An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | July 11, 2008

Mechanics maintain engines for America's air power

By Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - The roar of F-16 Fighting Falcons is more than just noise to the jet engine mechanics assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Tiger Aircraft Maintenance Unit. To these Airmen, it's the sound of a job well done.

The Airmen who work in the Propulsion Shop ensure the jets' engines are in top operating condition, maintaining one of the U.S. Air Force's key capabilities: air superiority.

The Tiger AMU's jet engine mechanics inspect engine components daily for cracks, missing coating, normal wear and tear and anything else that could pose a problem. They also perform inspections and routine maintenance on the planes at regular intervals.

"After every flight the engines are downloaded," said Senior Master Sgt. Patrick Muldoon, propulsion element supervisor. "We process them in the computer to see if there are any faults; if there are we troubleshoot them."

The computer is a diagnostic machine similar to those used on car engines in auto shops.

The 14 mechanics of Tiger AMU, all deployed from the New York Air National Guard, inspect 12 aircraft engines daily. Each jet must be inspected to make sure it's always mission-ready. Such a task requires intense and specialized training.

"The technical school is 13 weeks, and after that there's at least one year of hands on training before [mechanics] are somewhat efficient," said Tech. Sgt. Mike Mullan, a jet engine mechanic assigned to the Tiger AMU. "[Students] actually take apart the motor that we use, the G10-100. They tear it down and rebuild it. The guys who have been coming out of tech school are very sharp. It's surprising some of the skills these guys have."

The training given at the school combined with the continuity and expertise of Guard members helps to make the Tiger AMU mechanics a balanced team.

"Being in the Guard, [some] people have been in the shop 20-plus years," Sergeant Muldoon said. "Some of the active-duty shops just don't have as much experience."

In part because of their training and experience, the mechanics from New York have encountered no major engine problems since arriving here in May. They take a proactive approach to prevention by controlling foreign object debris -- anything on a flightline from a rock to a piece of trash that could be sucked into a jet engine.

"We've heard that a lot of people have FOD issues," Sergeant Mullan said. "We haven't seen them here. We run a FOD boss 24 hours a day and do FOD walks." During a FOD walk, Airmen form a line and walk side-by-side to ensure runways are clear of debris.

Mechanics work long hours under harsh conditions, but there's more to the job than just turning wrenches.

"I don't think people realize how much technology and electronics are involved in the motors," Sergeant Muldoon said. "They relate it to a car, but they don't realize how many moving parts are in a jet engine -- how detailed it is. There's so much engineering and design with these motors."

"A lot of the time we don't see the end result of what the pilots are doing," Sergeant Muldoon said. "But if I know we did something that got the plane up in the air and saved a Soldier's life -- some 20-year-old kid -- that's what it's all about."

 

 

Related Articles
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, discusses briefing details with Col. Augusto Villalaz, director of the Joint Staff for the Louisiana National Guard, during the annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2025. The drill helps synchronize plans and strengthen coordination across LANG’s senior leadership ahead of hurricane season.
Louisiana Guard Rehearses Emergency Plans for Hurricane Season
By Capt. Peter Drasutis, | May 28, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard conducted its annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge May 21, uniting key personnel across multiple commands to refine...

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard, sling load a reduced range practice rocket to a Moroccan CH-47 Chinook during a multinational sling load operation at African Lion 2025 (AL25), May 17, 2025, in TanTan, Morocco. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF,) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations - preparing forces to deploy, fight, and win.
New Hampshire Guard Teams with Morocco for Sling Load Training at African Lion 2025
By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Forester, | May 28, 2025
TAN TAN, Morocco – Soldiers assigned to the 744th Forward Support Company (744TH FSC), 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard partnered with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR), for...

From left, Sgt. Edward Acda, Lt. Col. Vern Perez, Sgt. 1st Class Celine Taitano, Capt. Ryan Arellano, Staff Sgt. Jovencio Mortera, and Sgt. Avery Tyquiengco of the Guam National Guard participate in Balikatan Cyber Defense Exercise, Manila, April 27, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (Courtesy asset)
Guam Guard Participates in Balikatan 2025 Cyber Defense Exercise
By Mark Scott, | May 28, 2025
MANILA, Philippines – A team of cyber professionals and an intelligence analyst from the Guam National Guard attended Balikatan 2025, participating in the three-week Cyber Defense Exercise alongside teams from various...