Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

Senior Airman Joshua Pearl, a supply journeyman assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, removes all labels from inbound cargo, Dec. 22, 2008, at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia. The supply team runs the consolidated aircraft parts storage facility, a collocated facility where all maintenance teams can go to pick up the items to fix their specific aircraft. Airman Pearl is a native of Glen Carbon Ill., and deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Boquette/Released)

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

Airman 1st Class Jacob Odom, a supply journeyman assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, uses a stepladder to pull aircraft parts from the higher shelves, Dec. 22, 2008, at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia. The supply team runs the consolidated aircraft parts storage facility, a collocated facility where all maintenance teams can go to pick up the items to fix their specific aircraft. Airman Odom is a native of Jersey, Ga., and deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Boquette/Released)

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

Senior Airman Joshua Pearl, a supply journeyman assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, uses material handling equipment to reach the uppermost shelf to store parts, Dec. 22, 2008, at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia. The supply team runs the consolidated aircraft parts storage facility, a collocated facility where all maintenance teams can go to pick up items to fix their specific aircraft. Airman Pearl is a native of Glen Carbon Ill., and deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Boquette/Released)

One for all: CAPS one-stop shop for AMUs

Published Dec. 26, 2008
By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Southwest Asia -- An Airman enters a large building at the end of the runaway. Like a child walking into a toy store, his or her eyes light up. A clerk walks up and asks, "May I help you?" The Airman replies, "Yes, I'm with the 379th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and I need a part for one of our jets." The clerk disappears amongst the seemingly-endless isles of cataloged parts and soon returns, "I believe this is what you're looking for," she says.

Maintenance units across the base rely on the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Consolidated Aircraft Parts storage facility to keep aircraft in the fight. The unit stocks, organizes and tracks more than 1,100 different aircraft components worth more than $50 million for almost every airframe based here.

"Our mission here is to be a one-stop shop for all of the AMUs," said Airman 1st Class Natora Martin, CAPS storage apprentice. "We hold all of the parts for the RC-135, KC-135, C-130, B-1 and JSTARS."

The 10 Airmen who run CAPS may receive and organize upwards of 200 parts in a given day ranging from the smallest nuts and bolts to a KC-135 refueling boom. By maintaining a rudimentary, yet meticulous stocking process, the shop is able to efficiently meet the insatiable needs of the six AMUs on base.

"It's as simple as looking up the stock number and pulling it off the shelf," said the Ashburn, Ga., native. "But when it comes to stocking the parts it is demanding because we can be really busy with only five people working each shift. Each of us will handle a different aspect of the job, but we'll help each other if we receive a lot of items that need to be put away. Nothing we do is done by just one person. We get it done as a team."

Since September, CAPS has maintained a near 100 percent efficiency rating.

"We've had only two errors in more than 100 days," said Master Sgt. Marcus Johnson, 379 ELRS Warehouse Operations superintendent. "That's not bad, but the goal is to have zero errors."

Having a small number of personnel has allowed the younger Airmen to step into larger shoes resulting in an increase in CAPS proficiency.

"Since being here I've been able to assume more responsibilities than I did at my home station and because of that I've learned a lot about my job," said Airman Martin, deployed from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

"This deployment has been a really good experience. The only tough thing about it is being away from home for the holidays," said Airman Martin, who is on her first deployment.

As their deployment nears the end, Sergeant Johnson keeps his Airmen running at an optimum performance level by focusing on their mental health.

"I believe in the whole person concept and I will talk to my Airmen on a consistent basis about general life skills," said the Paducah, Ky., native. "If you have life skills, you're good with money and doing well with your relationships you're going to be much more effective at your job because you won't have the distracters."

The diligent efforts to maintain the shop's effectiveness sometimes comes without praise, said Airman Martin, but the amount of accolades she gets isn't what motivates her.

"We don't get a lot of thank you's but we know we're appreciated because we allow the AMUs to do what they do best," she said.

The big picture of CAPS is keeping the aircraft in the fight, Sergeant Johnson said.

"You can't fly without supply," he said. "The KC-135s are refueling planes, B-1s are dropping bombs on targets and the E-8s are out there conducting surveillance. If any one of those planes breaks and we don't have the part to fix it, then that plane will not fly and the mission will be unsuccessful."