14th AMU supports and supplies maintenance

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan-- --  Editors Note: Final in a series of six about the 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit

Behind the maintainers of the 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit ready to assist their efforts in keeping the aircraft mission ready, is the AMU's support and supply sections.
Maintainers rely on the support and supply sections for equipment, tools, technical data and spare parts. While not as visible as the Airmen on the flightline, the influence of the support and supply section can be felt with every turn of the wrench and part installed.

"Support and supply are the 'behind the scenes' people," said Master Sgt. Brian Rebo, 14th AMU support flight chief, a native of Pennville, Pennsylvania. "We're not the ones that turn the wrenches, but we're the ones that provide the wrenches and spare parts for maintainers."

The 12 Airmen who work in the 14th AMU support section are all maintainers with flightline experience. Their technical expertise aids their fellow Airmen by providing tools and equipment.

"In our support section, we work hard on ensuring that our maintainers have all the tools and technical orders to make the mission run smoothly," said Senior Airman Paul Neil, 14th AMU crew chief, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich. "We've been there. We know what it's like to have a piece of equipment malfunction, and we try to keep that from happening here."

In addition to providing tools and equipment, support is in charge more than $10 million in tools and equipment and 23 vehicles valued at and more than $500,000, Sergeant Rebo added.

After, the maintainers receive their tools. Getting parts is the next item on the list, and the supply section is the maintainer's next stop.

The 14th AMU employs five Airmen trained in logistics functions to supply the maintainers on the flightline with their parts. Supply also functions as an interim parts warehouse where aircraft parts can be stored easing maintenance.

"We act as a liaison between main supply and maintenance," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Pope, 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit supply logistic technician. "Supply helps the maintainer's save time by getting the parts for the aircraft and having them on hand for when the maintainers need them."

The supply section moves and maintains well over $20 million in assets yearly, Sergeant Pope, a native of Stone Mountain Georgia added.

The work these two sections do has garnered them a 98 percent quality assurance pass rate for the month of October. Although, the support and supply sections remain behind scenes, their importance can be felt indirectly.

"We earned a 98 percent QAPR, which is phenomenal, said Sergeant Rebo. "No one knows when you have a great support or supply section, because no one talks about it. I hear very few grumblings from the maintainers, so the silence is telling me we are doing great."