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Grand Forks NCO manages KC-135 fuels systems maintenance in Kyrgyzstan

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Tech Sgt. Austin Hetland is an aircraft fuel systems craftsman with the 376th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 376th Air Expeditionary Wingm at a the Transit Center in Manas, Kyrgyzstan.

Sergeant Hetland is deployed from Air Mobility Command's 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 319th Air Refueling Wing, at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., and his hometown is Manhattan, Kan. According to the 319th ARW Web site, Grand Forks AFB "plays a central role in the nation's defense." The 319th ARW "guarantees global reach and engagement for the U.S. and its allies through robust air refueling and airlift capabilities." In addition, the wing's "Warriors of the North" support operations from more than a dozen deployed locations across the globe.

As an aircraft fuel systems craftsman, Sergeant Hetland removes, repairs, inspects, installs and modifies aircraft fuel systems including integral fuel tanks, bladder cells and external tanks, according to his official Air Force job description.

Sergeant Hetland and aircraft fuel systems Airmen like him also advise on aircraft fuel systems removal, repair and installation maintenance procedures and policies. They diagnose fuel system and component malfunctions and recommend corrective actions and resolve problems using technical publications and analytic techniques, the job description states.

Aircraft fuel systems Airmen also perform maintenance on aircraft fuel tanks and cells, remove access panels, and depuddle, purge, repair and test fuel tanks and cells, the job description states. They perform entry and maintenance in confined spaces and remove, repair and replace malfunctioning components. They also prepare aircraft surfaces and apply sealants, adhesives and associated chemicals.

As an aircraft fuel systems craftsman, Sergeant Hetland supervises, inspects and evaluates aircraft fuel systems maintenance activities. He also manages the cleaning of fuel cells and tanks, and inspects them for foreign objects, corrosion, cell deterioration and fungus. He can also initiate deficiency reports, maintenance analysis documents, technical data changes, and equipment records.

To do his job at home station or while deployed, aircraft fuel systems Airmen like Sergeant Hetland have to maintain mandatory job knowledge is a wide variety of areas, the job description states. Those areas include knowledge in internal hardware such as valves, interconnects, lines, gauges, controls, pumps and other attachments. He also has to know about sealing materials, sheet metal parts, rubber properties and organic sealing compound applications, layout drawing use, technical publications, concepts and applications of maintenance directives and work policies and procedures.

According to 376th AEW Public Affairs, the Transit Center at Manas was activated in December 2001 when coalition forces deployed to Manas International Airport and began supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and the International Security Assistance Force after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the 376th AEW fact sheet states. The base continues to promote regional stability in Central Asia.