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Show Hilltop 2 TIMES March 27, 2014 TIMES /eddy Since 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Charles Horton Standard-Examiner publisher Mitch Shaw Hilltop Times Writer Sarah Stoll Hilltop Times Correspondent Dana Rimington Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items email hilltoptimes@standard.net or call 801-625-4233. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at mgorny@standard.net . Call 801-625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness Center Join in the GREAT AMERICAN SMOKE OUT — on the Nov 21. Quit smoking/ chewing tobacco for the day and get a quit kit at the HAWC. Run/walk in the Turkey Trot to celebrate this event at noon-1 p.m. Call 777-1215 for more information. COMMENTARY Maintenance, malpractice and integrity BY MAJ. STEVEN OLIVER 388th Component Maintenance Squadron commander T his article goes out to all my fellow aircraft maintainers, but as you read it, you will find it can apply to any career field. But, I can almost hear it now "Here we go! Not another article about maintenance malpractice with a tie in to a core competency ... blah, blah, blah. Looks like I am going to need my wingman to prop my head up just to finish reading it." Well, maybe not. Most articles you have read are jammed packed with stats and figures on malpractice. Not this one. What you are going to read is the truth, my story, and I am hoping (hope is not a word used in maintenance) you will find it can be applied to anyone, anytime, anywhere. In July 2004, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. I was stationed at Luke Air Force Base when I was chosen for an incentive ride on the F-16. I couldn't wait to get on this aircraft and be pinned to my seat and as I went through my survival and egress training the excitement only grew; but I had to play it cool. I didn't want my pilot brethren to give me some corny call sign like "newb" or "non-er." After all, I was a maintainer — former crew dawg — and we are the epitome of cool and I had to represent. I met my pilot, Capt. Bailey, and after our briefing we hopped in the cockpit, cranked the engine and off we went. It started out more thrilling than I thought it would be as we went from 400 to 7,000 feet in what seemed like a matter of seconds. I laughed like a kid on a roller coaster the entire time and told him, "I envy you! You pilots don't know how great you got it." He really enjoyed knowing how much I appreciated what they do. We flew to the Military Operating Area, or MOA, and just when I thought it couldn't get any better he turned the aircraft over to me. I was yanking and banking, chasing clouds, doing rolls, pulling G's and loving every minute of it and seeing the Grand Canyon from an elite fighter jet was the icing on the cake. Eventually, it had to come to an end and as we returned to base this is where the whole experience plateaued for me. He mentioned he had to practice a maneuver called a Simulated Flame Out Approach, which is flying and landing the Viper when the engine dies. He slowed the aircraft to 250 knots, put the nose to 15 degrees below the horizon and banked hard to the right. We made a controlled "drop" out of the sky before he leveled off about 100 feet above the runway. Capt. Bailey said, "I had to do this for real last year at night time." He said his throttle was stuck wide open because a bolt was jammed in his throttle quadrant and he couldn't pull back on the power. After we landed, I was sweating and exhausted. Flying in a jet places a lot of stress on your body when you're not used to it. I also felt about two feet shorter, but not because of the G's, but from embarrassment. Why? Capt. Bailey didn't know I was the Propulsion Flight Commander responsible for the engines when that incident occurred. I took the opportunity to thank him for the experience and then apologize for the event that put his life in danger. He responded with a shocked look on his face, but quickly forgave. No one was hurt and the aircraft wasn't destroyed. He did say the wing commander gave him the option of Maj. Steven Oliver attempting a landing or pointing the aircraft to a safe ditching area and ejecting. I am glad he didn't choose the latter, but it made me realize just how I endangered him and the jet. I say "I" because I am responsible for the work my maintainers performed and only I should look him in the eye and apologize. We conducted an investigation and found the individual who lost the bolt. He was connecting two sections of the engine and dropped the flange bolt by mistake. He couldn't find it, didn't report it, retrieved another bolt from bench stock and pressed on with the work. Oh, I forgot to mention this happened close to the end of his shift on a Friday afternoon. His lack of integrity almost caused an $8.27 flange bolt to bring down a $25 million aircraft and potentially kill an airman. What he didn't realize was the integrity of the aircraft is only as solid as the integrity of the maintainer. I believe integrity is not something we are born with, but an accomplished character trait. No one is born knowing right from wrong. You learn it and then choose to adhere consistently to sound moral and ethical principles. It is not learned by repeating our core values, only memorized. It cannot be infused into your life by attending a lecture or watching graphic pictures. It has to be a conscious choice and only adapted through practice and toughened by challenges, much like exercising. And like exercising, it can be hard in the beginning and shortcuts are easy. Can you commit to practicing it every day? Doing the right thing is sometimes not popular with some of your peers, and everyone wants to be liked by their peers. But can you be brave? Can you do what is right even if you stand by yourself? We need each of you to be strong with integrity and here is why. Aircraft maintenance is a stressful occupation, even more in a combat environment. We have to deal with preparing weapon systems and equipment, deployment lines, preparing ourselves and our families, etc. All of this comes to a grinding halt when maintenance malpractice and lack of integrity are added to the equation. The trust of your peer is violated, your unit is embarrassed, and the mission is stalled — all things you don't want to be the cause of. When I was a crew chief we didn't get 5-level badges until we were tasked certified well into our tour at our first duty station. We had to prove we were worthy of wearing that badge and no one received one until the "Mechanics Oath" was recited ceremoniously in front of fellow maintainers so that requirement for trust was overtly established. If we showed a lack of integrity it was removed until we proved yourself again. Talk about a wakeup call! Did that make us any better than the maintainers today? Not one bit, but the way we learned about integrity was unique back then. Today, some of our sacred traditions are not practiced and many believe what we do is a job. It has never been nor will it ever be a job. It is a duty that not many have the honor of performing. We must exhibit commitment and dependability and be fully aware the lives of those who step into each cockpit are valued and entrusted to each maintainer. I believe bringing back that aspect of our tradition would be appreciated by our young maintainers — more than we realize. At the very least, all those taking the oath would absolutely know they are accountable for their actions and know that the maintenance badge is not simply a uniform accessory to be sewn on if one feels like it. Our maintainers want to be trusted and they want everyone to know it. We, as leaders, have a responsibility to instill and demand these required, intangible traits from them. It has a synergistic effect, which fosters not only safe and reliable work, but also volunteerism, unit pride and participation, self-worth, etc. The end result is no one will accept mediocrity from a peer, subordinate, or themselves. We must maintain high standards and push our airmen hard to do the right thing every day — they can take it. Teach them the right way to go, reward integrity and make it a part of every aspect of our lives and our Air Force will continue to stay the strong. I believe integrity is not something we are born with, but an accomplished character trait. No one is born knowing right from wrong. You learn it and then choose to adhere consistently to sound moral and ethical principles. It is not learned by repeating our core values, only memorized. It cannot be infused into your life by attending a lecture or watching graphic pictures. It has to be a conscious choice and only adapted through practice and toughened by challenges, much like exercising. And like exercising, it can be hard in the beginning and shortcuts are easy. — Maj. Steven Oliver THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2014 DUIs: 2 Hill's Last DUI: pot. Unit Involved: Report suspicious activity via the AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. Watch — Report — Protect Force Protection is Our Business — Everyone is a Sensor 38,ff'd Nctiateptaoce Sgeoldittut Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. 777-6901 (complaints) 777-3056 Air Force Suggestion Security Forces 75th Vedical Group 777-4918 24-hr. Crisis Information....... ..... 777-3056 Program 777-1856 Force Support Squadron 777-4134 Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 Civil Engineering 777-5333 Base Restaurants 777-2043 IG Complaints 777-5305 Public Affairs Military Housing 825-9392 777-6142 (for appointment) Retirement/Compensation (civilian) IG Complaints 777-5361 Maintenance 777-5455 (after hours) 777-3333 Equal Opportunity Office Safety Office Employer Relations 777-5361 Safety Office Hotline 586-9300 777-7129 Fraud, Waste or Abuse Military Pay Sexual Assault Response 777-1985 777-1851 (recording) Civilian Pay Coordinator (or) 777-1964 777-6246 Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource (800) 342-9647 (800) 273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line (866) 284-3743 TriWest Behavioral (866) 651-4970 Health Contact Center EAP (800) 222-0364 777-1163 Occupational Medicine Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 |