Maintainer plies his trade in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Heidi Hunt
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (AFNS) --  (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)

The anatomy of an aircraft system contains miles of wire, thousands of sensors, hundreds of dials, indicators and many switches.

Like a heart specialist knows the organ and its component parts, Senior Airman Shawn Watters is a specialist on an aircraft's electrical and environmental systems.
Watters, a 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft technician, is currently plying his trade in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and is assigned to phase dock where he and his team conduct more than 500 inspection hours on the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

"We ensure our systems remain fully operational during inspections and fix any discrepancies," Watters said. "A lot of preventative maintenance is carried out in the phase dock."

His mission as an electrical and environmental technician is to primarily handle the jet's crucial systems such as the flight deck pressurization, landing gear, internal and external lighting, and the electrical systems.

"We also assist the fuels and engines shops and the crew chiefs with various troubleshooting," Watters said. "Additionally, we run the liquid oxygen farm on base where we fill oxygen tanks for the C-130 Hercules, (which conducts) medical evacuations."

Though he typically works more than 12 hours a day to complete assigned tasks at the phase dock, he realizes the importance of his mission.

"Working on the A-10 is amazing because it directly supports the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen on the ground fighting," Watters said. "I know that what I am doing helps ensure my brothers in arms come home safe. I love that my mission is primarily troop support and that is a good feeling."

While his duties at Whiteman Air Force Base differ from what he is doing with his deployed assignment, Watters said he enjoys what he does.

"At Whiteman I am a flightline environmental and electrical technician, so the job is very different," Watters said. "At home I troubleshoot more often and I have to problem solve quickly. The flightline is more unpredictable than the phase dock, because on the line you never know when work is going to occur."

Watters, who departed two days after Christmas in 2011, is set to return to Whiteman AFB in the summer of 2012. He said the best part of his deployment thus far is the mission and the people.

"I work alongside people from the 442nd Fighter Wing and our unit is like a family; they have been great," he said. "I am fortunate to have met so many new people."

In addition to his deployed workload, Watters said he volunteers as a mail carrier and for litter carrier duty. The latter detail allows him to carry wounded troops from the base's hospital to the aircraft that is taking them out of the war zone.

Overall, Watters said he feels lucky that he's had the opportunity to serve and said the next chance he gets he wants to return to support the troops and the mission overseas.

"It feels good that I'm helping fight against terrorism and now have the opportunity to support Operation Enduring Freedom," he said. "That is why we are here."

Although Watters said he is excited about his deployment, he said he misses his family and friends and is looking forward to seeing them.