Operators add road to JPARC

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Janine Thibault
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The replacement of the dirt trail between the Oklahoma and Arkansas ranges is a task with benefits for many beyond simply saving funds and man hours transporting equipment on the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.

The 354th Civil Engineer Squadron Horizontal Construction Flight resumed construction Jan. 25 on the road for this year's portion of the construction and is anticipated to be complete by March 24. Construction on the road will continue annually as segments of the road are completed, forming the finished product.

"There's a lot of work involved, even before we started working," said Staff Sgt. Craig Slaten, 354th CES carpenter. "Every day is new and different. You never know what you're going to see."

The Airmen also have the opportunity to perform in multiple roles as the size of the team is limited but the need for job specialties almost has no limit. Operating dumptrucks, bulldozers, excavators, and other heavy equipment are some of the things Airmen are performing with some being unrelated to their typical jobs back on base.

"For the most part we are mechanics, operators, range maintenance, carpenters, HVAC, equipment operators and we all do the same thing," said Mike Skow, 354th CES range foreman. "Depending on the necessity at the moment, you can do one thing today and something different tomorrow."

Work conditions on the range can be challenging. On-base, a mechanical issue can be solved by calling Airmen of that specialty. On the range, however, that option is not always available. Still, from time to time, the issue cannot be fixed by those on location and specialists are called out.

Since access to the site is granted by an ice bridge, the periodic water overflow that occurs due to warmer weather often dictates how long operations can continue. Operators sometimes have to stay after working a full shift, as the fluctuating conditions of the ice bridge may require additional safety measures.

"In the long run there will be tremendous savings from not having to pay for the helicopters to move equipment," said Mr. Skow. "The task of equipment operators will be easier, allowing them to be more responsive. This means it will not take three to four years for a new target array to be completed due to access problems."

Support of RED FLAG-Alaska and other training exercises will be intensified once the road is functional. It will allow maintainers to easily access the targets and give them time to construct more realistic wooden models, which will enhance the training for visiting units.

While in the area, the Airmen will also be multitasking for maintenance on targets in the vicinity. The equipment going out to work on the road is perfectly suited to add cement foundation under targets, which will make replacing the targets an easier task in the future.

The hard work and dedication of Airmen in the 354th CES will make future tasks on the range more efficient and realistic. The finished road will enhance training and also keep range maintenance on schedule preventing any hindrance to the range mission.