The precision measurement equipment laboratory’s claim to fame is being the only 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron workgroup that serves the entire area of responsibility.

The team falls under the responsibility of the test measurement and diagnostic equipment, or TMDE, flight.

The laboratory ensures the correct functioning of any piece of equipment used to make a qualitative or quantitative measurement. The services they provide include calibrating hospital equipment, maintenance test equipment and aircraft instrument test sets.

The various responsibilities within the team include lab chief, technicians, quality assurance, and scheduling and coordinating shipping and receiving equipment for maintenance and calibration.

“My responsibility involves scheduling equipment from 201 workcenters within eight countries in the area,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Loverde, a PMEL technician. “Customers don’t always realize their equipment is due for calibration. Some accounts have one item requiring calibration while others have more than 500 items in their inventory.”

The number of incoming equipment serviced by the team is continually rising. Within the past six months, the workload has increased by 1,200 items.

“I am the customer’s first contact within the laboratory for equipment concerns,” said Staff Sgt. Donald Sheppard Jr., PMEL technician and noncommissioned officer in charge of production control, equipment scheduling and traffic management. “I have to balance the daily inprocessing of equipment, notify customers of equipment for pickup, track overdue equipment and manage the distribution of incoming and outgoing equipment.”

The challenges of maintaining contact with various customers include units constantly moving within the area and shipping to a wrong or nonexistent location. But tracking equipment is not the only concern for the team.

“I direct and oversee the maintenance and quality assurance of more than 8,600 items of test measurement and diagnostic equipment,” said Master Sgt. Kenneth Cheek, PMEL chief. “The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s set of absolute standards are references we use for all of the measurements we make. Time distance, mechanical, electronic, finite to infinite we cover the entire spectrum of measurements.”

Diversity is a big part of this job, Sergeant Cheek said. There is always something new to learn and pass along.

“We support postal workers, flightline maintainers and medical personnel by ensuring their equipment is accurate,” said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Tottle, TMDE craftsman.

If an item of equipment can measure something, PMEL technicians ensure that measurement is accurate.

“A lot of Air Force jobs require accurate quantitative measurements,” said Staff Sgt. Tavis Dias. “PMEL validates the quantitative measuring devices they use.”

Training for PMEL includes 23 weeks of basic electronic theory and operation and then another 24 weeks of applying that knowledge to specific equipment.

Training in the fundamentals of metrology (the science of weights and measures) is also required.

“Training is ongoing,” said Tech. Sgt. James Boswell, a TMDE craftsman. “Due to the diversity of equipment, it is not uncommon in our career field for young Airmen to be the system experts for some items. When training is needed, we freely share that knowledge with other technicians. There isn’t a stigma in our career field for an experienced NCO to ask help from a junior Airman when they are more familiar with a task.”

“Working with the Airmen here is very enjoyable,” said Master Sgt. George Simonof, TMDE flight chief. “Our work directly affects the accuracy of all weapons platforms currently used by the Air Force. We’re happy to be here and proud to serve.”