Structural Airmen help keep jets in sky

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – Staff Sgt. Samuel Langley annotates measurements on a piece of sheet metal before he begins drilling it here Jan. 25, 2011. Sergeant Langley, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance craftsman and unit training manager, hails from Texarkana, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore) (RELEASED)

Structural Airmen help keep jets in sky

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – Airman 1st Class Andrew Parlogean assembles a drip pan here Jan. 25, 2011. The drip pan will be placed under a piece of equipment in the 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance shop to collect oil. Airman Parlogean, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance journeyman, hails from Decatur, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore) (RELEASED)

Structural Airmen help keep jets in sky

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. – Airman 1st Class David Kebker assembles a F-15E Strike Eagle repair patch here Jan. 25, 2011. After aircraft structural maintenance Airmen arrive at their first duty station they receive certification on approximately 150 tasks during 12-months of on the job training. Airman Kebker, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance journeyman, hails from Pousbo, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore) (RELEASED)

Structural Airmen help keep jets in sky

Published Jan. 27, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Good things come to those with patience and who show dedication to reaching their goals.

This is the case for Airmen striving to complete their aircraft structural maintenance upgrade training.

These Airmen begin their training with a 14-week technical school in Pensacola, Fla. After they arrive at their first duty station they receive certification on approximately 150 tasks during 12 months of upgrade training. The Airmen must also complete a five volume Career Development Course. Once these tasks are complete, they Airmen earn their 5-skill level, becoming an aircraft structural maintenance journeyman.

"The most rewarding aspect of this job is the sense of accomplishment I receive when I have trained a new Airmen on a task and he is able to take that knowledge and assist in putting these birds in the sky," said Staff Sgt. Samuel Langley, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance craftsman and unit training manager.

Simply memorizing a few facts in a CDC book is not enough to earn an aircraft structural maintenance 5-skill level, since these Airmen play a key role in keeping the 4th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagle's in the air.

"Aircraft structural maintenance itself isn't complicated to perform it's the amount of knowledge that goes into repair or replacement of a structure/part that makes it difficult," said Airman 1st Class Andrew Parlogean, 4th EMXS aircraft structural maintenance journeyman. "The most challenging part is taking into account the multiple factors that play into structural integrity i.e. any outside force that affects the aircraft in a stressful manner."

Sergeant Langley is not the only one who feels a great deal of pride in how his job contributes to the 4th Fighter Wing mission of "providing air power, on-target, on-time for America."

"The most rewarding parts of this job is knowing what I do makes an impact on the mission and the sense of accomplishment I feel every time I see a jet take off," said Airman 1st Class David Kebker, 4th EMS aircraft structural maintenance journeyman.