Page 14 - Desert Lightning News Sept. 2015

14 September 3, 2015 Desert Lightning News

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Honduran air force members glean valuable

knowledge from NDI technicians

Tech. Sgt. Heather R. Redman

12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs

DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB,

Ariz. -- Five members from the

Honduran air force teamed up with

12th Air Force (Air Forces South-

ern) and the 355th Equipment

Maintenance Squadron for a sub-

ject matter expert exchange from

Aug. 16-22, 2015.

The exchange focused primarily

on a variety of nondestructive in-

spections lab processes.

“The NDI lab helps to ensure the

structural integrity of the aircraft is

maintained by unobtrusively looking

for issues within the aircraft,” said U.S.

Air Force Master Sgt. Leandrea Walker,

355th EMS NDI lab superintendent.

“By identifying microscopic defects

in the aircraft we can prevent cata-

strophic events, like aircraft crashes,

from occurring,” added U.S. Air Force

Tech. Sgt. Diana Dunn, 355th EMS

NDI lab assistant superintendent. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman

According to the U.S. Air Force Honduran air force Master Sgts. Josué Molina and Elmer Villeda practice looking for discontinuities using an eddy current in an aircraft canopy dur-

Nondestructive Inspection Office, ing a subject matter expert exchange event with members from the 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspections lab on
NDI labs use a range of different Davis-Monthan AFB, Aug. 19. The eddy current uses a circulating electrical current induced in a conductor by an alternating magnetic field to locate
processes to find flaws within air discontinuities. When eddy currents encounter an obstacle, such as a crack, the surrounding currents become distorted. The five members from the
and space equipment without caus- Honduran air force teamed up with 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) and the 355th EMS for a subject matter expert exchange that focused on a
ing damage to the equipment itself. variety of nondestructive inspections lab processes and maintenance safety standards.

Some of the processes that the 355th “This exchange is important be- bat capability and readiness. responsibility, in order to support

EMS NDI team covered were the use cause it focuses on safety and empha- Subject matter expert exchanges like U.S. national security objectives and

of eddy currents, magnetic particles, sizes the importance of knowing and NDI exchange provide useful information interagency efforts that promote re-

penetrants, ultrasonic testing, and understanding industry hazards,” said that is helpful to the leaders within U.S. gional security cooperation.

radiographic abilities to discover de- U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Roberto SouthernCommand’spartnernations. “By helping our partner nations build

fects in a variety of different materials. Vasquez, superintendent of 12th AF “Exchanges like this help provide themselves up, we are helping them be-

“This exchange has given us clear (AFSOUTH) Plans, Requirements, a large amount of information be- come more independent and as a result

ideas of how to implement the differ- and Programs section. “These are is- tween these two groups of experts,” increase our inter-operability so we are

ent NDI processes in order to estab- sues that need to be communicated to said Honduran air force Sgt. Jose able to train and execute future mis-

lish and uphold an acceptable main- their leadership so the Honduran air Lopez. “This is providing our sub- sions together,” said Vasquez.

tenance program,” said Honduran air force can safely perform these tasks ject matter experts with the infor- Building up USSOUTHCOM part-

force Master Sgt. Josué Molina. and stand up their own NDI process.” mation they need to approach their ner nation capacity is an integral part

Along with going over the process- Safety in the work center is one leadership and make recommenda- of 12th AF (AFSOUTH) missions.

es of discovering defects, the 355th of the top priorities for the U.S. Air tions to improve their work center.” According to USSOUTHCOM,

EMS NDI team also stressed the im- Force. According to the Air Force Working hand in hand with US- bilateral exchanges with part-

portance of safety in the work center. Safety Center, the Air Force Ground SOUTHCOM partner nations, ner nations improve staff plan-

“The biggest thing that I’ve Safety Division manages safety stan- such as Honduras, helps solidify ning and operations, promote

learned during this exchange is dards and interprets Department of relationships and allows us to work interoperability, and support na-

the importance that is given to the Labor and industry standards for as one team with the shared goal of tional security objectives. Educa-

safety of personnel on the job and implementation throughout the Air increasing inter-operability. tional programs help ensure US-

how critical it is to maintain an or- Force. It is also responsible for the As part of USSOUTHCOM, SOUTHCOM and partner nations

ganized facility,” added Molina. development as well as oversees 12th AF (AFSOUTH) is prepared are better prepared to respond to

Maintaining an enforceable safe- ground safety policy, programs and to conduct joint and combined shared security challenges posed

ty standard is critical to ensuring a procedures to provide a safe work full-spectrum military operations by transnational organized crime,

productive work environment. environment to help maintain com- within the USSOUTHCOM area of terrorism, and natural disasters.