SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group hosted a “Rock to Quarry” connection tour to familiarize Rock Airmen with the flightline mission here, June 27, 2017.
Capt. Donovan Ricks, a maintenance operations officer with the 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, conducted the immersion tour as an opportunity for Airmen, whose duties do not typically involve flightline access, to see how their job contributes to the wing’s overall flying mission.
“The whole reason for this tour is to bring Airmen out to see what happens on the flightline and show them the mission they are supporting,” said Ricks. “Whether they work in medical, contracting, vehicle operations or force support, everything these Airmen do supports the flying mission.”
The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s primary focus is delivering decisive airpower throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in order to provide stability to the region. The wing’s traditional role in the fight has been providing tactical mobility airlift to coalition forces in the AOR, but it also supports various tenant units and their aircraft.
Airmen may see the different airframes take off and land as they go about their day, but they might not always be able to connect how their duties and responsibilities help get that plane off the ground.
“Sometimes people go to work, get in a routine and don’t see how they fit into the greater mission,” said Ricks. “We want to show Airmen at the Rock how their piece of the pie fits into the mission.”
The 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group recently started the initiative to bring non-flightline personnel who provide support functions from the main part of the base, known as the Rock, down to the flightline area, commonly referred to as the Quarry, for a driving tour.
The tour starts at the Silver Bullet dining facility, which is primarily filled with maintainers and operations personnel grabbing a bite to eat between flights. Airmen are familiarized with where the operations and maintenance shops are located and what their individual missions are.
From there the tour takes to the flightline for a close-up look of the aircraft and the crews preparing them for launch. For many, this is the first opportunity they’ve had to get in close proximity to the aircraft that deliver critical supplies and combat service support to land component forces throughout the Persian Gulf Region.
“Being a contracting officer for the maintenance group, it was helpful to see how all the items I order for them are being utilized,” said Senior Airman Aakanksha Bhargava, a contracting officer with the 386th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron. “It really puts into perspective everything we do, no matter how small, has a big impact down range. It’s like a ripple effect.”
“Also, looking at the mission more closely give you an understanding of how everything you have been doing so far plays an important role," Bhargava said. "It is like a puzzle. If any piece is missing, you can't complete the puzzle, so for it to work perfectly, all the pieces have to be there and fit.”
Ricks stated that this Quarry tour was only the second tour provided so far, but that it is something the maintenance group plans to continue and expand upon in the future.