Rock Solid Warrior Published Sept. 8, 2007 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Tech. Sgt. Dale Wilson Tech. Sgt. Dale Wilson 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Airfield Manager Home unit/base: 509th Operations Support Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. How do you support the mission here? As an Airfield Manager, I direct and safely manage activities that encounter our dual runways, all attached taxiways and coalition forces ramps. I lead a team of airfield management personnel and work hand in hand with any agencies that come onto the airfield. All together, we ensure all airfield operations and aircraft operations are conducted safely. I develop aircraft parking plans for our C130's and transient aircraft that come through my deployed location in Southwest Asia. Other agencies and my team assist in planning, prioritizing and provide oversight of airfield construction projects that can cost well into the millions of dollars. I co-team with agencies to develop, manage and provide technical guidance for several flight safety programs to include airfield and airspace waivers, Notices to Airmen, Bird/wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard, and Foreign Object Damage. Also, airfield managers develop and enforce the wing's airfield driving program directive for their airfields. How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? My career has been one big deployment! I have been to 53 countries during my 19 year career in airfield management and Tanker Airlift Control Element. The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing is unique to me because this is my first opportunity to be the sole airfield manager in charge of my own airfield. How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? Between home station and my deployed base there really isn't that much difference. At either base, it's all about getting the mission into the air safely. Unlike home station, the operations tempo here amazing. A friend of mine here said that "The Rock operations is like one big casino, it never sleeps." To watch our planes get into the air and know that it takes a team effort from every agency on out here to make that happen is something to be proud of.