22nd AFE flight lends a hand to JB Andrews

Airmen from the 22nd Operations Support Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment, enabled the mission at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, to continue sooner than initially expected.

During February and March, Andrews had a manning issue and reached out to multiple bases for help rebuilding their AFE shop. The critically manned shop caused eight aircraft to be grounded for 11 days, because required flight equipment needing to be re-inspected.

Along with those from McConnell, Airmen from Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana, and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, were also called in to help.

“Our director of operations reached out to the leadership at McConnell,” said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Pershing, 459^th OSS AFE superintendent. “Some of the people in the shop already knew a few of the Airmen at McConnell, so it was an easy choice to contact the base.”

The McConnell Airmen were required to assemble some vital equipment to be sent off to Andrews. They also had to inventory the items and re-examine the crew gear.

The original timetable for the AFE shop to be down was approximately two months, but with the help received from other bases, it was cut in half.

“This is exactly how total force integration should work,” said Pershing. “It was a great opportunity for the active duty, guard and reserve AFE shops to come together and complete a mission.”

The rebuild of the shop not only helped crews at Andrews, but it was a new experience the team from McConnell also.

“I’m grateful for the experience that I got while at Andrews,” said Senior Airman Michelle Martos, 22^nd OSS AFE journeyman. “I got a chance to take all of the skills and knowledge that I have from here and share that with the new Airmen at another base.”

The three shops worked together to complete the task. Without the help of the Airmen from each base and the special skills each of them brought, it’s possible there would still be grounded aircraft at JB Andrews.