Chain of command: 28 AMXS

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jarad A. Denton
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  How does leadership provide direction to a squadron when tasked to produce more with fewer resources?

For Lt. Col. Carolyn Forner, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander, the answer lies with a combination of training, development and a genuine concern for the well-being of her people.

"We are one of the few career fields lucky enough to actually see firsthand how we support the mission of the 28th Bomb Wing," she said. "It is easy for us to connect how our maintainers help put bombs on target."

The 28 AMXS mission is to maintain the combat-readiness of the B-1B Lancers at Ellsworth and ensure the aircraft continues to support coalition forces in theater. Colonel Forner attributes the success of her squadron's mission to the emphasis placed on training.

"Once we found what our breaking point was with limited manning and resources we were able to build on that with a solid training program."

One of the training programs implemented a year ago was designed to rapidly educate both new Airmen crew chiefs and cross-trainees from different airframes. The objective was to complete nearly 75 percent of an Airman's upgrade training within six weeks.

"Everything we do is hands on," said Staff Sgt. Patrick Gailey, 28 AMXS crew chief training program supervisor. "Repetition is key in order for the Airmen to learn their jobs quickly."

Colonel Forner said when the program began there were doubts as to how successful it would be. However, after a year, the proof is in the results seen on the flightline.

"The Airmen take an ownership in the B-1s they maintain," she said. "There is no substitute for the pride they feel when a bomber they worked on comes back from a successful mission."

Once a B-1 returns from a mission, training or real-world, the crew debriefs a group of maintainers whose job is to take the information given to them and develop solutions to any problems experienced during the mission.

"Those Airmen are our go-to maintainers," Colonel Forner said. "They document what needs to be fixed and disseminate that information throughout the squadron."

Colonel Forner said thorough debriefings have helped the 28 AMXS build an amazing rapport with the B-1 crews.

"The B-1 crews returning from deployments have brought back incredibly positive feedback from the coalition forces in theater," she said. "That feedback shows the maintainers how important their jobs are to the overall mission of the B-1."

Even with all the positive feedback the 28 AMXS is still critically manned. The maintainers at Ellsworth often find themselves expanding their job descriptions to include multiple tasks. Colonel Forner said a prime example of this adaptability can be found in the maintainers who deal with the weapons systems on the B-1.

"The loaders are always busy doing the extra jobs necessary to keep the mission on track," she said. "It's not glamorous, but it needs to be done and they always rise to the challenge. This can be exceptionally difficult since their career field requires them to re-certify monthly."

Colonel Forner said the 28 AMXS has taken the mission requirements and additional duties with dedication and pride.

"I'm extremely proud of the work the maintainers are doing," she said. "Even though we ask them to do more with fewer resources, they meet those goals with energy and enthusiasm. Their efforts do not go unnoticed."

Editor's Note: This is part two of a series.