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Seahawk groundcrews keep pilots flying through Red Flag

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 8/21/2003

Story by Cpl. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc

Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.(Aug. 21, 2003) -- Amidst 130-degree temperatures and the harsh desert sun beating down on Marines working along the flight line, they expediently prepare to launch the jets for morning operations during Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

This is just one of the many situations the power line personnel and other maintenance Marines from Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 perform every day during the two-week international exercise that simulates a combat environment.

"The exercise's higher operational tempo gives us the opportunity to experience a simulation of future 'real world ops' at a smaller scale," said Sgt. Abel Gaxiola, power line mechanic and plane captain, who is a San Diego, Calif., native. "It allows us to train the future leaders of the different aviation MOSs (Military Occupational Specialties), and most of all; the importance of focusing on the basics of Marine aviation and overall safety procedures."

Safety and accomplishing the mission always go hand-in-hand for the power line section, along with their fellow maintenance Marines, as they maintain the engines, and launch the squadron's EA-6B Prowlers every day.

"Safety and maintenance done by the book are the most important things that we focus on, without those priorities we'd fail the mission," said Cpl. Wayne "Ole Miss" Switzer, a power line mechanic and plane captain, who is from Clinton, Miss. "Our main objective is mission accomplishment without compromising the safety of the aircrew and maintenance personnel."

Working along with the power line section, the airframe mechanics ensure the structural integrity and maintain the hydraulic lines of the aircraft.

"We work on anything that moves on the aircraft, controls the aircraft, and its structure as well," said Lance Cpl. J. D. Quinn, airframes mechanic, and an Albany, Ga., native. "We pretty much work on everything that deals with mechanics and moving parts of the Prowler." Airframe discrepancies usually work on in Cherry Point's moist environment became easier to work on in the dry desert air.

"The jets always perform better in dry climates, making our jobs easier," said Cpl. Nicholos Campbell, an airframes mechanic, and Folsom, Calif., native. "Anything that may be problematic back home due to humidity, we don't have to worry about here."

Although, the climate is an advantage to the airframes section, they still maintain a mission accomplishment mind-set towards the exercise.

"Making good judgment calls expediently during a launch is important," Campbell said. "You want to make sure that everything is nominally operational before sending the planes up in the air."

Another maintenance shop in VMAQ-4 who has the desert climate on their side is the electronics section who work on all the systems that distribute power.

"If it's electrically activated, we work on it," said Cpl. Shaun M. Battiste, an electric collateral duty inspector, who hails from Satsuma, Ala. "So far it's been a good exercise. We've had no major gripes because of the dry weather conditions."

"Humidity adds to the overall corrosion on the jet," said Staff Sgt. Jason Taylor, electronic shop supervisor, and Chicago native. "With the dry weather, we don't have to worry much about humidity getting into the electronics. So, the only thing we need to think about is getting the aircrew in the air and back on the flight deck safely."

One of the key goals of Red Flag is to deliver superior air power, which can't be complete without the ordnance personnel.

"We make sure that the aircrew receives their weapons training out here," said Lance Cpl. Andrew Mathis, aviation ordnance technician, who hails from Tampa Bay, Fla. "We load the chaff and flares onto the jets. The HARM [High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile] is another weapon system that we manage. We ensure that the system is operational for the aircrew, so they can employ them when needed."

"The op tempo is a lot different for us since the configurations are constantly changing, giving us a lot to do," said Cpl. Roger Guzman, aviation ordnance technician, and Dallas local. "The arming area is more hectic. We have to be on the move, and be more aware of our surroundings because of all the jets coming through. We also need to watch ourselves and perform well in front of our allies, upholding the Marine Corps reputation."

Communication, navigation, and radar section ensures the Prowler is able to talk with other coalition aircraft, and be able to navigate to and from there target.

"The exercise emphasizess on a combat environment, which makes our job a little more stressful," said Sgt. D.J. Glover, CNR technician, and a Cottonwood, Ariz., native. "It's important to ensure that all our systems operate perfectly or else the aircraft can't leave the ground.

Communication is key to the battlefield, without it there would be no organization." Another vital section to the squadron is the Electronic Counter-Measures shop, who maintain the systems which perform the Prowlers primary mission.

"The op tempo has been stressful for the section due to the many jamming pod configurations," said Staff Sgt. Marco Morales, ECM supervisor, and Chicago native. "It's not only an exercise for the aircrew, but for us as well. Here we are able to exercise our trouble-shooting skills in a limited time frame. Through Red Flag, it prepares us for the op tempo in a combat environment and be able to accomplish the mission anytime and anywhere."