CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- – Four Kingsley Field Airmen from the 270th Air Traffic Control Squadron traveled to Cheyenne, Wyoming to help a sister unit repair equipment needed for deployment readiness over six days this Spring.
Chief Master Sgt. James Schols said he learned that the 243rd Air Traffic Control Squadron was struggling to keep deployable generators and air conditioners operational due to a lack of trained personnel. Seeing an opportunity to assist the unit, he worked to loan a few of his trained Airmen to the unit repair their broken equipment.
“Four of my amazing Airmen traveled to Wyoming and helped one of our 10 Air National Guard ATCS squadrons “green up” their deployable support equipment and ensure they have environmental controls and generators to accomplish their mission overseas,” he said.
Senior Master Sgt. Brian Butler lead a team consisting of Tech. Sgt. Jay Hester, Staff Sgt. Michael Wilson and Senior Airman Jorge Molinar on the trip, crossing two states and covering more than 2,000 miles.
Schols says he chose these Airmen because they embody the multi-capable Airmen concept. “Two of these Airmen are licensed electricians in their civilian jobs, one is an HVAC technician in his civilian job, and one owned an HVAC business before coming to the 270 ATCS.”
The Citizen-Airmen went right to work repairing and servicing nine air conditioners and two generators in the first day.
The next day they traveled to the 243rd ATCS’s radar site, where they serviced five commercial air conditioner units restoring environmental control important to maintaining electronic equipment in the summer heat.
270th ATCS Airmen note that this is also good for the equipment operators, who would otherwise work in extremely hot conditions.
On day three, the team of four wrapped up by lunch time and hit the road back toward Klamath Falls, stopping for the night at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.