JBER, Yokota Airmen team up for C-130 recovery

Published June 20, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera
JBER Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- When an aircraft suffered mechanical issues and diverted to an isolated island more than 2,000 miles away from its home station, a group of Airmen from the 3rd Maintenance Squadron's Maintenance Recovery Team came to assist.

On the way back from program depot maintenance in Robins Air Force Base, Ga., a C-130 Hercules made an emergency stop in Shemya, Alaska, due to hydraulic issues.

Once the crew chiefs from the 374th Maintenance Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan, inspected the aircraft, they found a 7.5-inch structural crack.

Because the aircraft was deemed non-mission capable and unable to fly, the 3rd MXS answered the call from the 613th Air Operations Center to assist with the recovery.

"Prior to the MRT arriving in Shemya, an advance-echelon team consisting of aerospace ground equipment, non-destruction inspection, and aircraft structural maintenance craftsmen assessed the damage to ensure there was nothing further required from JBER," said Master Sgt. Joshua Gilbert, ASM section chief.

Providing the right tools for the job, the 3rd MXS formed the team based on qualified experience.

"A team was put together to go out, recover and provide maintenance support," said Chief Master Sgt. Vicente Cruz, 3rd MXS Fabrication Flight chief.

Staff Sgt. Justin Dallmier, aerospace ground equipment craftsman, was the first of the JBER MRT to arrive at Shemya.

Within the first 12 hours, he and the three Yokota Airmen, who arrived with Dallmier, started working.

"My job is to assemble the tripod jack to support the tail," Dallmier said. "I got the jacks in position to support the tail of the aircraft so they could start working."

Staff Sgt. Jason Franklin and Staff Sgt. Morgan Higgins, 3rd MXS aircraft structure maintenance craftsmen also responded to assist the Yokota personnel. Arriving less than a year ago at JBER, Franklin and Higgins were selected for the MRT mission because of their extensive knowledge working on a C-130 Hercules.

"By the time we got there, the Yokota personnel were just getting off their shift and we just picked up where they left off," Franklin said. "It was a joint effort to get the aircraft off the ground."

Everyone was working together, even outside their specialties, to help each other out, added Higgins.

Despite the extreme weather with 60-knot wind and low visibility, these Airmen got the job done. After 72 hours of non-stop, around-the-clock work, the team from JBER and Yokota accomplished the task.