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  • Failure not an option: Maintaining 99% effectiveness

    One of three KC-10 Extender engines is hoisted more than 40 ft. in the air and placed in the tail of the plane. The General Electric CF6-50C2 engine weighs approximately 9,000 pounds and requires significant manpower to move around. Typical maintenance on this engine is done at U.S. bases, where

  • Commander visits 380 AEW geographically separated units

    On July 30, the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, command chief and a select team from the wing staff agencies spent three days visiting the 380th AEW geographically separated units across four countries in Southwest Asia and Africa. The purpose of the visit was for Brig. Gen. Kevin Schneider,

  • To the HORSE: Highly mobile always deployable

    The 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron can enter a bare base and build from the ground up, it is only fitting that their name is an acronym for rapid engineer deployable heavy operational repair squadron engineer. Dealing mainly with heavy construction ranging from runways to erecting buildings,

  • Eyes and ears of the base

    Although specific tasks vary from base to base, the command post is primarily responsible for flowing critical information and keeping the base running smoothly and effectively. Airmen of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Command Post manage crisis communication and have the ability to contact anyone

  • Fighting fire with desire

    Running into a civil engineer warehouse with reports of fire and two victims trapped inside and no other information, Airman 1st Class Andre Adams, the man on the hand-line hose, checks the door for heat with the back of his hand, opens it and charges through the smoke. At that moment, he has no

  • Radio frequency: Always on

    The radio frequency transmissions shop maintains a range of radio equipment from high frequency weather update systems to ultra-high frequency satellite communications. The technicians find, maintain, fix, or replace broken communications equipment in underground bunkers or on towers.The

  • EOD: Defusing the situation

    One of the biggest defense mechanisms of any expeditionary air base is the ability to launch aircraft to neutralize threats. Several 380th Air Expeditionary Wing agencies are charged with getting air operations back up and running as soon as possible should the flightline or runway be attacked. The