379 ECES ‘Dirt Boyz’ keep wing mission off ‘bumpy roads’

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Bryan Rosburg, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron pavement and construction equipment craftsman, moves material recently during construction of a pad for the new patriot missile site here April 3. The 379 ECES ‘Dirt Boyz’ completed the project two weeks ahead of schedule. When the job was finished, $350 million in Air Force assets and 86 personnel were relocated. (U.S. Air Force photos by Staff Sgt. Shawn Berringer)

379 ECES ‘Dirt Boyz’ keep wing mission off ‘bumpy roads’

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Tech. Sgt. Robert Lewis, left, and Staff Sgt. Ty Bun, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron pavement and construction equipment craftsmen, grade a parking lot near the new transportation building in the north ramp area here July 3. (U.S. Air Force photos by Staff Sgt. Shawn Berringer)

379 ECES ‘Dirt Boyz’ keep wing mission off ‘bumpy roads’

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airman 1st Class Joshua Mccathern, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron pavement and construction equipment journeyman, backfills a trench behind the Coalition Compound Dining Facility here April 16 with a front-end loader. The trench was for a high voltage electrical line. (U.S. Air Force photos by Staff Sgt. Shawn Berringer)

379 ECES Dirt Boyz keep wing mission off bumpy roads

Published July 15, 2008
By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Their name implies what they do for a living and offers a distinct visual of how hard they work. They are the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron shop affectionately known as the "Dirt Boyz."

They are considered by base leadership as an invaluable asset and a major support function.

The Dirt Boyz work around the clock with 26 personnel - 14 on day shift and 12 on night shift - performing a wide array of tasks that keep the structure of the base in pristine condition.

"We cover a lot of things," said Master Sgt. John Roeder, 379 ECES pavement and construction equipment operator, deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, and native of Apopka, Fla. "We do anything from [foreign object debris] sweeps, patch work on roads, parking lots and runways to placement of tons of gravel and dirt, and trench excavation for electrical lines and plumbing.

"We are in more of a support role, but a lot of people rely on us," he said.

The Dirt Boyz play an important role in constructing new sites as well.

Recent plans to construct more runways forced the relocation of a patriot missile site - an air missile defense system used by U.S. Armed forces.

"They had to move from the original location and we had to construct a whole new site for them in just one month."

When the job was finished, $350 million in Air Force assets and 86 personnel were relocated two weeks ahead of schedule.

The Dirt Boyz also played a large roll in the Blatchford-Preston Complex grand opening by placing 230 force protection devices and spreading 430 tons of gravel.

One of their most important duties is foreign object debris sweeping on the runways. Sergeant Roeder said a clean runway ensures the safety of aircraft and their crew.

The challenge of keeping the runways clear of FOD is amplified when the rainy season arrives.

"It floods every year and that's when we get really busy," said Tech. Sgt. Chad Lepley, 379 ECES pavement and construction equipment operator.

The Dirt Boyz do more than just keep the airfields free of debris and patch holes in the road. They also assist with aircraft mishap recovery and cleanup.

Sergeant Roeder said when a plane mishap occurs on a runway it is the Dirt Boyz' job to haul off any debris and repair damage to the tarmac.

The shop is now preparing to turnover daily operations to the new rotation of Dirt Boyz.
Sergeant Roeder said he contributes his shop's success to the Airmen's cohesiveness and their ability to quickly adjust to working with new people at a deployed location.

"I am still amazed by these guys," he said. "They come from so many different bases. As soon as they get off that plane they hit the ground running.

"With the amount of work we pile on them they just take it and go with it. This is my last deployment and I feel extremely fortunate to be able to work with such devoted Airmen."