Rescue group maintainers uphold high standards

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Luke Johnson
  • 943rd Rescue Group Public Affairs
DAVIS MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The motto, "Any Time, Any Where," adorns the top of the 943rd Maintenance Squadron unit patch, and the Airmen who maintain the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters live by those very words.

The 943rd Rescue Group consistently has one of the highest mission-capability rates of any Air Force Reserve Command flying unit, maximizing its capability to provide aircraft to perform wartime and peacetime missions.

"It's difficult to maintain a high mission-capable rate with helicopters because they are a lot more complex of a machine and a lot harder to keep flyable," said Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Hauck, 943rd MXS superintendent. "Also, they operate in much more difficult conditions than most fixed wing Aircraft. Our helicopters land in the desert where they kick up debris, rocks and everything else."

One of the keys to success for the maintenance Airmen is 'smart maintenance' on the aircraft, which means maintainers may replace parts as needed even before they are due to be replaced. They can perform preventative maintenance as needed to keep the aircraft fully operational.

"We will give them [crew chiefs and specialists] the latitude to spend a little extra time with their aircraft doing smart maintenance," Chief Hauck said. "For instance, we might have a seal that is leaking that is within limits. Most units would say it's within limits we are going to fly until it's out of limits. But if we have the down time we will replace the part."

Chief Hauck believes this type of approach to maintenance leads to more reliable aircrafts once they are out flying and performing missions.

"It [smart maintenance] is mainly to do with having good people, strong crew chiefs and specialists, but it also helps to have a whole supervisory chain of command who have already 'been there done that' so we appreciate the quality work they are doing on the aircraft," Chief Hauck said.

The 943rd maintainers don't keep their vast experiences to themselves.

"We've been called on by active duty and a lot of other entireties to help fulfill mission requirements," said Staff Sgt. Brandon Pacheco, 943rd MXS crew chief.

Team work for the 943rd MXS is essential to ensuring that helicopters are available for training or real-world missions.

"Sometimes you get busy with so much stuff that when it comes to a real-world medical evacuation, or mission, we all double check everyone's work to verify that no one forgot anything," Sergeant Pacheco said.

Being called upon at a moment's notice is the biggest motivator for the crew chiefs and specialists to sustain a high mission capability rate.

"We've had a couple missions this year already where we had to assist with the local sheriff department and we've also assisted with rescuing downed hikers," Sergeant Pacheco said.

Master Sgt. Joshua Reed, 943rd MXS ground control technician credits the unit's successful mission capability rate to the excellent relationship the maintainers have with the operations squadron.

"The operators provide us really good debriefs on what is going on with the helicopter, so that we can quickly solve any problems that may arise," Sergeant Reed said.

Training new personnel ensures that the 943rd MXS is successful when the need arises to launch at a moment's notice or perform routine training missions.

"Most of the older guys will go out of their way to pass on a lot of extra knowledge and experience with the aircraft to the newer Airmen so they can gain the necessary experience for future success," Chief Hauck said.

Maj. Michael Williams, 943rd MXS commander, said his maintainers have performed superbly in many contingency operations and have also supported space shuttle missions.

"We have the best flying stats for being the smallest flying organization in AFRC, and we seem to provide a lot of mission support for a unit of our size," Major Williams said. "It is because we have the best maintainers in the Air Force."

For more information about the 920th Rescue Wing, log on to the wing's Web site:www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.