Weather Airman Works Late to Keep Others Safe Published May 3, 2007 By Army SGT Catherine Talento AFN Hawaii HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii -- The early evening hours here are like most Hawaiian nights, warm and breezy but Tech Sergeant Rosswald Guevarra isn't interested in the weather outside. High up in the command center of the 17th Operational Weather Squadron Sergeant Guevarra is staring intently into a computer monitor tracking the weather conditions halfway around the world at Kadena Air Base Okinawa Japan, "Right now we have a frontal system moving through Kadena," Guevarra explained, "One of my responsibilities is to make sure that we are watching, issuing watches on winds and lightening to make sure we are on top of it, so we don't get nailed by it. With a operating area of over 110 million square miles covering 42 countries and 16 times zones, the Airmen of the 17th Operational Weather Squadron are responsible for forecasting the weather 24 hours a day 7 days a week, year round. On this night Guevarra and about a dozen other meteorologists are tracking a variety of weather patterns from the storms in Japan to tropical activity over Guam. "We are there to provide flight weather briefings 24/7, provide weather watches and warning for CWTs and provide weather for our deployed areas and exercises," explained Guevarra. As lead meteorologist Guevarra is responsible for verifying the accuracy of reports. Guevarra says he enjoys the responsibility and the chance to step up the position gives. Night shift he also explains gives the airmen working added advantages, "Airmen can do PT a little easier and we can do more training and as an NCO I can get some of the administrative stuff done that needs to be done." The Airmen of the 17th OWS switch back and forth between shifts, working one month on days and one on nights.