Aerospace Ground Equipment Airmen keep mission rolling

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Zachary Wolf
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  It's a few days after Christmas and a call came into the 3rd Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment office for generators, lights, stands and heaters to combat the minus 10 degree weather.

Airman 1st Class Dimitri Davis, 3rd MXS, a Stonewall, Miss. native, has to make sure the equipment is ready by checking the fuel and make sure it is working properly.

After everything checked out, he loaded up the equipment and drove it out to the flight line where he found the crew chiefs waiting. He unloaded everything and made sure the crew chiefs got what they called for heading back to his shop to see if anyone else called in for equipment for him to deliver.

Davis is part of the AGE team that makes this all possible. As an Airman, education can be hard to balance with a social life and learning a new job.

"I balance my work life and time for myself with education by putting it all into a list of priorities and finish what needs to get done first," Davis said.

Members of AGE handle generators, heaters, air conditioners, lights and other equipment used to support the aircraft or people working on the aircraft.

"We maintain the equipment that supports the aircraft, (the equipment) maintainers use to work on the aircraft and also deliver and pick up that equipment," Davis said.

Even the best equipment breaks down and needs maintenance, and that is when Airmen like Davis take them to the shop to be fixed.

"When you are in the shop, you do daily inspections and do maintenance on the equipment when it is needed," Davis said.

The variety of equipment gives Davis a lot of opportunities to learn.
"I like learning new things daily," Davis said. "It's not the same thing every day; you get to learn a lot that you can use even outside of this job."

As an AGE technician, Davis helps keep the mission of the 3rd Wing going.

"Without our job, the planes wouldn't be in the air because we support the crew chiefs and give them what they need to work on the plane," Davis said. "We save the Air Force a lot of money with our generators so that the aircraft doesn't have to use its own power while they are on the ground, and we keep the crew chiefs warm while they are working in the cold."

The work Davis does helps further the AGE mission.

"He does what needs to be done without being asked," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Justin Dallmier, Davis' supervisor.

The equipment AGE supplies and maintains keeps the 3rd Wing functioning smoothly.

"We really are essential to the 3rd Wing because without us, maintainers' lives would be more difficult and planes wouldn't be up in the air," Davis said.