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Never for want of a nail ... or a fastener

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Robert Couse-Baker
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  The profession of arms has undergone many changes through the ages, but one timeless principle remains essential to operational success: meticulous equipment preparation. The concept is summed up in the ancient proverb, "For Want of a Nail."

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Although horses are seldom employed in modern warfare, the lesson is not lost on the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Phase Inspection Section. Careful attention to detail can be found most everywhere on Joint Base Balad, and particularly so in the Viper Phase Dock.

At intervals of 400, 800 and 2,400 flying hours, each Block 50 F-16 Fighting Falcon deployed here from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., receives a thorough program of preventative maintenance and inspection.

It's a little like the 15,000, 30,000 and 60,000-mile service intervals for a car, except no Subaru gets a checkup as comprehensive as this one. The 400-hour phase inspection involves, at a minimum, 264 multi-step maintenance actions, performed by two shifts of maintainers working a total of about 600 man-hours.

"That is in a perfect world with a perfect aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Amos Tolson, of the 332nd EMXS Viper Phase Assistant Inspection Section chief, deployed from Shaw AFB, S.C.

"The inspection however, may become extended and more involved if the aircraft is disassembled and phase personnel find additional discrepancies. These would include things like cracks or other broken parts that may not be noticed until the jet is apart," Sergeant Tolson said.

While the knight's noble steed is fashioned of aluminum, titanium and about a bazillion precision "horseshoe nails," it still must giddy-up when the rider applies the spurs.

"Phase inspections are exceptionally important here in this harsh environment and despite Spartan conditions our maintenance professionals get the job done without missing a beat," said Lt. Col. Douglas Demaio, 55th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander, deployed from Shaw AFB, S.C.

"Within hours those aircraft are back on the line supporting critical missions and firepower is made available to our soldiers when they need it," Colonel Demaio said.

As U.S. Forces here continue to transition from combat to stability operations and help strengthen the capabilities of a sovereign, secure and self-reliant Iraq, a lot of things are changing.
Despite the changes, one principle is enduring: the maintainer's commitment to ensure there won't be a want of a nail.