News

Reserve civil engineer unit puts ease on Air Force budget

  • Published
  • By Jake Chappelle
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. --  Less than a week after the tax deadline, citizens might be relieved to find out they saved $1.5 million in the latter half of April - not to mention preserving one of the most sought after getaway spots for thousands of military families and retirees.

The efforts of Airmen with the 446th Civil Engineer Squadron here, and the 944th Civil Engineer Squadron out of Luke Air Force Base, Arizona made it happen.

Since April 20, about 40 reservists from the squadrons have been working day and night to relieve the workload for the solo-manned civil engineer unit at Bellows Air Force Station, Hawaii and reinforce the Civil Engineer shop at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

"We're here to get as much work and training done as we possibly can in the few weeks," said Senior Master Sgt. Nathan Wright, 446th CES Programs flight chief. "Airmen will gain valuable training and leadership skills. Most of our new staff sergeants are placed in lead roles, so they can experience how to manage projects, from start to finish."

The Citizen Airmen completed numerous projects, including constructing a maintenance facility for the 18th Civil Engineer detachment, eliminating outdoor safety threats by clearing away vegetation, painting street lines, conducting upgrade training, completing work orders, and supporting the base fire department.

Wright, of Ephrata, Washington said tasks the McChord and Luke units' finished saved the Air Force an estimated $1.5 million if they had hired a contractor - they also potentially saved lives.

"Austin Braaten of the city and county of Honolulu Division of Urban Forestry, stated that 50 or more people die a year from falling trees and branches in Hawaii," he said. "A local estimate was $5,000 for removal and disposal of only two trees."

The units' goal is to wipe out more than 200 trees, saving money and countless lives and property, Wright added.

Buildings and trees aren't the only areas engineers focus on. Some of them acquired needed, but rare, training on different weapons platforms.

The power production team got hands-on experience with the BAK 12 Aircraft Arresting System - to rapidly decelerate landing aircraft - to include routine maintenance and testing, Wright said. They'll also test the system's functionality by catching a F-22 Raptor with it, part of its annual maintenance.

Senior Airman Cyle Coleman, water and fuels technician with the 446th CES said teamwork has much to do with their accomplishments and will only help them the next time they deploy.

"We've accomplished more than we expected and are helping the other shops," the four-year veteran said. "We've finished our job early and have helped with, painting roads and parking lots, hanging up sheet rock, and clearing brush along the roads. This will help our readiness by being able to work together as a team and get our jobs knocked out quicker."

Wright said the timing of this training couldn't have been better for everyone.

"We were asked to fill a need, and jumped at this opportunity because we felt it'd be an excellent place to refine our skills and make a difference," he said. "We've exceeded [our] expectations and have done so safely. I don't mind rewarding hard work, and this group has been exceptional."

The Citizen Airmen are due back early May.