Life support mission motto says it all … “Your life is our business” Published April 28, 2006 By Maj. Ann Peru Knabe 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs SOUTHWEST ASIA (AMCNS) -- In the shadows behind every aircrew stands a life support team. These Airmen typically don’t seek the limelight. Instead, they wish for all “their” aircrew to come home safely. Staff Sgt. Jessica McCormick, a KC-135 life support journeyman assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, said the role of life support is significant for many reasons. “First and foremost, we provide equipment responsibilities to keep the crewmembers alive in case of an emergency,” said the sergeant with five years experience in the field. “Second, we ensure crewmembers are familiar and trained on the procedures and use of the equipment that could potentially save their lives. Finally, we’re the last office they visit prior to their flights, and that means we’re the last people to give them the signature saying ‘Have a good flight!’” The aircrew survival gear and equipment assigned to life support sections vary from aircraft to aircraft. “We’re responsible for maintaining parachutes, rafts, personal breathing devices, smoke masks, helmets, survival vests, body armor and nuclear flash blindness goggles,” explained Airman 1st Class Latoya Anderson, a life support specialist, who, like Sergeant McCormick, is deployed from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., and works with refueler aircrews. “We test the equipment for efficiency by putting it on or testing it out on special machines.” Airman Anderson’s job also requires her to change outdated equipment and update it on the Air Force Technical Order form 46 stored on the aircraft. Life support Airmen assigned to fighters, on the other hand, have additional responsibilities. “We’re different because we also maintain each aircrew member’s flying gear with more routine inspections, and we deal with ejections,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin Getchell, a 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron life support specialist. “Life support is important for fighter pilots during their flights, because (the life support section) works with their helmets, masks and g-suits,” said the Airman deployed from the 4th Fighter Wing based at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. “And in the event of an ejection, our job is absolutely vital. From the opening of a parachute to the rescue of a downed aircrew, our survival equipment and aircrew training connect the two together.” Sergeant Getchell’s main responsibility in life support is flight line operations. “I inspect the parachute installation in the aircraft and take care of the survival kits,” he said. “Being in a Strike Eagle Squadron, we normally have more equipment than other fighter squadrons because every aircraft has two seats.” A typical F-15E life support inspection takes about 30 minutes, but if the life support specialist needs to swap out all of the equipment, it could take up to an hour and a half. Some life support specialists work on multiple aircraft. Assigned to the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Airman 1st Class Aaron Chatmon works on C-17s here in Southwest Asia. Back in the United States, the life support journeyman works on C-5s with the 436th Operations Support Squadron based at Dover AFB, Del. In the desert, Airman Chatmon tests oxygen masks on the Scott communications and oxygen tester and inspects night vision goggles on the airborne visual search equipment tester. When an aircraft lands, he completes a mission terminated inspection to ensure all of the life support equipment is serviceable and ready for the next flight. Airman Chatmon said one thing that makes the C-17 life support mission different from the fighter life support mission is emergency survival equipment associated with Air Mobility Command passengers. Like Airman Chatmon, Senior Airman Alicia McClelland, a 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron life support journeyman, considers the passengers when configuring life support on C-130J aircraft. “We have passenger breathing equipment, adult and child life preservers, and infant cots,” said Airman McClelland, a deployed guard member permanently assigned to the 135th Airlift Group. “But you won’t find this survival gear on board fighters or bombers, because these aren’t designed to carry extra people.” Like McClelland, Senior Airman Chelsea Raymond, a 914th Airlift Wing reservist assigned to the 379th EOSS, also works in C-130 life support. She believes the life support mission is intricately tied to the Global War on Terrorism. “I believe we play a key role in the mission; without us, aircrew would not be able to focus on the job at hand, because they may worry they don’t have the means to protect themselves in case of an emergency,” she explained. “We make sure equipment is in the best condition, so they can fly safely with no worries.” Staff Sgt. Miracle Carter, a 379 EOSS C-130 life support technician from Niagara Falls agreed, citing life support training as the key to survival. “We are what the aircrew depend on for their training,” she said. “Without life support training, they would be unprepared for the worst scenarios.” Sergeant McCormick said she didn’t realize how significant the life support role was until she met a veteran at a 4th of July parade five years ago, just after she joined the Air Force. “While we were waiting for the parade to start, the veteran asked me what I did in the Air Force,” she said. “I told him life support but added we weren’t really that important. The veteran looked at me and told me to never say that again, because if it wasn’t for life support, he wouldn’t be here today.” From that moment on, Sergeant McCormick said she never downplayed her career in life support ever again.