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777th's maintainers keep people, cargo moving

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ruth Curfman
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  While most people go about their day, the C-130 ramp is buzzing with activity as the 777th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit Airmen divide and conquer to ensure the workhorse of the Air Force fleet can continue its mission here.

The 777th EAMU works to keep the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's aircraft operational and completing missions. The airlift squadron is responsible for medical evacuations and moving cargo and passengers throughout Iraq.

"Maintainers are the enablers that keep these birds flying and carrying out their missions," said Tech. Sgt. Kerry Cook, 777th EAMU communications-navigational systems technician, deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. "We make sure the Hercs are ready to go at all times to get troops and supplies where they are needed and bring the wounded back home."

However, because of the austere conditions in which the 777th EAS operates, the maintainers' goal of keeping Herds in the air requires intense work.

"We have a high operations tempo here, and our biggest problem is the wear and tear on the aircraft due to the temperatures and dust," Sergeant Cook said. "In order to provide the best product to the aircrews so they can continue performing their missions safely and effectively, we perform a lot of preventative maintenance, routine checks and aircraft servicing which helps to [predict and correct] some of the problems before they happen."

In addition to the environment, maintainers also face varying types of aircraft.

"We currently have three different models of the C-130 here and a mixture of age ranges, anywhere from being built between 1963 and 1993," said Tech. Sgt. John Kiser, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Group propulsion inspector, deployed from Little Rock AFB. "Because of the variety of aircraft and the additional environmental issues we deal with here, it takes a lot of maintenance - before and after flight - to keep the Hercs in the air and help keep convoys off the roads."

In a typical day, the maintainers repair more than five pilot-reported discrepancies per day, in addition to about 25 regularly scheduled maintenance items, in order to keep the aircraft flying.

Since May 1, the 777th EAMU's work has supported more than 1,500 sorties, 25,000 troop movements and the shipment of 4,000 tons of cargo. Their C-130s have also kept approximately 1,000 convoy vehicles off the roads of Iraq and transported more than 200 wounded personnel to medical facilities.

"Considering (Balad) is the busiest single runway in the Department of Defense, it takes a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week commitment from our people to keep these aircraft flying," said Master Sgt. Joseph Green, 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron production superintendent, deployed from Little Rock AFB.

Even though it may take a lot of time and effort, the maintenance crews continue their mission with a positive attitude.

"We remain focused and adapt along with the flexibility and durability of the C-130, which has a long proven tradition of contributing to the war effort," Sergeant Greene said. "Whether it's moving troops and cargo when and where they will be most effective, reconfiguring for medical evacuation missions to return our wounded heroes to safe havens, or synchronizing our efforts with coalition forces on the ground - it's all in a days work for the Triple Seven, and we take it one sortie at a time."