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Show I May 22, 1997 Page 3 A Fighter Country Wing unit turns garbage into 'Gold' An aircraft is grounded with a broken connector on an antenna. You order an antenna only to find out there is none in the supply system. Therefore, you have to 'cannibalize' one off another aircraft. You throw the broken antenna in the trash and think if only someone could develop a way to fix this antenna it would save a lot of money and it might make someone a cash award. Sounds familiar? It happens all the time. People often remove and discard parts that may be repairable. The parts are usually discarded because they are throw away items rnd people do not know how or where to go to repair them. Up until a few years ago there was no where to get help, but today, the 388th Fighter Wing has a shop that specializes in developing repair initiatives on Air Force assets. The shop is called Gold Flag. "Gold Flag is a wing program to encourage innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness," said Master Sgt. Michael McLaughlin, Gold Flag program manager. "The program is composed of two elements. Initiative Evaluation and Circuit Card Repair." The Initiative Evaluation is a process established to implement repair of expendable items and to change the Source Maintenance and Recoverability Code from depot to field repair. The Circuit Card Repair section performs diagnostic tests and complex repairs on circuit cards previously coded 'throwaway' or 'not authorized for local re- pair.' "At Gold Flag, we can assist you with a repair evaluation," adds McLauglin. "If you have an idea on repairing an item, instead of discarding it, you can place it in a Combat Oriented Repair Initiative bin, or take it replacement parts (bits and pieces) and can check the De- fense Reutilization and Marketing Service for serviceable parts to complete the repairs. Second, Tech. Sgt. Donald Walker, Gold Flag lead repair technician, will assist in evaluating repair ideas. He contacts item managers and equipment specialists to determine any spe- cial requirements, such as safety of flight, warranty, in-flig- ht trr - l. Photos by Airman st Class Sara Banda 1 A multi-laye- circuit card repair is being r performed by Senior Airman Jones, circuit card repair technician. unique supply requirements or restrictions. "Tech. Sgt. Walker also contacts engineers and manufacturers to assist in developing a repair procedure," said McLaughlin. "He does not hesitate to call a manufacturer to request repair diagrams, schematics or to locate the manufacturer for a $4.74 connector as he did for a $3,386 antenna." The circuit card repair technicians use troubleshooting and testing An equipment. example of such equipment is the Huntron Tracker. "The Huntron Tracker can map a circuit card and compare it to a known serviceable circuit card, this helps locate a defective component." said Staff Sgt. Dwayne Hopkins, gold flag ccr technician. "Once you have the parts and repair procedures, we can assist in finding a repair shop within the wing or on base. If a repair facility is not available on state-of-the-a- Staff Sgt. Dwayne Hopkins, circuit card repair technician, tests a coil from an pick-u- p refuel receptical. base, we have a list of approved private repair facilities." The next step is to complete an Air Force Technical Order Form 135 that will code a throw away part as a repairable part. The shop can assist with completion of this form. to the Gold Flag Office." First, Staff Sgt. Penny Mason, Gold Flag supply liaison, will check to see if there is a need for the item based on local supply consumption, mission requirements and if repair would be cost effective. She has databases for researching Gold Flag can also provide tips on completing an AF Form 1000 Suggestion to get cash back for ideas that save the Air Force money after the AFTO Form 135 is approved. "The money you save the wing is allocated for mission requirements and morale enhancing projects that benefit wing personnel," said McLauglin. "You can save the wing money and make some for n situayourself. Imagine that, a tion. So, if a part looks too expensive to throw away it probably is. ,So place it in a CORI bin or take it to Gold Flag for an rt win-wi- evaluation." 777-145- 6. For more information on Gold Flag, call It is located in building 58, room 121. (The 388th FW public affairs office and the Gold Flag shop contributed to this article.) Persistence, hard work get lieutenant to pilot training By Airman 1st Class Sara Banda Editor, Fighter Country The dream of one day becoming an Air Force pilot came true for one of the 388th Fighter Wing's junior officers. st Lt. Fred Koegler, Op1 erations Support Squadron maintenance flight commander, was one of more than his father out in the park servic e. It was during this time that Koegler had the opportunity to coordinate rescue operations with the military. He knew then he would definitely join the Air Force. When Koegler was com missioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corp. program at the University of California in Los Angeles in 1994, the Air Force only accepted 100 cadets nation wide to become pilots. "It was extremely difficult to get selected the year I was 200 officers who will get the opportunity to add pilot wings to their uniforms after being selected to specialized underadded commissioned," graduate pilot training. Koegler. "You pretty much "I very ecstatic when I had to have a G.P.A. of 3.8 or heard the news," said Koegler. higher. So, I do feel very for"Col. Stephen Bozarth (388th tunate I got the opportunity to FW Operations Group comtry to become a pilot again." me the There are several steps mander) Koegler news. I printed it the instant I the took to saw it and ran out the door to see if anyone else reach his goal. had more details!" "There are four main things one needs to forhas lieutenant The young do before going to the board," said Koegler. been looking ward to becoming an Air Force pilot since the "First, retake the Air Force Officer Qualification Test. Second, take the basic altitude test. time he was knee high. "I was born and raised in Yosemite National Third, one should have some flight time. The last step is the narrative part which involves fillPark where my father was a Park Ranger." said father would "Sometimes out my go ing out Form 215 describing in detail why you Koegler. want to become a pilot." and rescue people with the help of the military. I would see the aircraft go by and I always hoped Koegler is scheduled to depart the 388th in August to Columbus Air Force Base, Force." FW I Air irr the one day would fly and volunteered As he got older, he helped Miss., for undergraduate pilot training. x .77' I? ' ' soon-to-be-pil- ot i , ti.,.m........,, k ,M,.,....,. r '' l Y . r-- "vm ' (7 L- J ... in ml ' -i iiimm Photo by Airman 1st Class Sara Banda Lt. Col. Homer Smith, 388th Operations Group commander, gives Dr. Alan Abdulla a life deputy support equipment demonstration. TheOgden physician was one of several community leaders to visit Hill as part of the baso LOGSTAR program. The program matches community leaders with commanders who perform similar duties for the Air Force. |