good opportunity for a lot of the reservists here [Alaska], to send them down and get different experiences,” said Lorenz. “All the people down there were great people, we had a good time, and they were very good at their job.”
“We’ve been selling people on it since we got back,” added Cooper. “Telling everyone they should go down there to get the experience.”
Cooper and Lorenz’s persuasive efforts seemed to have paid off, as the 477th AMXS was able to send another set of personnel, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Zachary Reid and Senior Airmen Jeffery Lambert, who will be continuing Cooper and Lorenz’s work through the end of March this year.
Master Sgt. Anthony Morgan, the 477th AMXS tactical aircraft maintenance technician flight chief, said that they will continue to send volunteers to support total force partners, not only at the 525th and 90th fighter squadrons, but in the Lower 48.