Page 9 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, September 4, 2020

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Vehicle maintenance keeps Nellis ‘rolling’ VFA 41 participates in Green Flag 20-9

by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie on vehicle maintenance to ensure opera-
Nellis AFB, Nev. tions around base never falter. by Airman 1st Class Dwane R. Young
“If a firetruck isn’t working it could
The smell of motor oil fills the air as shut down the flightline,” said Ruggerio. Nellis AFB, Nev.
grease covered mechanics survey the “It’s instances like that, which show the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 41,
garage full of vehicles waiting to be in- impact we have on Nellis.” assigned to Naval Air Station Lemoore,
spected or repaired. Due to the diversity of their mission, Calif., took part in the Green Flag 20-9
Vehicle maintainers assigned to the vehicle maintenance Airmen must be fa- combat training exercise at Nellis Air
99th Logistics Readiness Squadron at miliar with the multiple different vehicles Force Base, Nev., on Aug. 18, 2020.
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., spend their that are required for the base to operate Green Flag-West, and its close air
days ensuring the extensive vehicle fleet safely and securely. support and joint exercises are adminis-
on base is maintained and mission ready “As a part of the general-purpose tered by the U.S. Air Force Air Warfare
at all times. shop, we’re trained on a wide variety Center, Nellis AFB through the 549th
“If there’s anything unique about Nel- of vehicles,” said Senior Airman Ciara Combat Training Squadron and is pri-
lis, it’s the environment,” said Staff Sgt. Cobb, a 99th LRS Vehicle Maintenance marily conducted in conjunction with
Nicholas Ruggerio, a 99th LRS vehicle general purpose mechanic. “Some of U.S. Army National Training Center
maintenance special purpose mechanic. exercises at Fort Irwin, Calif., to provide
“Nellis is a huge training base and we combat training to joint and coalition
have one of the largest vehicle fleets in Air Force photographs by Tech. Sgt. Anthony Kuhn war-fighters in air-land integration and
the Air Force. There’s so much going on Roy Broomfield, 99th Logistics Readiness Squadron, special purpose vehicle maintenance the joint employment of air power in
here that you get a lot of opportunities to apprentice, greases the joints of a special purpose heavy vehicle on June 30, 2020, at Nellis support of the U.S. Army’s National
train on different types of equipment.” Air Force Base, Nev. From gasoline and diesel engines, to hydraulic and air systems, the Training Center.
There are eight flights of vehicle main- Airmen of vehicle management keep the Nellis mission running. F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets
tenance Airmen, who manage approxi- assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 41
mately 350 work orders per month. Some the most common vehicles are flightline Forces Squadron is able to effectively supported the realistic air-land integra-
of the vehicles the squadron maintains transportation vehicles, security forces patrol the base and respond to emer- tion combat training exercise involving
include fire trucks and refueling vehicles. vehicles and ambulances.” gencies as needed.” the air forces of the United States and its
The squadron also houses a tire shop and In addition to ensuring mission Cobb said despite the fact that Nellis allies. The F/A-18Fs are able to perform
body shop. capability, proper vehicle maintenance has one of the largest vehicle fleets in multiple missions in the tactical spec-
“My shop has an immediate impact can boost morale amongst the Airmen the Air Force, the work flow for opera- trum, including air superiority, day and Air Force photograph by
Airman 1st Class Dwane R. Young
on flightline operations because noth- on base working in harsh conditions, tions is uninterrupted. night strike with precision-guided weap- An F/A-18F Super Hornet
ing on the flightline moves without the said Cobb. “There’s never a steady number of ons, fighter escort and close air support fighter jet assigned to
vehicles that we repair and maintain,” “If it weren’t for us making sure the vehicles coming through the shop,” and suppression of enemy air defenses. Strike Fighter Squadron
said Ruggerio. Senior Airman Gabriel Ortiz-Garcia, 99th flightline vehicles were up and run- said Cobb. “Our ops tempo changes The Super Hornet is the U.S. Navy’s 41, Naval Air Station
Similarly, vehicle maintenance’s refu- Logistics Readiness Squadron, fleet ning, Nellis’ maintainers wouldn’t be depending on what’s going on base. If primary strike and air superiority air- Lemoore, Calif., sits on
eling department is directly responsible management and analysis apprentice, able to get around the flightline or be there’s an exercise running, our ops craft that carries 33 percent more inter- the the flight line during
for ensuring the refueling vehicles are inspects tools on June 30, 2020, at Nellis able to cool off in a vehicle,” said Cobb. tempo increases. The more vehicles nal fuel, increasing mission range by 41 Green Flag 20-9 at Nellis
prepared to perform day-to-day opera- Air Force Base, Nev. Proper accountability A working vehicle for maintain- that are used, the more wear and tear percent and endurance by 50 percent over Air Force Base, Nev.,
tions as well. Without their support, jets of tools and supplies is an important part ers is imperative because it not only it will put on a vehicle.” earlier Hornets. Aug. 18, 2020. Green
and other aircraft would be unable to of vehicle management’s responsibility of provides shelter from the surrounding Once the hood of a vehicle is opened, VFA 41 maintenance crews were Flag-West, is a realistic
receive the necessary fuel needed to fly. keeping the vehicles and special equipment environment, it also makes getting to it is the job of the vehicle maintainer responsible for aircraft maintenance air-land integration
Base ground and flight operations rely for five wings and 52 tenant units running. and from destinations more bearable in to find all discrepancies and fix them. including servicing, inspections, launch combat training exercise
the extreme heat conditions distinct to “We maintain a vehicle from bumper and recovery and munitions loading dur- involving the air forces
Nellis, said Cobb. to bumper,” said Cobb. “Making sure ing the joint exercise. of the United States and
“Another major component of our everything is working, all moving com- its allies.
shop is the maintenance of the security ponents are moving and if anything
forces vehicles,” said Cobb. “Through that is supposed to be stationary stays
our maintenance, the 99th Security put.”
In fact, Cobb said their inspec-
tions are so thorough that a simple oil
change can quickly turn into a major
maintenance order when vehicles are
turned in.
“There’s so much more that goes on
in our maintenance process than most Air Force photograph by William Lewis
people know,” said Ruggerio. “We can U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. John
find all types of leaks, electrical issues Schnepper, F/A-18F Super
or simple stuff in the interior that we Hornet pilot assigned to Strike
need to fix.” Fighter Squadron 41, Naval Air
The attention to detail and amount Station Lemoore, Calif., greets
of laborious tasks that the Nellis vehicle Air Force photograph by William Lewis his plane captain after returning
maintenance team executes directly con- U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Triston Manning, an aviation from a Green Flag 20-9 mission
tributes to operation mission success and machinist assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 41, Naval Air at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.,
safety according to Ruggerio. Station Lemoore, Calif., performs engine oil servicing on an Aug. 18, 2020. Green Flag-West
Senior Airman Cora Burden inspects vehicle “We’re able to contribute to such a F/A-18F after a Green Flag mission at Nellis Air Force Base, provides combat training to Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Dwane R. Young
management’s parts inventory on June 30, large part to Nellis because of our ability Nev., Aug. 18, 2020. Green Flag-West, is primarily conducted in joint and coalition warfighters U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Rolker Perceval, an aviation structural mechanic
Staff Sergeant Tyler Jones (right) and U.S. Air Force Airman First Class Jake Naquin, both 99th 2020, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Vehicle to put out safe and serviceable vehicles conjunction with U.S. Army Combat Training Center exercises in air-land integration and the assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA 41), Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.,
Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle mechanics, conduct routine vehicle maintenance mechanics are responsible for diagnosing in a timely and effective manner,” said at Fort Irwin, Calif., and its close air support and joint exercises joint employment of air power performs post flight checks during Green Flag 20-9 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.,
on June 30, 2020, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Vehicle mechanics are responsible for component malfunctions and replacing or Ruggerio. “It’s something that we, as a are administered by the U.S. Air Force Air Warfare Center and in support of the U.S. Army’s Aug. 18, 2020. VFA 41 crew members are responsible for aircraft maintenance
diagnosing component malfunctions and replacing or repairing parts as necessary. repairing parts as necessary. team, are extremely proud of.” Nellis AFB through the 549th Combat Training Squadron. National Training Center. including servicing, inspections, launch and recovery and munitions loading.