HomeNews

Aircraft Parts Store feeds fight in OIR

Staff Sgt. Terrance Branch, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, looks for a part in the aircraft parts store warehouse Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. Branch is a member of the APS team that is responsible for storing and issuing parts for nine weapon systems within their shops responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Staff Sgt. Terrance Branch, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, looks for a part in the aircraft parts store warehouse Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. Branch is a member of the APS team that is responsible for storing and issuing parts for nine weapon systems within their shops responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Staff Sgt. Terrance Branch, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, verifies a serial number on an aircraft part Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The aircraft parts store is responsible for stocking and issuing weapon system spares to aircraft maintainers and coordinating with the states to send back broken parts that need fixed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Staff Sgt. Terrance Branch, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, verifies a serial number on an aircraft part Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The aircraft parts store is responsible for stocking and issuing weapon system spares to aircraft maintainers and coordinating with the states to send back broken parts that need fixed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Senior Airman Nicholas Contreras, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, moves a pallet of barrels to make space in the aircraft parts store facility Oct. 13, 2016. The APS plays a vital role in mission accomplishment for flying units within the area of responsibility and directly supports Operation Inherent Resolve. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Senior Airman Nicholas Contreras, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, moves a pallet of barrels to make space in the aircraft parts store facility Oct. 13, 2016. The APS plays a vital role in mission accomplishment for flying units within the area of responsibility and directly supports Operation Inherent Resolve. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Master Sgt. Michael Glathar, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron aircraft parts store NCO in-charge, left, shows Senior Airman Nicholas Contreras, 386 ELRS materiel management journeyman, where to put a pallet in the APS storage area Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The APS is responsible for storing and issuing weapon system spares to aircraft maintainers and coordinating with the states to send back broken parts to be fixed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Master Sgt. Michael Glathar, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron aircraft parts store NCO in-charge, left, shows Senior Airman Nicholas Contreras, 386 ELRS materiel management journeyman, where to put a pallet in the APS storage area Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The APS is responsible for storing and issuing weapon system spares to aircraft maintainers and coordinating with the states to send back broken parts to be fixed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Senior Airman Nicholas Contreras, left, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, and Senior Airman Dominique Corbin, 386 ELRS traffic management journeyman, prepare an aircraft part for shipment Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The aircraft parts store coordinates with TMO to send needed parts to locations throughout the area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

Senior Airman Nicholas Contreras, left, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management journeyman, and Senior Airman Dominique Corbin, 386 ELRS traffic management journeyman, prepare an aircraft part for shipment Oct. 13, 2016 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The aircraft parts store coordinates with TMO to send needed parts to locations throughout the area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Zachary Kee)

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Over time, wear and tear of aircraft parts can cause planes to be down for days at a time.It’s the job of one shop, in coordination with aircraft maintainers, to try and prevent this from happening.

“We provide the repair parts to aircraft maintainers,” said Master Sgt. Michael Glathar, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron aircraft parts store noncommissioned officer in-charge. “Then they get the aircraft back in the skies and on their missions.”

The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing supports nine weapon systems and flies more than 20 sorties a day on average. These sorties support several missions throughout the area of responsibility and Operation Inherent Resolve.

The APS is an important part of the mission for many squadrons in the AOR that fall under its responsibility.

The 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron works with the APS on a daily basis and 1st Lt. Solveig Listerud, 386 EAMXS blue aircraft maintenance unit officer in-charge, says they play a vital role in accomplishing their mission.

“Without APS we would not be able to keep up with the mission,” said Listerud. “We would have aircraft down on a regular basis for parts and we would have to pull parts off of non-mission capable supply status aircraft.”

Airmen of the APS provide parts for aircraft that belong to the 386 AEW and other locations throughout the AOR. If they are the closest APS to the location with a part needed, they will get the call to provide the part.

After coordinating with the 386 ELRS traffic management office, the part is placed on a flight to the location and another aircraft is put back in the fight.

“It’s satisfying and puts our job into perspective,” said Staff Sgt. Terrance Branch 386 ELRS materiel management journeyman. “When we deploy here we facilitate Operation Inherent Resolve. The parts we issue to customers are going downrange and getting in the fight.”

The APS Airmen take pride in knowing they play an important role in sustaining the flying mission which supports OIR. They also store equipment and supply items to support total base operations to include civil engineering, communications, vehicle maintenance and other entities.

“We are proud to enable this diverse mission in support of OIR,” said Glathar. “This will be one of many stories we can proudly share with other materiel managers.”