Barksdale Airmen provide critical support for B-52s during Asia- Pacific deployment

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Airmen responsible for the maintenance of three B-52 Stratofortresses deployed here to support U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence in the Asia-Pacific Region, are working around the clock to ensure the success of each flying mission.

The team of more than 300 Airmen from the 2nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here with three B-52s, also from Louisiana. The bombers are deployed here to meet emerging security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and are responsible for the condition of the flying fleet during their four month mission here.

"We're here for the CBP in the Asia-Pacific theater," said Senior Master Sgt. Carl Paskey, 2nd EAMU lead production superintendent. "Our responsibility is to provide safe and reliable combat airplanes to our aircrews."

Sergeant Paskey is among many Airmen from the 2nd EAMU who have returned to support the CBP here.

"It's a pretty standard operation," said Sergeant Paskey. "We've been doing this off and on for the last five years. The majority of people have been here before. We do have some first-timers to the island, and they'll get a good experience."

Airman 1st Class Mitchell Seitz, 2nd EAMU hydraulics journeyman, said he looks forward to gaining more experience.

"I'm looking forward to having more responsibility in the shop and not relying on other people," Airman Seitz said. "I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to step up and prepare myself for the role of senior airman, which I will put on in December."

Being able to see the operation and get a better understanding of how his work affects the bigger Air Force mission is one of the reasons Airman Seitz said he benefits from his first deployment here.

"I'm enjoying the mission here because we see the purpose for being here," he said. "At home, it gets repetitive and you stay within your organization. Here, you see the bigger picture by seeing what's on the ramp and talking to other deployed Airmen from other units."

The bigger picture is preparing the B-52 bombers to provide the U.S. Pacific Command commander a continuous presence in the Asia-Pacific region. In doing so, the 2nd EAMU Airmen prepare the aircraft for specific missions with a safety mindset, according to Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Konicki, 2nd EAMU Specialists Section assistant chief.

"Our number one goal while our unit is here is to complete the missions safely and timely," said Sergeant Konicki.

As the maintainers work toward that goal, they will come across challenges, the sergeant said.

"One of the challenges we face here is the supply system," Sergeant Konicki said. "Getting parts can be somewhat of a task. Some parts are hard to acquire from the mainland because of not only the age of the aircraft, but also because of the time it takes to receive the parts. We will overcome any problem as a team."

Currently, the maintenance unit works between eight and 12-hour shifts night and day to prepare the bombers, he said.

The B-52 Stratofortress bombers are part of a continuous rotation, which has existed for more than five years.