HomeNewsFeatures

Features
Air Power

FEATURES

Airmen light the way

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ruth Curfman
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFPN) --  Without lights, operations at Joint Base Balad would be severely hampered.

A well-lit airfield is a critically important element to flying missions because the lights show pilots where the perimeters of the runways are located. 

Since January more than 10,000 inter- and intra-theater sorties were flown from Joint Base Balad because of the work of the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen providing the ability to light the way for pilots.

"Airfield lighting is important here because of the nature of the mission and the inclement weather conditions, such as dust storms and high winds, our pilots takeoff and land in," said Master Sgt. Mark Morgan, 332nd ECES airfield lighting noncommissioned officer in charge deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

"In order to ensure the safety of our airfield, checking the lighting is a daily requirement and we conduct these checks multiple times throughout the day," Sergeant Morgan said. "If at any time a small percentage of our lights are not operating, the airfield will be rendered out of service. Therefore, you can imagine how busy our airfield lighting crew is on a daily basis with more than 2,500 lights on this airfield."

The Airmen who are responsible for keeping the runway lit understand the significance of their work.

"This part of my job is very critical, this is actually the most important part of my job here," said Staff Sgt. Samnang Lay, a 332nd ECES airfield electrician deployed from Ellsworth AFB, S.D. "Out of everything we do as electricians, this is the most important part of it. Maintaining the ability for us to fly, fight, and win is the most essential part of this mission."

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

View the comments/letters page