Making it happen: RF-A Maintainers

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Christopher Boitz
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  During RED FLAG-Alaska, thousands of feet above the rugged Alaskan terrain, are pilots; pushing their aircraft to the limits, performing dog fights and defensive maneuvers against aggressors, honing their skills for combat missions. However, pilots aren't the only ones to contribute to RF-A's success. 

What is sometimes forgotten during the Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercise are the men and women on the ground who ensure those aircraft are safe and ready to go into combat and engage enemy targets. 

"Maintainers are an integral part of the mission here," said Staff Sgt. James George, F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief assigned to the 132nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Des Moines, Iowa. "The pilots can't do their job, unless we do ours." 

In the exercise that provides training in a simulated combat environment, there are F-16s from the 18th Aggressor Squadron here, who play the enemy in the training scenarios, and aircraft from other bases and countries who play the friendly forces. 

Before any of the aircraft fly, good or bad, maintainers have to do their part. Inspections are carried out on all aircraft; making sure aircraft are capable of participating in the event. 

"We inspect the electronics, the canopy for pressurization, and hydraulics," said Senior Airman Justin Bauer, aircraft electrician assigned to the 132nd AMXS. "Every time a jet's out of commission that's valuable training time that's being lost. That lost time could affect a real-world mission down the road. We help keep them airborne." 

Throughout RF-A, maintainers work alongside each other to accomplish the mission. But accomplishing the mission isn't the only thing these maintainers have in common. 

"Even though we come from different places, branches of services or countries, we're all maintainers," said Sergeant George. "It's like a brotherhood; we're all on the same team and all here to do one thing - put jets in the air." 

"Everyone here is very professional, we're building camaraderie in our unit and with other units participating at RF-A." 

Maintainers also have an opportunity to enhance their skills and training by practicing for realistic scenarios, and seeing how their counterparts are doing business. 

"Our Airmen get to see what other maintainers are doing and how," said Sergeant George. "It gives us a chance to learn from each other's experience; it's a win-win situation. It's really great for our Airmen as it's absolutely some of the best training anyone can get." 

Although working on some of the world's fastest and loudest aircraft is satisfying for most maintainers, one of the more rewarding moments for maintainers is seeing their aircraft in action. 

"It's pretty exciting to see how all the aircraft here compare to one another," said Airman Bauer. "There are a lot of different individuals that work on the aircraft to get it in to the air; we all feel a sense of pride seeing it up there taking on the aggressors." 

* Editor's note: This is the first story in a three-part series on 'Making it happen' during Red Flag-Alaska.