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Career field merger brings changes to OSS

  • Published
  • By Airman Shen-Chia Chu
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Team Dover's aircrew life support and survival equipment shops are currently merging into a new, combined career field named aircrew flight equipment. 

The two shops are merging together Air Force wide under an Air Mobility Command initiative. 

"Merging just makes sense because the two career fields have always worked together on the same equipment and coordinating tasks will now be easier," said Capt. Gage Anderson, 436th Operations Support Squadron. 

Senior Master Sgt. Darrell Sanderson, 436th Maintenance Squadron agrees. 

"In the culture of Air Force Smart Operations 21 to 'lean' the processes, multiple steps and redundancy are being eliminated or reduced," he said. 

The sergeant believes aircrews will benefit as the aircrew flight equipment Airmen streamline maintenance processes, eliminate waste and increase equipment availability. 

"We started integrating Airmen and equipment into the new combined work centers July 1," said Sergeant Sanderson. "As Airmen from both shops journey toward becoming one (Air Force Specialty Code), life support and survival equipment personnel will be working together, side by side, closely to each other in the same building." 

The Air Force-wide deadline to complete the merger is Oct. 1, which is also the starting date for technical school training for the newly-consolidated career field. 

"Several Airmen have been cross training over the past few months and will help teach other Airmen tasks they have learned," said Master Sgt. Michael Grove, acting 436th OSS superintendent, who will soon be NCO in-charge of the new shop. "The process of training will take a little while, but everyone involved is pretty excited about learning something new." 

Sergeant Sanderson also believes this is an exciting time for Airmen to be a part of the aircrew flight equipment career field. 

"The actions that are being put into place now will have a continued impact on the success of our future for years to come," said the sergeant, who will be taking the new superintendent position. "This will allow us to get a better product to the aircraft and aircrew in a timelier manner." 

Most functions from both shops and traditional aircrew life support functions will stay the same, according to Captain Anderson. Some of the servicemembers and property from the 436th MXS will be moving to the 436th OSS. The main change will involve flightline equipment, which includes inspection and packing of parachutes, escape slides and life rafts. 

"In the spirit of AFSO-21, working as one team will help cut out wasted time and effort transporting and shuttling equipment back and forth from building to building, and attempting to mesh inspection and installation schedules," said Captain Anderson. 

Luckily moving won't be difficult since the buildings are right next door to one another, said the captain. 

"This is definitely a smart move for the Air Force - saving time and effort by consolidating two career fields with similar functions to provide safe equipment for aircraft operations," added Captain Anderson.