Blacksmiths of the new age

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Throughout the history of armed conflict the blacksmith has had an important role. In today's military the role of the blacksmith is often played by those in the Metals Technology career field.

"We're today's blacksmiths," said Staff Sgt. Frank Ruckel, 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, metals technologist craftsman. "Instead of heating (metal) up and beating on it with a hammer we get to use machines to heat, treat and manipulate metal."

Metals Technology technicians work to build and repair most metallic components in today's Air Force. The majority of those builds and repairs are focused on aircraft. "We do different things from removing stuck screws to (major repairs)," said Ruckel.

The Elmendorf's Metals Tech. shop is unique from shops anywhere else. "We are the lead Metals Tech. shop in all of PACAF," said Edmund Kelleher, 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron. "We have the technologies that other bases don't have."

The Metals Tech. shop here is required to have a large amount of equipment that wouldn't be found anywhere else in the Air Force, because of the different types of airframes assigned here. There's a good possibility you won't ever see equipment that's here ever again in your whole career, said Ruckel.

The shops unique capabilities allow them to assist other bases with jobs and repairs if they don't have the tools to complete them. Currently, the shop is working to fix a fuel cell bracket from Kadena AFB, Japan.

The fuel cell bracket was cracked and needed an upgraded fitting applied to it. The new fitting, a bathtub, required machinery that could work on five separate axes instead of the normal three to forge it.

Being the lead shop in PACAF brings with it a lot of new challenges, but having lots of unique equipment does offer the Metal's Tech. shop with a big benefit for its assigned Airmen.

"It's a nice shop to come to as a young Airman (because of the extra training),"said Ruckel. "Airmen leave this base with a lot more knowledge."