A group of Airmen has the tough and fast-paced job of maintaining all the generators that power this desert base.

The Airmen are with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron’s aerospace ground equipment and heating ventilation and air conditioning shop.

They stay busy.

"Power generation is the backbone of what we do," said Master Sgt. Dave Durako, the squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of the element. "By accomplishing our job we enable the rest of our unit to accomplish their missions."

The shop, called AGE/HVAC, ensures power at the squadron’s compound and for two additional radar units here -- none that operate on the base's generator systems. The 10 AGE and two HVAC technicians maintain and monitor 40 generators powering systems.

"Our power systems provide the entire radar air picture to the combined air operations center, allowing them to make informed decisions," Sergeant Durako said. "If someone on the business end of our capabilities looses power, we are running to get it back up. We can't wait 15 or 20 minutes when there might be a call coming in for close air support. We have to fix the problem immediately."

Keeping a steady supply of power flowing from the generators is a full-time job for the shop’s Airmen. One Airman ensuring power outages don't occur is Staff Sgt. Josh Clodfelter, an HVAC refrigeration craftsman.

"Getting the work done as fast as possible is the most important aspect of my job here," Sergeant Clodfelter said.

A typical workday involves maintaining generators on-site and around the base making sure everything is running well, he said.

The Airmen visit the generators outside the squadron compound every three hours to check their condition. Any needed maintenance becomes the top priority.

To ensure the Airmen are ready for the demands of operating in a deployed environment, they train together in the field regularly before deploying. That allows them to operate as a well-oiled machine.

"Unlike many air and space expeditionary rotations, we deploy as a complete team from our home station," Sergeant Durako said. The team is from Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

After two years in the Air Force, Airman 1st Class Mark Baugh, an AGE technician, is on his first deployment.

"I knew what to expect when I got here because we go to the field to train so often," Airman Baugh said.

All of the preparation at home has paid off for the team.

"We have been able to keep the equipment going without having any real down time since we arrived," Airman Baugh said.