Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, performs a crew-station inspection on a B-1B Lancer, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. The bomber's range and payload let it conduct multiple strikes with a large number of precision-guided munitions, which would require multiple combat sorties from other aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, works on an over-wing fairing on a B-1B Lancer, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. With the B-1s ever-increasing role in combat operations pushing the airframe to the limits of its original design, skilled maintenance professionals are crucial to ensuring mission success. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, performs a right main landing gear wheel well inspection on a B-1B Lancer, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. Patterson thoroughly checked the wheel well to ensure there was no structural damage. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, performs a main landing gear temperature sensor inspection, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. B-1s based here are capable of supporting operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, or anywhere else they are needed. In recent months, the bombers have played a major role in helping Iraqi and Kurdish forces hold or retake key territory in Iraq and Syria, as well as destroying facilities and assets used by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, hooks up hydraulic mules on a B-1B Lancer, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. Anytime the aircraft's hydraulic systems are ground-operated, a hydraulic mule takes the place of the pumps on the engine to work the aircraft's flight controls, weapons and flaps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, installs a brake torque link retaining pin on a B-1B Lancer, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. Carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1B Lancer is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force and is a key resource for strike operations throughout U.S. Central Command’s Area of Responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, installs an upper gear sub-assembly on a B-1B Lancer during an 800 hour inspection, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., who deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. Airmen from the 34th EAMU provide preventative maintenance to avoid corrective maintenance from having to be performed. Providing a well-maintained aircraft to aircrews is one of the goals of the 34th EAMU, and they do this by performing scheduled inspections and preventative maintenance in a timely manner so that the aircraft can do what they're made to do: fly. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, wipes oil off of his hands after performing maintenance on a B-1B Lancer, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. With a career that spans across three decades and a warfighting reputation that rivals nearly every aircraft in the Air Force's arsenal, the B-1 Bomber has established itself as one of the United States' most crucial assets to maintaining air and ground superiority. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, searches his tool box, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., who deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. Patterson maintains and facilitates maintenance on the B-1B Lancer. This is Patterson’s second deployment to Al Udeid. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)

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Preventative maintenance keep BONES ready to provide combat air support

Published March 5, 2015
By Senior Airman Kia Atkins
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cody Patterson, 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, performs a crew-station inspection on a B-1B Lancer, March 1, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Patterson, a native of Marion, Va., deployed here from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is a dedicated crew chief of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flagship. The bomber's range and payload let it conduct multiple strikes with a large number of precision-guided munitions, which would require multiple combat sorties from other aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kia Atkins)