BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- If it flies it needs power. If it breaks it needs maintenance. If it is on the flight line, it needs Aerospace Ground Equipment.
The AGE flight delivers and maintains the equipment that provides power to operate and test aircraft while they are having work completed, lights up night-time operations, and furnishes many other pieces of equipment that keep the base operating.
“During our deployment, we had 309 pieces of equipment in our inventory, and we worked on each of them at least twice,” explained Tech. Sgt. Matthew Adelman, 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron AGE flight NCO in charge, deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy. “We inspect all the items before they go out and catch any problems before they happen.”
Following the meticulous process of following technical order data to ensure all the equipment was properly inspected, the AGE flight increased the mission capable rate from 89 to 98 percent. The flight also created new maintenance locations to reduce travel time on the flight line, leading to increased efficiency.
“These guys came here and they did their job,” said Adelman, “and they made lasting improvements to the flight line.”
As the deployed team completed the mission, the junior Airmen also received valuable hands-on experience that they will be able to take with them as they eventually transition into supervisors.
“I am a hands-on learner, and we get to do way more stuff here than at home station, like major maintenance,” said Airman 1st Class Mason Clark, 455th EMXS AGE flight technician. “It’s almost like we received a rank promotion with all the new stuff that we are doing every day.”
Rounding out their six-month deployment, the AGE flight delivered consistent support to the flight line and the base, all in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and NATO’s Resolute Support mission. Now, finishing his deployment at Bagram, Clark knows exactly where he and his efforts fit in to the big picture.
“I really feel like we are a big part of the mission here,” Clark said, “because there is no airpower without ground power.”