thedrifter
04-02-03, 12:02 PM
'Black Knight' Could Become Corps' Last 'Outhouse' Crew Chief
Marine Corps News
March 26, 2003
ABOARD USS IWO JIMA -- During the early stages of the Vietnam War, a journalist was aboard a Marine Corps helicopter while writing a story about the war effort. In a matter of moments, his flight turned tragic as his helicopter received enemy fire, mortally wounding the pilot and the co-pilot.
When the reporter's story went to press however, it did not focus on the pilots' tragic deaths but rather on the brave efforts of the aircraft's crew to attempt to save their lives and land the helicopter safely.
It was this article, found in reprint, of the bravery of a U.S. Marine crew chief and his fellow Marines that inspired the current non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the CH-46E Air Frames Section of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-264 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) to join the Marine Corps and become a helicopter crew chief.
Sergeant C. Brady Hatton began his Marine Corps aviation career as an airframes mechanic and soon qualified as an aerial observer. Although very proficient at his job, Hatton wanted more time in the air and that meant striving to earn the title as a helicopter crew chief.
Achieving his goal required a great deal of personal initiative. Striking a critical balance between work and off-duty time, he completed nearly 450 flight hours since he began flying in April 2000. He also earned a Naval air crewman designation November 2000. Just prior to this deployment, he completed an intense 90-day training and evaluation period and was officially designated a CH-46E crew chief. He flew his first mission as a crew chief during his squadron's fly-on for this deployment March 5th from Marine Corps Air Station, New River, NC. Like most Marines, Hatton credits his success to fellow Marines within his unit.
"If it were not for the Marines in my shop, I would never have been able to do this," said Hatton. "Because they did their jobs, I was able to break away and get the qualifications that I needed to become a crew chief."
During the rigorous 12-hour workdays prior to this deployment, Hatton said he would also make time, whenever passing other crew chiefs, to ask them questions. One of those whom he questioned fairly regularly was Sgt. Brett Peterson, the squadron's crew chief representative in the Department of Safety and Standardization. In addition to being a crew chief and an expert on safety, Peterson was an easy source of knowledge both on and off-duty for Hatton because the two Marines were roommates.
"I think it's great," said Peterson of Hatton's earning the designation as a CH-46E crew chief. "I think that he is already better than some of the new crew chiefs we get from school. He was a mechanic first, then a senior mechanic, and now with this training, he knows the squadron from every angle," said Peterson.
With the addition of Hatton, "The Black Knights" now have two Marines for whom the crew chief designation is a secondary job specialty. Because these Marines earned the designation as crew chiefs outside a traditional school setting via mostly on-the-job training, these kinds of crew chiefs are often informally referred to as "outhouse" (short for out of the school house) crew chiefs, a coveted designation.
Hatton may be the squadron's last "outhouse" crew chief with the issuance of a recent order from Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps that removed the designation of crew chief from the list of possible secondary job specialties, said Peterson.
For Hatton, the sky is the limit now. On this deployment, he has flown nearly every day.
"It feels good doing what I always wanted to do," Hatton said. "I get to work on the aircraft and fly it as well. It really gives me intense job satisfaction."
Just as the Marines in that helicopter over Vietnam so long ago overcame severe adversity to safely land their helicopter, Hatton has worked hard and applied everything that he's been taught to achieve his goals and may now write his own chapter in military history with the 26th MEU (SOC).
To follow Hatton and the rest of the Marines and Sailors of HMM-264 (Reinforced) and the 26th MEU (SOC), visit them on the web at www.26meu.usmc.mil.
Sempers,
Roger
Marine Corps News
March 26, 2003
ABOARD USS IWO JIMA -- During the early stages of the Vietnam War, a journalist was aboard a Marine Corps helicopter while writing a story about the war effort. In a matter of moments, his flight turned tragic as his helicopter received enemy fire, mortally wounding the pilot and the co-pilot.
When the reporter's story went to press however, it did not focus on the pilots' tragic deaths but rather on the brave efforts of the aircraft's crew to attempt to save their lives and land the helicopter safely.
It was this article, found in reprint, of the bravery of a U.S. Marine crew chief and his fellow Marines that inspired the current non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the CH-46E Air Frames Section of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-264 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) to join the Marine Corps and become a helicopter crew chief.
Sergeant C. Brady Hatton began his Marine Corps aviation career as an airframes mechanic and soon qualified as an aerial observer. Although very proficient at his job, Hatton wanted more time in the air and that meant striving to earn the title as a helicopter crew chief.
Achieving his goal required a great deal of personal initiative. Striking a critical balance between work and off-duty time, he completed nearly 450 flight hours since he began flying in April 2000. He also earned a Naval air crewman designation November 2000. Just prior to this deployment, he completed an intense 90-day training and evaluation period and was officially designated a CH-46E crew chief. He flew his first mission as a crew chief during his squadron's fly-on for this deployment March 5th from Marine Corps Air Station, New River, NC. Like most Marines, Hatton credits his success to fellow Marines within his unit.
"If it were not for the Marines in my shop, I would never have been able to do this," said Hatton. "Because they did their jobs, I was able to break away and get the qualifications that I needed to become a crew chief."
During the rigorous 12-hour workdays prior to this deployment, Hatton said he would also make time, whenever passing other crew chiefs, to ask them questions. One of those whom he questioned fairly regularly was Sgt. Brett Peterson, the squadron's crew chief representative in the Department of Safety and Standardization. In addition to being a crew chief and an expert on safety, Peterson was an easy source of knowledge both on and off-duty for Hatton because the two Marines were roommates.
"I think it's great," said Peterson of Hatton's earning the designation as a CH-46E crew chief. "I think that he is already better than some of the new crew chiefs we get from school. He was a mechanic first, then a senior mechanic, and now with this training, he knows the squadron from every angle," said Peterson.
With the addition of Hatton, "The Black Knights" now have two Marines for whom the crew chief designation is a secondary job specialty. Because these Marines earned the designation as crew chiefs outside a traditional school setting via mostly on-the-job training, these kinds of crew chiefs are often informally referred to as "outhouse" (short for out of the school house) crew chiefs, a coveted designation.
Hatton may be the squadron's last "outhouse" crew chief with the issuance of a recent order from Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps that removed the designation of crew chief from the list of possible secondary job specialties, said Peterson.
For Hatton, the sky is the limit now. On this deployment, he has flown nearly every day.
"It feels good doing what I always wanted to do," Hatton said. "I get to work on the aircraft and fly it as well. It really gives me intense job satisfaction."
Just as the Marines in that helicopter over Vietnam so long ago overcame severe adversity to safely land their helicopter, Hatton has worked hard and applied everything that he's been taught to achieve his goals and may now write his own chapter in military history with the 26th MEU (SOC).
To follow Hatton and the rest of the Marines and Sailors of HMM-264 (Reinforced) and the 26th MEU (SOC), visit them on the web at www.26meu.usmc.mil.
Sempers,
Roger