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PMEL calibrates mission success

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Charles
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  During any military operation, precision is everything. One miscalculation can mean the difference between an air asset hitting its intended target, and a catastrophic mess.

All equipment used in the military, from the tiniest screw to the most advanced weapons systems, uses specialized measurement tools to ensure they are working properly. Maintenance teams trust these tools to ensure panels, weapons, radios, or radars work as they were intended--But who ensures these tools work properly?

One shop of 20 people here ensures this specialized equipment is calibrated accurately for not just the U.S. forces but for all coalition partners who carry out operations in Southwest Asia. The Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory located at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is responsible for the proper calibration of more than 16,000 items that are vital to the defense of the region and operations conducted in it.

"Throughout such a volatile region as Southwest Asia even the slightest fault in equipment can be detrimental to the mission," said Tech Sgt. Orville Millet, PMEL NCO-in charge. "Our job is to make sure that all measurement and repair equipment used in the U.S. and coalition inventory works to its specifications. If it didn't work it would undermine our ability to defend the region and its people."

Each piece of measurement equipment is calibrated in a dust-free laboratory to protect the equipment from any outside agents which could affect its performance.

"Our goal in PMEL is to make all calibrations within .001 percent of its specifications," he added. "Keeping our equipment in a completely dust-free environment helps mitigate errors that may arise."

As the only calibration shop in Southwest Asia, the PMEL shop supports more than 260 work centers from units across the region.

"We are the unseen tip of the spear," said Staff Sgt. Larry Prasek, PMEL technician. "Every piece of equipment used in any operation starts with someone making sure its measurements are working correctly."

PMEL is composed of three sections--physical dimensions, microwave-wave form analysis, and low frequency analysis.

Physical dimensions ensures the torque wrenches, scales and temperatures gauges used on all equipment read accurately. The microwave-wave form analysis section of PMEL calibrates electrical equipment dealing with electrons, such as radars and global positioning systems. The final section, low frequency analysis, calibrates hand-held radios.

"All sections of this PMEL shop touch every service in Southwest Asia in some way," said Staff Sgt. Emil Gomez, PMEL technician.

Members of PMEL understand that the equipment they repair is important to the various missions in the region. Typically it takes two days from when the equipment is received for it to be finished and sent back to the originating base. However, for some locations, going any period of time without having certain equipment is not an option. So in special circumstances, PMEL members will forward deploy to the area to calibrate the equipment.

PMEL remains an important aspect of accomplishing overseas contingency operations. It allows each unit to accomplish its own mission and the armed forces objective to defend the region.

"It's an honor to be able to contribute in some way," said Gomez. "Many people don't even know PMEL exists, which is the way we like it. Our shop continues to be the unseen tip of the sword."