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386th Airmen stand up HH-60 centralized repair facility

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrice Clarke
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The combat search and rescue mission in the U.S. Air Force Central Command area of responsibility is a critical one. The Airmen who perform this mission and the grateful people rescued rely on this equipment to work, especially the aircraft used for these missions, the HH-60G Pave Hawk.

The four members of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing's newly stood-up centralized repair facility (CRF) located at an Army base in Southwest Asia are ensuring that the HH-60 engines are repaired and back in the fight as safely and quickly as possible.

"Long term, this is going to be a huge gain for the Air Force," said Maj. Michael Campos, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron commander. "This small team is, at the end of the day, going to get the combat search and rescue assets in the AOR back into the fight quicker."

Before the CRF stood up, all Air Force HH-60 engines in need of repair were sent back to a repair facility in the United States at a considerable cost and caused a longer turnaround time for the engines to return to the AOR. Army helicopter engines have utilized a repair facility in the AOR for some time. The Air Force CRF currently shares space with that facility as part of the Army Theater Aviation Support Maintenance Group Task Force - 11.

The team, comprised of two supply Airmen and two maintenance Airmen, stood up the operation from the ground up.

"When we arrived we had a desk, some warehouse space and that's about it," said Tech. Sgt. Patrika Boone, the material management NCOIC deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "We've been ordering supplies and setting up our programs from Day 1."

Working on an Army base, the biggest challenges for the two supply members was and still is the systems for ordering supplies.

"We pretty much had to start from scratch," said Senior Airman Sara Blake, the material management journeyman deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. "We quickly learned that the system the Army uses for ordering and tracking parts is different than the system the Air Force uses."

Keeping track of parts and equipment is a must. The combined experience levels of Airman Blake and Sergeant Boone help the process along.

"Sending us both out here was the perfect combination," said Sergeant Boone. "I've worked customer service and have extensive knowledge of that part of supply while Airman Blake has worked primarily in warehouse and has extensive knowledge in that area. Together we are making this work.

The two-person run warehouse currently holds more than $1 million in parts and equipment ranging from nuts and bolts to specialized engine parts; all of which are needed for the other half of the team, the engine mechanics.

"Our two supply folks are integral," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Horton, an aerospace propulsion craftsman deployed from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. "Without them, we can't do our job. They are dealing with some logistical problems and it's a learning experience, but they are getting the stuff we need to do our mission."

When Sergeant Horton and Senior Airman Craig Styers, an aerospace propulsion journeyman also deployed from Moody AFB, Ga., arrived to the base, they too, had to completely set up their area.

"We arrived and had a bay to work in and the toolbox we brought," said the Silverdale, Wash., native. "We got together with AFCENT, Moody, and the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing to make sure we got all the equipment and tools we needed to begin working on the engines."

The two 386th engine mechanics share the space with the Army engine mechanics that are a part of TASMG TF-11.

"We really enjoy having the Air Force here," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Jacqueline Martin, the NCOIC of the engine shop as part of TASMG TF-11. "They are disciplined and their work ethic is amazing. More than anything, they are always willing to learn."

At TASMG TF-11, the mechanics perform a higher level of maintenance than the Airman assigned to the CRF can.

"Though we work on similar aircraft engines, the Airmen with the CRF are only able to make certain repairs," said Sergeant Martin. "The mechanics with TASMG TF-11 are able to do more in-depth repair work."

Sergeant Martin explained that whenever the TASMG TF-11 mechanics are doing higher level maintenance on one of their aircraft, the Airmen are right there learning those procedures as well.

Since the CRF stood up approximately two months ago, the two mechanics have fixed two engines and are awaiting the next.

"It's a small team, just four people, made up of Airmen and NCOs who are in charge of this huge responsibility," said Major Campos. "These men and women are part of something great. They are the first and have stood up this facility that I'm confident will prove to be integral to the success of Air Force Combat Search and Rescue operations in the AOR."