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380AEW Article

NCO ensures fuel quality meets standards

  • Published
  • By by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Southwest Asia --  Wearing an industrial apron and goggles, the sergeant nearly looks the part of a mad scientist as he goes about his tasks in a trailer full of shiny diagnostic equipment at this undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

But instead of trying to cause chaos, his job is to ensure everything moves smoothly for combat and airlift missions throughout the Area of Responsibility.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Nichols is the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Petroleum Oil and Lubricants fuels laboratory NCO in charge. His duty is to ensure all fuel stored on base meets all specification standards.

Sergeant Nichols, who is deployed from the 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., said he starts his day by collecting samples from fuel storage locations throughout the base. When he returns to his laboratory he runs the samples through his diagnostic equipment to ensure the fuel on base is meeting the required specifications. He also sends samples off to the AFCENT area lab that runs tests that Sergeant Nichols' laboratory is not equipped to run.

He said he was drawn to the fuels laboratory because of how challenging the job is. When Sergeant Nichols arrived at his first duty station, he was able to spend a few weeks working at each of the different POL functions. He found the laboratory mission to be the most challenging. He immediately set a goal to work in the laboratory once he became an NCO.

"It was challenging to me and I felt that it was where I needed to be," he said.

The native of Athol, Idaho, said that he is demanding of himself when it comes to performing his job.

"I try to do everything perfect, that way if something does fail, my procedures will not come into question."

That level of execution is necessary said Sergeant Nichols' supervisor, Tech. Sgt. Jonathon Neely, the 380th ELRS Fuel Information Service Center NCO in charge.

"He is entrusted with a lot of responsibility," said Sergeant Neely who is deployed from Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, Ill. "People's lives are at risk if he doesn't ensure our fuel is clean, dry, and serviceable."

Lt. Col. Jimmy Shaw, commander of the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, knows the consequences of substandard fuel.

"If something happened to the fuel on one of our aircraft, we would need to look at grounding the initial aircraft and the other aircraft it delivered gas to," said Colonel Shaw.

The colonel said the base's fleet of KC-10 Extenders are dependent on good quality fuel.

"Our job is to distribute gas, said Colonel Shaw. "If we don't have any gas to deliver our aircraft are just some really heavy paperweights."

Sergeant Nichols said he enjoys doing his job in a deployed location.

"It's a huge scattered tree where the fuel goes but essentially I'm protecting the guys on the ground," he said. "It makes me feel great to be doing my job here."