Page 16 - Desert Lightning News 5-6-16

16 May 6, 2016 Desert Lightning News

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Airman Struck by the Thunderbolt

(U.S. Air Force photo by J.M. Eddins Jr.)

Richard Brunt, 59, removes a panel on an OA-10 at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, or the “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., March 4, 2016. After many
years as an OA-10 crew chief, Brunt is now removing parts from decommissioned OA-10s to build inventories used by active A-10 Thunderbolt squadrons for maintaining their aircraft.

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Shapiro 600 technicians, from dozens of specialties, ensure “I joined the military in 1975, but it wasn’t un-
the preservation or perform the “cannibalization” of til my second tour of active duty that I worked as
Airman Magazine the sleeping fleet. Most of the technicians have de- an aviation crew chief,” said Brunt. “I always had
cades of experience, both military and civilian, span- a passion for all things aviation, so I was excited.
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz ning multiple generations of airframes. However, not
-- In the heart of the Sonoran Desert lies a 2,600- many have the level of relationship Richard Brunt “Initially I worked five years on F-4 (Phan-
acre piece of land, a “boneyard,” where it is com- has with the A-10 Thunderbolt II, which pilots and toms), F-111 (Aardvarks), and as a quality assur-
monly understood a unique bond exists between crews lovingly refer to as the “Warthog.” ance inspector. But, in 1987, after a three-year
an Airman and his aircraft. tour at Osan Air Base, Korea, that’s when I was
Those who come across Brunt in the boneyard, struck by the Thunderbolt.”
Since the days shortly after World War II, this may assume he’s just another mechanic. He has that
particular piece of land, located on Davis-Mon- seasoned maintainer demeanor, sun-scorched skin, Brunt joined a “hodge-podge of crew chiefs
than Air Force Base, Arizona, has been the final roughly calloused hands, and sarcasm perpetuated by and pilots” from all over the world who were
resting place for tens of thousands of military air- thousands of hours of knuckle-busting wrench turns. tasked with activating the Air Force’s first OA-10
craft, many of which have played a significant role forward air controller airborne unit.
in shaping the world since the early 1940’s. Nevertheless, Brunt is far more than a junk-
yard part puller. “We all had to learn a new aircraft; none of us had
The boneyard is home to the 309th Aerospace touched an A-10 … it made us a close-knit group,”
Maintenance and Regeneration Group. It’s where