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Train the world’s greatest F-35 and F-16 fighter pilots Jan. 29, 2016
Vol. 16, No. 4
INSIDE
STORIES
F-35 goes to airshow, 3
Airman sings for joy, 4
Legal receives award, 4
Fire station spifs up, 5
Exchange offers tax
prep, 7
FEATURE
Airman 1st Class Ridge Shan Staff Sgt. Daniel Fournier, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Air Force Repair Enhancement Program technician, checks
the continuity of the pins on the fuel master switch Jan. 19 using a multimeter at Luke Air Force Base. Luke AFREP techni-
BAY ORDERLIES ASSIST cians repair a variety of items from wiring harnesses, aircraft electronics, communication cables, headsets, aircraft panels to
ground support equipment electronics and more.
See Page 10
AFREP team ‘makes it rain’ at Luke AFB
INDEX
Story and photo by company to fix the item. If we can’t fix the group, which allows the maintainers to view
Action line ............................. 2 Senior Airman item using these three options, we will then their technical data while working on the
Briefs..................................... 3 GRACE LEE send the item to DRMO.” aircraft,” Errington said.
Spotlight ................................ 4
Diversions ........................... 20 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs AFREP technicians are skilled and While Luke’s AFREP team may be small,
Sports.................................. 23 trained to make advanced repairs. their base impact is big.
With ever-growing budget cuts and
QUOTE OF THE WEEK dwindling resources, it’s never been more “We have circuit card repair capabilities “Saving money is something everyone
important to save money in today’s Air thanks to the miniature, micro-miniature should be concerned with, especially in
“This short Air Force journey is Force. That’s where the Air Force Repair soldering school down at Davis-Monthan times of budget cuts and cutbacks on
not about having the ideal career. Enhancement Program Airmen at Luke Air Force Base,” said Tech. Sgt. Nathan personnel,” Fournier said. “The amount of
It’s about the experiences. There is so Air Force Base step in. Errington, 56th EMS AFREP manager. money we save each year through repairs
much more to being an Airman than “This repair capability has enhanced the gets put right back into the base. Some of
just an AFSC — it’s the experiences.” AFREP acts as a last stop before broken skills of our technicians allowing us to make it goes toward cosmetic repairs and some
or damaged parts are sent to the Defense quality, long-lasting repairs.” goes to buying more versatile equipment for
Master Sgt. Ida Bushey Realization and Marketing Office to be maintainers, or to whatever area the wing
56th Mission Support Group disposed. In addition to circuit card repairs, Luke’s or maintenance group deems necessary.”
AFREP technicians can repair wiring har-
WEATHER “We pick up parts from the Flight Service nesses, aircraft electronics, communication For Fournier, being an AFREP technician
Center then conduct the research neces- cables, headsets, aircraft panels, ground is priceless.
Today sary to determine if the part is salvageable support equipment electronics, and more.
or repairable and can be restored to its “This is a very rewarding job,” he said.
66°/35° original function,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel On average, Luke AFREP technicians “Every time I look at the air park or go
Fournier, 56th Equipment Maintenance save the base $100,000 monthly. In fiscal into an aircraft maintenance unit, I see the
Sunny Squadron AFREP technician. “If the part 2015 alone, AFREP Airmen saved Luke results of our hard work. The money we’ve
is repairable, we fix the item in-house. If it $1.5 million in parts replacement. saved has enhanced the look of our base as
isn’t, we’ll check to see if an agency on base well as the way our maintainers perform
can fix it before we send it off to an outside “With the money saved, the base was able their day-to-day jobs. I love my job and what
to fund the air park museum renovation it has done for Luke.”
along with new laptops for the maintenance
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