Crew chiefs in the AOR: 163d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chiefs get their hands dirty

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Paul Duquette
  • 163d RW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  Crew chiefs expect to get their hands dirty - some say you're not doing your job if they're not. But for our transitioning crew chiefs, getting your hands dirty is not something they can do at home station. 

Deploying to the area of responsibility (AOR) wasn't something 163d Aircraft Maintenance crew chiefs did often when the 163d Reconnaissance Wing had the tanker mission, but since the transition to the Predator, it's slowly becoming the norm. 

Before deploying to the AOR, all maintenance personnel go through Expeditionary Combat Skills Training (ECST) and one month of hands-on training at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. 

During the three-day ECST course, they learn what to expect in the AOR; basic challenge commands, perform gate guard duty; identify improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance; local AOR cultural concerns; high-and low crawl methods; crowd control techniques and the main focus of the training, use of force. 

After completing ECST, they move on to their hands-on or "spin-up training." This portion of the training takes each member to their respective shops, allowing them to perform their jobs under a supervisor or, in some cases depending on their skill, supervise others doing their jobs. 

Once they've completed their ECST and spinup training, they deploy to the AOR via military transportation. 

"It was hard," said 163d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Crew Chief Staff Sgt. Skyler Swinhart. "We worked 12-hour shifts, six days a week and sometimes I came in on my days off. But being new to the Predator, it was a great experience because I was able to thoroughly learn my job and know I was actually a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was very satisfying when I realized I was actually helping the soldiers in the field." 

"Though it was hard at times, I want to go back again," said Sergeant Swinhart. "One thing that made it easier was the flow of communication from back home. My wife would send me care packages filled with candy and snack foods. We also communicated via e-mail. My son learned to crawl while I was in theater, but I got to see it because my wife sent me pictures." 

"The living accommodations definitely made the time away from family, friends and my fiancé easier," said Staff Sgt. Michael Astolfo, crew chief, 163d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We were staying four to a room in hard billets. The rooms had air conditioning and optional Internet hook-up." 

"The combination of a microphone, web camera and internet service gave me the ability to talk to my fiancée state side," said Sergeant Astolfo, "It was really uplifting when we'd come in to work to find a care package from home."