An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Aurora native leads deployed civil engineer programs flight in Southwest Asia

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Across the board, Capt. Timothy Frank has an effect on the overall infrastructure for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing area of operations at a non-disclosed base here. He's had a hand in a myriad of projects for the 380th AEW including the $5.7 million project for the construction of an above-ground 8-inch carbon steel pipeline from the existing base tanker truck offload facility to the bulk storage fuels area.

As the chief of the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Programs Flight, Captain Frank noted the pipeline project "will be a success because it utilizes the project management and contracting expertise of the Army Corps of Engineers, coordination and technical capability of ECES, experience in the fuel delivery of ELRS, and the execution of a proven contractor."

The pipeline project is just one example of Captain Frank's work with his fellow civil engineer Airmen. The seven-year Air Force veteran described the work he does every day at his deployed location.

"I am responsible for all design and contracted construction, repair, maintenance, community planning, environmental management, real property management and map production on the installation," Captain Frank said. "I'm also dual-hatted as the squadron deputy. I have a flight of 10 military personnel, 12 contractors and three civilians."

As a civil engineer officer, Captain Frank is required to maintain a broad spectrum of mandatory job knowledge, his official Air Force job description states. For example, he has to be fluent in contingency engineering, contingency base operations, explosive ordnance reconnaissance and survivability skills -- including force bed-down, expedient damage repair and recovery after attack. He also has to know methods, sources and techniques of engineering design, construction, maintenance, operation and repair of facilities and utility systems.

His Air Force job description matches much of his current job requirements such as resource acquisition and management, military facilities programming and planning, environmental stewardship, management of real property and engineering research and development.

"Civil engineers are absolutely essential in the deployed environment," said Captain Frank, who's a native of Aurora, Ill. "We provide the foundation so others can do their job. We provide and maintain a lot of the things people take for granted such as lights, toilets, air conditioning, buildings and roads."

Captain Frank said he enjoys being in the military and the Air Force doing a job that has a "significant impact" on the deployed mission.

"I enjoy being in the military and the Air Force is a good fit for me," Captain Frank said. "In the military, I feel like I'm doing a job that not everybody wants to do or is even capable of doing. Working at the 380th is a good deployment. Since the initial beddown is complete and the basics such as modular dormitories, latrines and air conditioning are already in place, engineers can lean forward and focus on making the base enduring, improving utilities and drainage, rightsizing facilities to match exactly what units require for their mission, and developing plans for future expansion."

Upon completing his work with the 380th ECES, Captain Frank will be assigned to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., to work as a civil engineer instructor. He said his deployed experience will help as he moves on to his next position.

"Being that the wing and civil engineer squadron is smaller than average, I get to be the squadron deputy as a captain -- a great experience for me," Captain Frank said. "I get a level of insight into the expeditionary mission support group and the air expeditionary wing that I wouldn't ordinarily get to have. This will definitely help me as I move on in my career."

The 380th AEW is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.