Making life their business keeps AFE in business

Published Nov. 5, 2010
By Senior Airman Melissa B. White
451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- When things go wrong, aircrew members don't even have a second to think about whether their equipment will help save them or not. They don't have to, though, because nearly two dozen Airmen at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, have their backs.

For the aircrews who journey into hostile territory on rescue missions, or fly low, close-air support missions to protect troops in contact on a daily basis, aircrew flight equipment Airmen say, "Your life is our business."

"We have a lot of airframes that fly really low or in dangerous areas, so if they get into contact with the enemy, they can use the equipment we put into service," said Master Sgt. Charles Stephens, 451st Expeditionary Operations Group AFE superintendent. "If their aircraft goes down, they can use our equipment to eject safely, make contact with rescue crews, and return with honor."

With an expensive life-saving getup, valued anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000 apiece depending on mission requirements, each aircrew member leaves the airfield decked out from head to toe for survival. The AFE Airmen are responsible for maintaining and inspecting all of this equipment, to include night-vision goggles, masks, torso harnesses, survival vests, helmets, G-suits, radios, and any other equipment needed to increase their customer's chance of survival, should they need to take that chance. They pre-flight and post-flight inspect each member's gear daily and repair it when necessary, with doing thorough inspections on a regular basis.

"We need to make sure our equipment works as advertised," said Tech. Sgt. Justin Calmes, 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron NCO in charge of AFE. "If we don't program a radio properly and the aircrew has to ditch their aircraft, there's going to be some serious trouble because they won't be able to call to get rescue help. We enhance their survivability."

Being so close to the fight in the heart of southern Afghanistan, these AFE Airmen support a variety of missions like close-air support, combat search and rescue, airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions by making sure the aircrews are always prepared with safe survival equipment.

"I like getting to know the aircrew and their mission because we work very closely with them and the pararescumen on a daily basis," said Sergeant Calmes, who is deployed from Det. 1, 563rd Operations Support Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. "It's good knowing they use our equipment on a daily basis and that it's important to them and their mission."

Supporting the widespread mission of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, the AFE Airmen are strategically placed in eight different shops all around the base and at a nearby forward operating base. No matter how far apart in distance they are, this doesn't hinder their teamwork or what some call their "close-knit family."

"We all support each other out here," said Sergeant Calmes, who has been here since August. "A challenge out here is the limited supplies and equipment. So, we're always calling the other shops for them to come help us out and to borrow equipment ... we have to be very resourceful out here to get things done."

By making life their business, these Airmen stay busy day in and day out by making sure the mission is carried out safely and, if it comes to it, they are "the last to let you down."

"If their aircraft goes down, we're ultimately here to give them tools so they can return with honor," said Sergeant Charles.