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Job well done eases farewell for Bagram maintainers

  • Published
  • By Capt. Michael Meridith
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  For the men and women of the 492nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, farewell to Afghanistan means satisfaction at a job well done. 

With thousands of maintenance actions logged since their arrival here last May, members of the RAF Lakenheath-based unit are proud of their record, despite what they describe as a grueling operations tempo. 

"This was an incredibly focused effort," said Chief Master Sgt. David Dash, the unit superintendent. "Everyone stepped up their game and performed spectacularly." 

The more than 150 members of the unit will be returning to England over the coming days, to be replaced by the 336th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. 

"Without question, Seymour Johnson has some huge shoes to fill," said Lt. Col. David Carlson, commander of the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "From launching sorties to daily maintenance to taking care of each other, these Airmen have done a great job and are some of the finest in the Air Force." 

Those sentiments were echoed by Brig. Gen. Bill Hyatt, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, who presented members of the unit with the Afghanistan Campaign Medal recently, thanking them for their work and adding "I'm proud to have flown your aircraft." 

One member of the unit received a surprise during the medal presentation when General Hyatt passed on a message from Brig. Gen. John W. Hesterman III, commander of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, waiving Airman Leadership School and making him a brand-new staff sergeant. 

Staff Sgt. Aaron Jenkins, an F-15E Strike Eagle engine mechanic, said he was excited by the news, and proud of what he and the members of his unit were able to accomplish during their time here. 

"This was my first deployment and I thought a lot about what we did here and what it meant," he said. "We kept each other motivated because we knew that we were really working to protect our families and our country. I wouldn't want to be doing anything else."