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ROCK SOLID WARRIOR

  • Published
  • 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Staff Sgt. Brandon H. Peck

Job: Maintenance Data Systems Analyst

Home unit: 374th Maintenance Operations Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan

How do you support the mission here? I support the mission by keeping track of C-130 and EC-130 maintenance and flying statistics, by analyzing and reporting maintenance data to leadership and AFCENT headquarters, by identifying positive and negative trends to help fix or avoid bigger maintenance issues as well as by providing front line customer support to Maintenance Information System users.

How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? Six years with the Air Force and this is my first deployment. I don't have any others to compare this to, but the experience is unique in itself. To be in a land so different from your own ... the weather, the landscape ... I'd say the culture as well, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance to experience much of it yet. That's another anomalous trait of this deployment, the inability to leave base. I figure I'd go stir crazy if work didn't take up most of my time. Probably the most unique thing of all is my inexplicable urge to go running. I might've voluntarily gone for a run three times in my life, and now I run that many times a week. But it's not so bad here, and for a first deployment, I couldn't ask for a better experience than this.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? I can't really say that it does. Sure, there are some differences, like utilizing a MIS that you don't frequently use back home, or tracking aircraft from other bases, or even dealing with a type of aircraft you are not familiar with, but the overall job is same. We track the health of the fleet and ensure that leadership stays informed.