87th LRS keeps snow fleet operational

Published Feb. 14, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Ryan Throneberry
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Maintenance Flight worked around the clock to maintain the vehicles used to clear four inches of snow off the roads and flightline Feb. 8 through 10, 2013, here.

The 87th Civil Engineer Squadron Snow Control team uses an array of equipment, including plows and blowers, all of which 87th LRS vehicle mechanics must keep mission ready.
Units like the snow team and Vehicle Maintenance Flight ensured the base's mission carried on despite the nor'easter which swept through the Northeast.

"We play an important role in the base's mission capabilities by maintaining the machines that do the heavy lifting," said Senior Airman Hiro Dela Cruz, 87th LRS vehicle mechanic from Tobyhanna, Pa. "Our squadron motto is 'Nothing moves without us.' I think, in this case, that is especially true."

A team of 17 vehicle mechanics worked a total of 48 consecutive hours in 12-hour shifts to support the snow removal effort.

"While having a pretty updated snow fleet, it still takes regular maintenance to ensure all equipment works as it supposed to," said Tech. Sgt. Pawel Szram, 87th LRS vehicle maintenance customer service NCO in-charge . "Having a dedicated vehicle maintenance team standing by decreases the amount of vehicle down time due to maintenance related issues. VM warriors ensure the continuous snow removal operation is not hindered due to unavailable equipment."

The mechanic team repaired three flightline snow plows, one flightline blower and two street plows. All assets were returned to service within five hours maintenance downtime, totaling an estimated 24.5 hours of maintenance provided.

"If a vehicle isn't maintained, it may not function properly and could lead to damaged assets," said Staff Sgt. Aaron Waldor, 87th LRS vehicle mechanic from Ford City, Pa.

The mechanics are trained to fix and troubleshoot every aspect of every machine they work on, from the large flightline snow plows that move hundreds of pounds of snow, to the smaller pick-up trucks that drive through the streets. A fix could involve something small like a fuse replacement or a bigger job requiring more time like engine parts replacements.

"Bottom line, if we aren't here working, mission essential personnel can't get to work and aircraft don't fly," said Waldor. "If aircraft don't fly, the mission stops."