Accelerating the mission

Published Aug. 16, 2016
By Airman 1st Class Destinee Sweeney
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE -- In the event of a downed aircraft, one section is responsible for dispatching vehicles in order to get various response units to the scene.

While transporting those units, this section would enter the cordoned area and retrieve salvageable or sensitive aircraft parts.

The 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operations section consists of 12 personnel who are ready to transport cargo and personnel, assist in emergency recovery, and dispatch requested help to squadrons. They operate with 69 assigned vehicles to get the mission on the road.

“Vehicle operations provides support across the wing, to include Army Central Command,” said Tech. Sgt. Eric Childress, 20th LRS vehicle operations control center noncommissioned officer in charge. “[We are capable of] Movements that need to happen on base, [which] other sections or squadrons aren’t qualified to do.”

Childress said the section is capable of wrecker and trailer tractor operations as well as retrieving broken down vehicles.

Not only do they provide mechanical support for various squadrons, they help mobilize equipment and personnel.

“We need to make sure that people get to where they need to be for either deployments or TDYs, along with the cargo to make the mission happen wherever they’re going,” said Childress.

The vehicle operations section often joins forces with their neighboring flight to enhance overall mission readiness.

“Vehicle maintenance and vehicle ops work together, we’re brothers,” said Airman Alejandro Ponce, 20th LRS vehicle operator dispatcher. “If anything happens with our vehicles they come and help us; if they need a vehicle transported they call us and we bring the vehicle over to them so they can fix it. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Although they work closely with the vehicle maintenance flight, vehicle operations Airmen are still required to perform basic weekly inspections of the vehicles in the yard. They monitor fluids, tire pressure, and safety requirements to catch maintenance issues before they develop into bigger problems.

Airmen must be certified to drive a variety of vehicles, ranging from forklifts to buses, in addition to performing basic vehicle maintenance. Each vehicle qualification requires 30-40 hours of training, as well as passing both a driving and written test.

“Since military members don’t have to have a civilian commercial driver’s license, we mirror the training program to ensure we’re putting qualified operators on the road,” said Childress.

From maintenance to driving qualifications, the vehicle operations Airmen are always prepared to put the pedal to the metal to achieve mission requirements.

“The vehicle operators are strong-willed individuals,” said Tech. Sgt. Clyde Rankins III, 20th LRS vehicle operations section chief. “We definitely work hard when the tempo boosts up, we’re out here and we’re grinding.”

On average, vehicle operations transports 150,000 lbs of cargo per month, including transports for deployments, base-wide and base-to-base transportation.

“Whether it’s cargo going out for deployment or if it’s parts on a jet that need to be fixed,” said Childress, “if we’re not moving it, it doesn’t get moved.”

At the end of the day, vehicle operations Airmen park their work vehicles in the compound and hang up the keys, gearing up for tomorrow when they’ll take the mission back on the road.