Airfield management keeps the JBER mission rolling

  • Published
  • By David Bedard
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Any time Senior Airman Samantha Glenny visits an airport, she can't help but be more interested in the design of the runway tarmac than in the discount wares of the duty-free shop.

While other passengers are looking forward to wolfing down a hot cinnamon roll near Gate H7, Glenny, 3rd Operations Support Squadron Airfield Management shift lead, can't help but keep an eye out for foreign-object damage despite having no responsibility for the civilian facility.

Still, her vigilance puts her in good stead when she is making the rounds on the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson airfield's runways, taxiways and aprons.

“Our day-to-day operations include providing a safe, effective airfield environment for incoming and outgoing traffic,” she said.

Glenny and other Airfield Management Airmen inspect cement and asphalt surfaces, runway lights, distance markers and arresting-cable systems among other parts that keep an airfield capable of 24/7 flight operations.

“People always ask me why I love this job,” the Spring Hill, Florida, native said. “It's because there is always a problem to solve. There is always an issue, and you get your mind rolling on how to make it work, how to do it effectively and safely.”

Challenges for airfield operations in Alaska are snow, ice, freezing rain and ice fog. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jerred Johnson, noncommissioned officer in charge of Airfield Management operations, said his Airmen take runway conditions readings to ensure the surface provides enough friction for aircraft to safely take off and land.

Airfield Management is responsible for planning where JBER-based and transient aircraft park. Covering 3rd Wing, Red Flag-Alaska, Air Mobility Command and other Department of Defense agencies, Glenny said managing the parking plan is tantamount to completing a puzzle where the shape of the pieces and the overall picture are constantly changing.

If Airfield Management finds a tarmac deficiency, they work closely with base civil engineers to repair the surface, Johnson said.

Because Airfield Management works with so many other units and agencies and often acts as de facto project managers, Johnson said airfield management often requires broad knowledge.

“We're not the subject matter experts, but we have to know a little about what everyone does so we can effectively manage the airfield,” he said.

Because the airfield's operational capability relies on airfield management, Glenny said a lot of stakeholders are invested in what they do.

“The most challenging part of airfield management is the number of people who are looking to us for answers,” she said. “We get questions from civil engineers, maintenance, operations and the tower.”

Glenny said she is pleased to be an integral part of the airfield mission.

“We're quiet professionals like the back stage for a show,” she said. “We're involved in everything. Even if we don't get all of the credit, it's nice to know we help the mission.”