Missouri Air National Guard Airman, Saint Joseph native, supports flightline operations in Southwest Asia

Published Sept. 2, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- At this undisclosed location in Southwest Asia the sweltering heat radiates off the flightline at temperatures of up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

The blistering temperature is a challenge to the Airmen who provide the aerospace ground equipment, or AGE, which is vital to making flight operation flow smoothly.

Senior Airman Tyler Schmidt is an AGE journeyman with the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron. Airmen Schmidt and his fellow AGE Airmen in the 380th EMXS provide the expertise and AGE operations support for the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and ultimately the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, which is home to the KC-10 Extender, E-3 Sentry, U-2 Dragon Lady and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft.

"I service and maintain the ground equipment for the flight line that is used for aircraft flight and maintenance. I also take part in dispatching this equipment," said Airman Schmidt, who is deployed from the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in Saint Joseph, Mo. Airman Schmidt grew up in Saint Joseph as well.

According to his official Air Force job description, AGE journeyman perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on equipment and they inspect, test and operate AGE to determine equipment serviceability and proper operation. They also diagnose mechanical and electronic circuitry malfunction using visual and auditory senses, test equipment, and technical publications. Additionally, they remove, disassemble, repair, clean, treat for corrosion, assemble and re-install AGE accessories and components.

AGE maintenance Airmen also service equipment with fuel, oil, coolant, water, hydraulic fluid and air, the job description states. They operate, clean, inspect and service AGE towing vehicles and provide dispatch service for AGE, including positioning equipment to support aircraft maintenance and flying operations.

Furthermore, Airman Schmidt is trained to use an automated maintenance system to monitor maintenance trends, analyze equipment requirements, maintain equipment records and document maintenance actions. He analyzes and repairs ground support equipment using conventional and digital multimeters, voltmeters, ohmmeters, frequency counters, oscilloscopes, circuit card testers, transistor testers and hand tools. He also maintains external fuel and grounding systems and plans and organizes AGE maintenance activities through establishing production controls and standards.

Airman Schmidt said without Airmen like him on the job making sure AGE equipment is ready to go, operations would not flow smoothly.

"The career field I am in is very important because without it the aircraft would not be able to undergo any of their checks or services and the mission would not be able to be completed," he said.

The Airman said that he misses his family but he finds his work here rewarding.

"I realize that with a family back home I am missing kids growing, but on the other hand realize that if I'm not over here someone else will be," he said. "I always try to excel in my job so that I can feel good when I go home to my wife and two kids and know that I made a difference over here."

The 380th EMXS falls under the 380th AEW. The wing is comprised of five groups and 18 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, air battle management, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports Operation New Dawn and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.