We are the checks and balances

By Senior Airman Jacob Jimenez on March 3, 2017

Team McChord airmen operate on a global scale, performing worldwide airlift, but without the proper oversight these missions would not happen.

Two of the many offices responsible for ensuring McChord aircraft are meeting all maintenance standards and are in optimal condition to support these missions is the 62nd Maintenance Group's Scheduling and Analysis offices.     

"Preventative maintenance is key to the health of the fleet," said Airman 1st Class Danny Hampton, 62nd MXG maintenance plans and scheduling scheduler. "Preventative maintenance is like taking your car to the shop before it breaks down."  

The scheduling office schedules hundreds of maintenance actions yearly for aircraft and tracks past, current and future maintenance actions. These actions include C-17 home-station checks, fuel systems inspections, tire maintenance, the washing of aircraft and many other maintenance actions.

"We are the checks and balances," said Tech. Sgt. Edward Fox, 62nd MXG plans, scheduling and documentation NCOIC. "We make sure there is one hundred percent confidence in that the right aircraft get off the ground."  

Working across the hall from scheduling, airmen from the maintenance management analysis office make sure all maintenance actions are properly documented to ensure continuity.  

"We track all the metrics for all of the fleet. We help determine what aircraft can fly," said Senior Airman Aurial Thompson, 62nd MXG maintenance management analysis analyst. "Without the analysis office, leadership cannot have complete visibility of the health of aircraft."  

The analysis shop ensures that maintenance systems are updated and accurate to ensure continuity of operational air worthy aircraft.  

"We are a critical junction in the wing between maintenance and operations," said Cary Hatzinger, 62nd MXG scheduling and analysis chief. "We are charged with ensuring fleet health."  

Airmen from both offices were recently recognized by Col. James Clavenna, 62nd MXG commander, for having zero discrepancies in last year's unit effectiveness inspection and for winning Air Mobility Command Inspector General Team awards.  

"They won because of their can-do-attitude, innovative processes and zero discrepancies," said Hatzinger. "The great things they do every day stand out."