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C-130 crew chiefs: Taking the fight to the enemy

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joel Mease
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  (Editor's note: This is the second in a series on the mission of the 317th Airlift Group.)

There may be dirt, sweat or oil on their uniforms, but please don't look down on these hard working Airmen. 

For crew chiefs in the 317th AG, this is a mark of pride and hard work. 

The maintainers here take their job seriously as the C-130 mission at Dyess as well as in the deployed environment plays a key role in fighting terrorists, said Tech. Sgt. David Evans, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron lead tech crew chief. 

"When you look at the big picture - the impact the C-130s make on the Air Force and all that they do in the (Global War on Terrorism) makes a huge difference," Sergeant Evans said. 

Because of the impact the C-130s have, Airmen working at the 317th AG have to pay attention to the small things. When you're signing off on these aircraft you are guaranteeing the mechanical soundness of the aircraft, said Senior Airman Mike Sevilla, 317th AMXS crew chief. 

"When you're inspecting the aircraft you have to hold high integrity," Airman Sevilla said. "People are putting lives in your hand. You would want the aircraft fixed as if you were going to fly on it." 

Integrity is a key component crew chiefs must hold, Sergeant Evans said. 

"You are often taking care of more than just a crew up there. It could be a group of Airmen returning from a deployment or maybe a retiree's family using a (space available) flight," Sergeant Evans said. "Either way, following the core values is necessary as a crew chief." 

Due to deployments and other manning shortages, the maintainers of the 317th AG carry more responsibilities than ever before, said Sergeant Evans, a crew chief of 15 years. 

"If you're not training someone here, you are being trained," Sergeant Evans said. "The Airmen here are on a serious learning curve right when they first walk through that door."
"As an Airman I need to perform one step higher than I am now to make sure the job gets done," Airman Sevilla said. 

One of the reasons Airmen need to learn so quickly is the nature of the job the C-130 does for the Air Force. 

"We fly in some of the most remote places in the world," Sergeant Evans said. "If that plane breaks down over there, you are expected to fix it to bring the crew back home. An in-depth knowledge of the aircraft is absolutely essential." 

Because the 317th AG shares a large workload in the area of responsibility, the crew chiefs on the C-130 follow the same deployment rotations the airlift squadrons have.
"We follow 'four (months) on and four (months) off' deployment cycles right now," Sergeant Evans said. "If it weren't for the strong support the spouses and family members provide us, we wouldn't be able to do it." 

For Airman Sevilla, the work they do in the deployed environments make him proud to be a crew chief on the C-130s. 

"I have buddies from back home who have joined the Army and see that Dyess tail flash in the desert nearly every day," Airman Sevilla said. "Those C-130s might be doing medevac missions, dropping off supplies, new personnel or bringing people home. When I hear that from them, it lets me know that what we are doing here does make a difference." 

While the C-130 crew chiefs may have to work long hours and deploy often, both crew chiefs agree that the sacrifices they make is worth it. 

"This job was my first choice when I joined the Air Force," Airman Sevilla said. "I enjoy being a part of the mission."