UNIDISCLOSED LOCATION, Southwest Asia -- Building an entirely new community presents a host of challenges, each one unique. For the 332d Expeditionary Communications Squadron, getting electricity to so many new buildings is a primary concern.
One challenge within is simply having enough cable.
“A lot of our runs are not direct runs,” said 1Lt. Zebulon Wilson, officer in charge of plans and programs for the 332d ECS. “There’s not long enough cable that you can run between offices.”
A machine called a fusion splicer helps them do the job. It also helps bridge the gap between different types of cable.
“This machine basically combines two cables into one,” said Senior Airman Julian Dorion, cable antenna maintenance technician. “Indoor and outdoor cables are not the same, so you have to connect the outside cables to a port that goes inside.
The long cable runs are connected to the port, which acts as a junction box, they are then heat sealed so they can’t come apart. Finally, the ports are placed inside buildings where indoor cables are plugged in.
It seems like a small job, but in the end it supports a major component of an enduring presence, helping to provide everything from lights, to internet, to printers.