Fuels Airmen cultivate Balad farm

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Colleen Wronek
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Working on a farm in the Iraqi desert may not be something many American picture their troops doing, but Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s fuels management flight maintain a fuel bladder farm here to keep the mission flying.

The Airmen use the farm to keep aircraft and ground equipment fueled for the fight, said Master Sgt. Ty Jackson, 332nd ELRS fuels manager.

They deliver fuel to aircraft, issue diesel to generators and power plants so Airmen can have electricity, issue liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen for cryogenics requests, and maintain the farm.

Additionally, they special-deliver fuel to other sites and are the main source for aviation gasoline in Iraq. Aviation gasoline is the fuel that powers unmanned aerial vehicles such as the MQ-1 Predator.

“Having the same people we work with at home is helpful because all of us know what our roles are in meeting mission requirements,” said Sergeant Jackson, who is from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., along with the rest of the flight’s Airmen.

The Airmen monitor and sample the fuel to ensure the quality is suitable for aircraft use.

“When we receive fuel it is placed into bladders which hold the fuel until it is transferred to fuel trucks. Once the fuel is in the truck, it is ready to be issued to the aircraft,” Sergeant Jackson said. “While the fuel is in the bladders, the fuel is stringently sampled periodically for quality control, ensuring the fuel meets specifications.”

Because fuel is a dangerous substance, the vehicles carrying the fuel to the aircraft have to be in good condition and safe.

“I (ensure) the general safety of the vehicles and equipment,” said Senior Airman Lucas Chesser, the squadron’s fuels preventative maintenance supervisor. “I conduct daily inspections of special and general purpose fuel vehicles, but sometimes certain problems with the trucks can’t be reproduced, so I go with the refuelers to the aircraft to figure out the problem. It’s been an educational experience, and I have gotten opportunities that I don’t get stateside.”