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thedrifter
06-09-07, 09:30 AM
Keepers of the airfield
BY CPL. RYAN JACKSON, SPECIAL TO THE SUN
June 8, 2007 - 10:03PM

Editor's note - This is the first in a three-part series of stories about members of Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 who are currently deployed to Iraq.

AL ASAD, Iraq - If you could spend a day with expeditionary airfield Marines in Yuma, you would see them catching fighter jets with emergency arresting gear on the flightline.

But while they're deployed here in Iraq, emergency airfield technicians of Yuma-based Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 are sweeping the flightline for damage and making rapid repairs to ensure a safe landing zone.

They are responsible for maintaining the airfield on Al Taqqadum. In addition to their normal responsibilities, they are building helicopter landing pads and, when required, manning forward arming and refueling points for helicopters.

"When I was told 'aircraft recovery,' I got the impression I was going outside the wire to pick up downed aircraft, something like 'Blackhawk Down'," said Cpl. Robert Goodall II, an expeditionary airfield (EAF) technician with MWSS 371. "I got to school and found out I was working with emergency arresting gear for tail-hook aircraft. It's a little different than I expected, but I like it."

The EAF technician military occupational specialty differs between home and deployment. While belonging to a station unit in the United States, the job consists of aircraft recovery.

"Back at station, we are emergency personnel," said Goodall, a Chilton, Wis., native. "Usually we get five minutes where the tower will let us know if we have an emergency or precautionary arrestment. Then we go and respond. We go out to our gear and make sure it is up and let the tower know we're up and we are clear of the runway."

In aircraft recovery, the Marines work with E-28 emergency arresting gear for tail-hook aircraft like the F/A-18 Hornet, according to Goodall. Every morning EAF starts up the arresting gear, ensuring it has power in case of an emergency.

From changing spark plugs to the monthly maintenance, the Marines ensure that the gear is ready to go every day.

Not every arrestment is a worst-case scenario. They take aborted arrestments, when a pilot aborts a takeoff; precautionary arrestments, when a pilot gets a warning light; and emergencies, like when a plane has a blown-out tire or can't land on an aircraft carrier.

Safety is paramount. When the EAF crew takes an arrestment, there is no one near the cable on the runway, according to Goodall. The Marines turn on the arrestment gear and move away from it in case something happens to the aircraft or their gear breaks.

"We have a minimum of four people: one on each engine, one between the engines and one in front of the aircraft," said Goodall.

"The guy in the front will make sure the brakes are off by signaling the pilot. Then, the point man gives the signal to the guys on the engines and they retract the cable. The point man gives the cut sign and the two engine operators stop the arrestment gear and the aircraft rolls back off the cable and the pilot puts their tail hook up and goes on their way."

The Marines work in a deployable billet while attached to a Marine aircraft wing, and the EAF mission changes dramatically when deployed. The section takes on more responsibility.

"The wing side is expeditionary work and is more difficult," said Staff Sgt. David Bunn, an EAF technician with MWSS-371. "You have to maintain the matting, the markings and the lighting and the expeditionary arrestment gear."

All taxiways and runways have to be painted and lighted so pilots know where to taxi and land on the flightline.

"Lighting is unreal out there," said Goodall. "When I left (Al Asad) there were almost 2,500 taxiway and runway lights installed. We have to make sure they are not down and replace them when they burn out."

In addition to maintaining the flightline, EAF sets up helicopter landing zones and installs matting over terrain as landing pads. The landing pads are generally made of AM-2 matting, which is made from aluminum and can withstand the vertical takeoff and landing of the AV-8B and MV-22. The matting is heat-resistant, nonskid and reduces brownout conditions.

"An LZ is basically bringing two or three aircraft in the middle of nowhere," said Goodall.

The job offers more variety and requires more responsibility, but most Marines prefer the deployed work, according to Bunn, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native. The projects are more time-consuming and require more concise labor. Of all the different types of tasks the EAF
Marines perform, there is one they all enjoy.

"We all enjoy taking traps, which are arrestments," said Bunn. "We all like to take M-31 arrestments, which is the mobile expeditionary arrestment gear. You get to see all the moving parts and the smoke shoot out of the arrestment gear from the friction."

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Cpl. Ryan Jackson is a Marine Corps correspondent serving in Iraq.

Ellie