Fuels flight pumps out record

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Candace Romano
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNEWS) --  Airmen with the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's petroleum, oil and lubricant, or POL, flight pumped a lot of gas recently. In fact, they set a record for the highest number of gallons of fuel issued in a single month over the last three years. 

POL Airmen received and issued a record-breaking 3.6 million gallons of fuel by tank truck and R-11 refueling units to every type of aircraft that touched down here at Balad Air Base in January. The flight also issued more than 220,000 gallons of diesel fuel for myriad support equipment and vehicles here at Balad. 

"This achievement speaks volumes about the herculean efforts the Airmen are making," said Lt. Col. Thomas Daack, the 332nd ELRS commander. "They're directly contributing to combat success in the deployed environment." 

Their recent feat shows the number of missions POL Airmen have supported, and the sheer number of aircraft taking off and landing at the flightline here. 

"With the recent rotation of the (Air Expeditionary Force) cycles -- changing personnel, moving cargo and keeping the power running in the generators, the amount of fuels moving was pushed to an all-time high," said Senior Master Sgt. John Nordquist, the 332nd ELRS fuels superintendent and a guardsman deployed from Hector Field, N.D. 

In the past three months, fuel use ranged from three to 3.6 million gallons. According to the fuels Airmen, that amount could refuel an F-16 more than 2,700 times. 

"Gallons used directly correlates to the number of man hours used to prepare and fill the refueling trucks," said Staff Sgt. Gabriel Temples, the NCO in charge of fuels bulk storage. 

The POL mission at Balad is to provide clean and dry "on-spec" fuel, which means it follows Air Force guidelines for safety standards. An aviation fuel, JP-8, used to power most Air Force aircraft also powers generators, support equipment, lights and aerospace ground equipment and can even run Humvees in a crunch, according to the POL Airmen. 

The Airmen also refuel military and non-military aircraft, and other services' aircraft and vehicles. Their support equipment is specialized to aid in downrange operations and help cope with the elements here. 

"Knowing our mission here is a direct link to bombs being dropped is very satisfying," said Sergeant Temples said, who is deployed here from Minot Air Force Base, N.D. "It's validating to actually see the results of our work." 

The deployed environment presents its challenges, too. 

"The airfield here is much busier and complex than our flightline at our home station," said Airman 1st Class Victoria Drefs, a 332nd ELRS fuels distribution operator, deployed from Aviano AB, Italy. "It's also a challenge maintaining vehicles in these harsh (environmental) conditions." 

The POL flight is made up of six guardsmen and 30 active-duty Airmen who collectively contribute to refueling all aircraft and other equipment here. 

The main difference between the Airmen's duties at home station and deployed locations is the vast number of aircraft and numerous missions they support with 24-hour operations, seven days a week. 

"We basically refuel anything that lands and takes off from here," said Staff Sgt. Kara Opperman, a 332nd ELRS fuels laboratory technician, deployed from Aviano AB. "We also perform quality control checks, and perform our own in-house maintenance on support equipment." 

The Airmen can see firsthand the results of their work in a deployed environment, and know that not only do the pilots depend on them, but the entire base population depends on their fuel to keep running. 

"It's easy to see the results of our work, being deployed here," Airman Drefs said. "For every plane that takes off successfully, we know we had a part in the success of their mission." 

POL Airmen do a lot more than just pump gas, said Staff Sgt. Chad Warren, the 332nd ELRS NCO in charge of the fuels control center. 

"We don't just drive a big green truck. We are also lab technicians, accountants, controllers, storage operators, cryogenic technicians and mechanics," said the sergeant deployed from Minot AFB. 

And what would the Air Force be like without fuels Airmen? 

"We're pumping the lifeblood of war -- one gallon at a time," Sergeant Warren said. "It's hard to imagine how a war could be won with today's technology and no fuel." 

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