Dedicated to the Men and Women of AF Vehicle Operations & Maintenance Past, Present, and Future

TRUCKIN ON

1 Dec 2013

Congratulations Chief Selects!

Dustin Silk Brian Saunders Scott Ransom Richard Toppa Craig Olson Vernon Jordan Richard Albeck 2T1X0 2T1X0 2T1X0 2T3X0 2T3X0 2T3X0 2T3X0 Dyess JB Langley-Eustis Ramstein Hurlburt Field MacDill McConnell Ramstein

Merry Christmas
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: Chief Selects: PG 1 JBA Hosts WreckMaster Training Course: PG 1

Joint Base Andrews (JBA) Hosts WreckMaster Training Course

by TSgt Roger Maxwell (2T1) The 11 LRS, Joint Base Andrews (JBA), has one of the largest coach bus fleets in the Air Force and was responsible for supporting 2,000 over-the-road and local requests last year. After several breakdowns, Joint Base Andrews operators and maintainers were concerned with the towing techniques used on coach buses and requested additional guidance from an outside source.

Inside this issue:

Grease, Grit & Grime V2G Project Website News & Video Fuel Cell Vehicles Pearl Harbor Job Market FMCSA Rule Changes Road Dog Trucking New Rescue Vehicle Get Your Beauty Rest Fire Trucks Snuffys Corner Movie & Song Survey PG 2 PG 3 PG 3 PG 4 PG 4 PG 5 PG 6 PG 6 PG 7 PG 7 PG 8 PG 9-10 PG 11

The good people at WreckMaster answered our call and in October 2013, eight operators and two maintainers participated in a 3-day wrecker towing/ recovery training class. Each morning was spent in the classroom discussing theory, and each afternoon was spent in the field dealing with real-life situations. WreckMaster introduced us to new, efficient techniques and equipment that will make our lives easier. Most notably we gained confidence by understanding how to use our own equipment safely and at the same time identifying our short falls. I recommend any unit with a demanding recovery mission to look into hosting a WreckMasters training course.

wreckmaster@wreckmaster.com
Phone: 1-800-267-2266

www.wreckmaster.com
Disclaimer: Truckin On is an unofficial newsletter published every month in the interest of serving Air Force active duty, civilian and retired vehicle operations and maintenance personnel. Articles submitted by its contributors are not to be considered official statements by the U.S. Air Force.

Grease, Grit & Grime

1 Dec 2013

A Salute to Vehicle Operators and Maintainers

by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3) Its hard for me to express how I feel about vehicle operators and maintainers. Im not a vehicle operator by trade, but Im proud to have managed this inspired group of hard-working, dedicated peopleboth military and civilians. Vehicle maintenance is home for me; its where I grew up. This article, however, is not about me. Its about the men and women of vehicle operations and maintenance who get the job done every daythe sled dogs who make the mission happen. Maintainers are a special breed, a no nonsense, resolute bunch who take their craft seriously. They routinely accept challenges that would overwhelm many, yet prove time and again that theyre up to the task, confident in what they do.

The vehicle business is not a glamorous occupation; its rare when we make the headlines, although our Combat Truckers have been in the news for their exploits, and deservedly so. They put their lives on the line for mission and country.

In sports these types of people are known as gamers. Theyre the ones who come off the field sweaty and with dirty uniforms because theyve been in the battle. Its the same in our Motor pool, once considered a derisive term among Air Force vehicle operators, is now used informally by the rank and file profession. with a sense of pride. These men and women have earned an In my minds eye, I see mechanics with greasy hands and esteemed reputation and stand tall among their peers. coveralls, tired and bleeding from skinned knuckles, but with a look of satisfaction knowing that the job is done, and done right. I suppose every specialty could claim to be a key link in the chain, but if it were not for mechanics and operators, mission critical vehicles wouldnt get repaired, cargo wouldnt move, and aircrews would become pedestrians. Its that simple. These airmen endure lonely nights in remote places, far away from family and friends, with modest pay, bad coffee, and usually without a complaint. Its not new. Air Force vehicle operators and maintainers have been doing this for decades. Uniforms have changed, vehicles have changed, and society has changed; however, the mission and these skilled transporters have remained steadfast. Whether its at home or in some far-flung corner of the world, theyll be there providing maintenance and transportation services to keep em flying. These men and women are my heroes. However, theyre not looking for medals, certificates, or special treatment. A simple thank you and a hand shake will suffice, and if their hand appears to be a little greasy, shake it anyway. Itll wash off.

Theyre the ones we managers go to when we need an important task performed or overtime is required. They can be counted on every time. They have an innate talent to diagnose and repair complex malfunctions, and even fabricate parts if necessary. Simply put, theyre the backbone of the shop.

We at Truckin On thank you and salute you for what you do The same can be said of vehicle operators who work 24/7 every day. transporting cargo, aircraft parts, and aircrews. Images of chains, binders, tie-down straps, and cargo nets come to mind. These are the Road Warriors who drive the mission and provide a continuous life line of logistics support to and from the airfield.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Project

1 Dec 2013

Electric vehicle test program comes to JB MDL

by Airman 1st Class Ryan Throneberry Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs 11/1/2013 JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J.

"Frequency regulation is the process of stabilizing the grid against random second-by-second variations in demand on the electrical grid," said Gorguinpour. "If left unchecked, these minor variations could destabilize segments of the grid." Regional organizations called Independent System Operators, are responsible for ensuring frequency regulations services are provided. Any certified energy resource can bid to receive compensation for providing frequency regulation services to the grid. "Our objective is to use PEVs as an energy resource to the ISO during times that the vehicles are not being driven," said Gorguinpour. "The revenues received for providing the service can be used to offset the additional cost of leasing a PEV instead of a conventional vehicle.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has been chosen as one of six military bases to take part in the Department of Defense Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Project. The one-year trial will determine whether the sedans, trucks and other non-tactical vehicles are not only more cost effective, but mutually beneficial to the electrical grid. The program came from the president's goal to have 1 million plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) on the road in the U.S. by 2015. Federal agencies like the DoD will be the If successful, this would allow us to lease more PEVs vanguard in testing the effectiveness of the vehicles. throughout DoD because we would eliminate financial barriers." The DoD plans to spend $20 million on a fleet of PEVs unique in The one-year trial will provide project leaders with the their ability to export their own power and offset their cost, information required to make an accurate assessment to according to the American Forces Press Service. The cost whether PEVs are the military's future means of ground includes infrastructure, charging stations, software, maintenance transport. "At the end of the trial period, we would like to see and support. "Electric cars cost more than traditional vehicles sufficient revenue to make a sound financial case for expanded so we have to see the savings and benefits in order to justify adoption of PEVs," said Gorguinpour. "Of course, we will also their use," said Chief Master Sgt. David Schuman, 87th be monitoring the vehicles' performance to ensure mission Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle fleet manager. "I'm operations are not degraded in any way. looking forward to the testing here and seeing what the results In fact, one of our goals is to evaluate how we could use the will tell us." V2G vehicles to enhance mission capabilities by supporting Planning for the PEV charging station infrastructure began Sept. energy surety and acting as mobile generators." JB MDL 2012 and a maximum of 53 vehicles are expected to arrive at JB community may not notice the new PEVs at first glance; only the MDL throughout 2014. "Air Force leadership identified JB MDL quiet hum of the electric motor will give them away. as one of its designated locations because the installation has shown leadership in working on energy activities related to its non-tactical vehicle fleet," said Camron Gorguinpour, special assistant to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics. "As a tri-service joint base, JB MDL also creates opportunities to expose other services to PEV and V2G technologies." The PEVs not only cut costs by eliminating fuel use, but the V2G technology actually reduces the base's overall electric bill by a process called frequency regulation.

Web News & Video

submitted by Ralph Celento, CMSgt (Ret/2T1) http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/safety-compliance/article/ story/2013/11/cdl-med-card-merger-the-deadline-is-near.aspx#! submitted by Reade Holzbaur, WS-12 (Ret/2T3) Bobcat Skills http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9c6_1372853257 3

Fuel Cell VehiclesFuture or Folly?

1 Dec 2013

Elon Musk Calls Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Bullsh*t

by Damon Lavrinc AUTOPIA October 22, 2013 Theres an old joke about hydrogen power: Its the fuel of the future, and always will be. Elon Musk doesnt just agree; he called out hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as bullshit, claiming theyre more of a marketing ploy for automakers than a long-term solution. The comment from Musk came during a speech to employees and enthusiasts at a new Tesla service center in Germany. The electric automakers co-founder and CEO was onstage espousing the virtues of the Model S when he went off on a tangent about EV naysayers: And then theyll say certain technologies like fuel cell oh god fuel cell is so bullshit. Except in a rocket.

That hasnt stopped a range of automakers from Honda to Mercedes-Benz from continuing to develop hydrogen-electric vehicles. Honda has continued to champion the use of hydrogen with its FCX Clarity, a functioning concept car thats been out for a few years and was even leased to a select group of prominent Southern California residents in 2010. In 2011, Mercedes ran around the world in modified B-Class subcompacts to espouse the virtues of hydrogen and solidify its commitment to the fuel. But in the interim, we havent heard much from either automaker, and the infrastructure necessary has never materialized, despite it being the most abundant element on Earth.

Note: In the video below, Musks comments start at the 29-minute mark. Best to fast forward unless you speak Musk goes on to state that even given the very best hydrogen German. technology, it doesnt come close to the energy density of a http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/10/elon-musk-hydrogen/ modern lithium-ion battery pack like that found in the Model S. Granted, Musk is a bit biased and firmly entrenched in the battery electric vehicle space, but despite years of promises from automakers and government agencies, its tough not to think that the zero emissions future promised by hydrogen is still a long way off.

REMEMBERING PEARL HARBOR

Pearl Harbor: After the tours are gone
submitted by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3) Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. These were, of course, the opening remarks of President Franklin Roosevelts speech to Congress that launched the United States into World War II. December 7, 2013 marks the 72nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hickam Field, and other Oahu installationsthe most significant assault on American soil prior to 9/11/2001. Jimbo Pehan, MSgt (Ret/602) sent this video link to me and I wanted to share it with you as a way of remembering and honoring those who perished, as well as the survivors. Its unlike any other video Ive ever seen about Pearl Harbor. It focuses on the survivors of the attack on the USS Arizona. http://www.youtube.com/embed/MgE2KiPd3xg? feature=player_detailpage

Job Market
1 Dec 2013

USAA and Hiring Our Heroes Announce Best Places for Job Seeking Vets
by SandraUSAA on 10-30-2013 06:50 AM

Employment opportunities in the top industries employing post-9/11 veterans, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor (March 2013). Overall job climate based on unemployment rate and recent job growth. Presence of colleges/universities. Access to Veterans Affairs hospitals and health resources.

List highlights best places for post-9/11 veterans to lever age military skill sets SAN ANTONIO Houston is the No. 1 place in the nation for veterans to find civilian employment, according to a new study commissioned by USAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundations Hiring Our Heroes program.

Each variable was weighted and each metro area was then ranked based on its total points for all variables. To be considered for this years list, metro areas had to meet the following criteria: an unemployment rate less than 1 percentage The 2013 Best Places for Veterans: Jobs list identifies U.S. point above the national average, a median cost of living less metro areas that offer Americas new generation of veterans than 10 percentage points above the national average and a violent crime rate below the top 10 percent of all metros. more opportunities to find a military skill-related job. The USAA and Hiring Our Heroes also commissioned lists of the top remainder of the top 10 list includes: metro areas for veterans to find employment in medium and small markets. To see the lists and access the Best Places for 2. Dallas 7. Tampa, Fla. Veterans tool to create a customized list of best places, 3. Minneapolis 8. Salt Lake City visit www.usaa.com/bestplaces. 4. Oklahoma City 9. Orlando, Fla. 5. 6. Austin, Texas Norfolk, Va. 10. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. USAA is part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes initiative established to help veterans find meaningful employment. Since 2005, USAA has hired more than 7,800 military veterans and spouses. Today, one out of every four new hires at USAA is a veteran or military spouse, and USAA is now working to meet a new internal goal that 30 percent of the organizations new hires be veterans or military spouses.

Some of the keys to a successful military separation are planning and preparing well in advance, including determining where you want to live and work, said Eric Engquist, executive director of military transitions at USAA. This study and resources, like USAAs military separation checklist and military separation assessment tool, can help those who have left or are considering leaving the service make their transition as smooth Editors Comments: This article was submitted by Amos as possible. Williams, CMSgt (Ret/2T1). "More than 1 million service members and their families are expected to leave the armed forces over the next five years, said Eric Eversole, executive director of Hiring Our Heroes and Navy Reserve Judge Advocate Commander. We must remain vigilant to help these men and women find employment, and this list highlights the top places where veterans can put their skills to work. USAA, a leading financial services provider focused on serving the military community and their families, and Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, commissioned Sperlings BestPlaces to develop the lists. Researchers reviewed variables for 379 major U.S. metropolitan areas, including: The original website can be found at the following link:
https://communities.usaa.com/t5/Press-Releases/USAA-and-Hiring-OurHeroes-Announce-Best-Places-for-Job-Seeking/ba-p/9595? EID=corp_cc_13_11_45Plus-04

Rule Changes for FMCSA

1 Dec 2013

FMCSA making rule changes to ease military transition to truck driving

Overdrive Staff | November 08, 2013 submitted by Billy Dover, CMSgt (Ret/2T1) The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in light of an in-house study says it wants to implement some regulation changes to help former military personnel U.S. veterans more easily transition to civilian truck driving jobs. The agency says it plans to implement the changes as soon as possible.

*Allowing service members stationed in one state but licensed in another to obtain a CDL before being discharged. FMCSAs study was required by the MAP -21 highway funding law that went into effect last summer. The agency said it analyzed training, testing and licensing similarities between military and civilian CDL requirements.

Our military men and women make tremendous sacrifices in service to our nation, and helping veterans transition to the civilian workforce when they come home is just one way to show our gratitude, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Todays report builds on the work FMCSA has already accomplished on behalf of our veterans and outlines The changes include: *Allowing active duty and recently separated veterans to have opportunities to help even more qualify for jobs based on the up to one year as opposed to the current 90 days to take skills and training they receive in the armed forces. advantage of the Military Skills Test Waiver, which allows states to waive CDL skills tests for service members with two years of safe driving experience with similar vehicles. Right now, 46 states offer the waiver, and almost 2,000 veterans have been able to use the waiver. *Allowing active-duty military personnel with training and employment in heavy vehicle operation to immediately qualify for a CDL. The 60,000 service members that currently qualify operate vehicles that are nearly identical to civilian trucks, FMCSA says.

Sirius XM Satellite Radio

Sirius XM's Road Dog Trucking
submitted by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3) They also have a Facebook page that features the latest trucking news.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sirius-XMS-Road-DogFor all you serious truckers (no pun intended) with XM radio Trucking-News/327197117393074 capability, and a subscription, theres a station called Road Dog Trucking. They can be found on Channel 128 and their daily schedule is listed on their website at: http://www.siriusxm.com/roaddogtrucking/weeklyschedule If you havent done so already, you might want to check it out for yourself and see if it suits your taste. 6

1 Dec 2013

AF Introduces New Rescue Vehicle

Combat rescue vehicle for medical evacuations unveiled Air Force Times
by Jeff Schogol staff writer It gives them the capability to then drive in and recover the person or persons, Baker said. Instead of having to carry all the gear they have to take with them, it allows them to put it on the vehicle. The vehicle can carry up to six crew members or four crew members and four patients, Baker said. The vehicle is supposed to be able to fit on C -17s and C-130 transport aircraft as well as CH-53 helicopters, he said. It is also required to be transportable by CH -47 helicopters, but it is not yet known whether that is possible. But such a combat rescue vehicle comes with risks, said a Guardian Angel who was not authorized to speak on the record. For example, driving into a hot spot would expose the rescue team to enemy fire longer than being dropped off by a helicopter. It would also make us susceptible to a different style of, as we used to call them, SAR [search and rescue] traps, where they would try to purposely draw in rescue personnel, and if they know we have vehicles, they may set up a different kind of trap with IEDs [improvised explosive devices] or vehicle-borne IEDs or things like that, the Guardian Angel said. Still, being able to drive to a rescue scene and then be picked up by a helicopter could expand the Guardian Angels capabilities, he said.

The more avenues we have to get to a victim and get out, the better, he said. It only makes sense that we have a vehicle that is more geared toward actual rescue work; however, I dont see The Air Force is testing an all-terrain vehicle intended to get it doing much in the way of replacing a helicopter. rescue teams across rugged terrain or into the midst of combat to rescue or recover U.S. and coalition forces. The Guardian Angel Air-deployable Rescue Vehicle, which looks like the offspring of a Humvee and a dune buggy, was formally unveiled on Aug. 28 in Geneva, Ohio, where lead contractor HDT Global has a manufacturing facility. Named for the pararescuemen and combat rescue officers known as the Guardian Angel Weapon System, the vehicles main purpose is to get in fast and get out fast, said Capt. Jeremy Baker, project manager for the vehicle. The first two production vehicles have started safety certification testing and will undergo operational testing in February at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Baker said. Air Combat Command is expected to decide in July whether to send the vehicles downrange. Right now, Guardian Angels can reach casualties by parachute or helicopter, but the vehicle, which has a range of up to 350 miles, would allow them to be dropped off well outside the range of the enemys anti-aircraft weapons, Baker said.

The Guardian Angel Air-deployable Rescue Vehicle is supposed to be able to fit on C-17s and C-130 transport aircraft as well as CH -53 helicopters. With a range of up to 350 miles, it would allow pararescuemen to be dropped off well outside the range of the enemy's anti-aircraft weapons to rescue or recover casualties.

Get Your Beauty Rest...

Catching up' on sleep may not help worker alertness: Study - National Safety Council, 10/18/13 submitted by Ralph Celento, CMSgt (Ret/2T1) Workers whose alertness has been reduced through lack of sleep may not be able to fully recover merely by sleeping in on weekends. Researchers put 30 healthy adults on a schedule of six hours of sleep for six consecutive nights followed by 10 hours of sleep for three nights. Health and performance assessments showed participants were less sleepy and less stressed after they had a few days to catch up on sleep. However, their alertness continued to suffer. After mild sleep deprivation, people performed poorly on tests measuring the ability to pay attention, and their scores did not improve with the "weekend" of rest. These findings may be especially relevant for workers in safety-critical professions, said the Penn State researchers (no link). 7

A Few More Thoughts on Fire Trucks.

1 Dec 2013

Memories of a classic fire truck

by Bob Wiley, MSgt/GM-14 (Ret)

Fire truck acquisition

While on the Air Staff, I attended several meetings with our friends at the AFCESA (now AFCEC), Tyndall AFB, some Robins folks, some MAJCOM managers and some DLA agents, the topic of which was the future purchase of fire trucks. The idea DLA had about purchasing the latest model of a vendors fire truck made sense in one respectthe latest off-the-shelf offering of the vendors product; and one that would allow the vendor to make upgrades and changes throughout the production run.

At Fairchild AFB, I was typically the first guy to arrive at work in the morning, and the first thing I did after plugging in the coffee pot, was to go around the shop unlocking and sometimes opening all the doors in readiness for the workday. So one morning after opening up the shop, as I made my way back to my maintenance control office, I was walking past this crash But from the standpoint of support, that wouldve been bad fire truck when suddenly a starter motor news for both the maintainer and the supply system. Under that DLA concept, no longer would standardized maintenance whirred and an engine in that beast started up. training be standard, and parts look-up/storage would be so No, my first reaction wasnt that the truck was haunted; I was much more difficult, because one vehicle built near the front of just caught totally unaware. Heck, I didnt know the AF even the production run would have certain parts while another owned self-starting fire trucks, but thats what happened. toward the rear end of that vehicles production run could have I realize a number of the Truckin On readers know Im different parts. Some of those parts could be insignificant describing my encounter with the old Cardox 0 -6 crash fire nickel n dime changes; while others could be a major component upgrade or substitution, which probably wouldn't be truck. backward compatible.

Problems not totally insurmountable, but totally avoidable. I dont know what the end result of our meetings on this subject was, but Im hoping it was ultimately satisfactory to the maintainer community. If youve ever been a fire truck mechanic, or are just interested in some wheeled firefighting apparatus used by the military from as far back as WW2, you may want to log onto: firetrucksatwar.com. I admit I spent quite a while scoping the sites content. Among the many things I noted was a photo of one of the firehouses that existed on Sampson Naval Air Station (NAS) in upstate New York way back in the day. Its interesting to me personally because I took my AF basic training at Sampson AFB in upstate New York and I never knew the installation used to be a NAS. Editors Comments: We understand, as does Mr. Wiley, that AFCEC is currently responsible for fire truck procurement; And they understand that it was the refrigeration engine that however, his story is historically significant in that it provides fired itself up because the temperature of its fire suppression our younger audience an awareness of how the acquisition process functioned in earlier times. agent, halon, had dictated it needed to be cooled down. After I looked into it a bit further, I learned that the usual way I would add that having vehicle managements input to this the refrigeration unit kept up with the halons cooling needs was process is still as important as ever since responsibility for maintaining the fire truck fleet has not changed. by plugging it into an electrical outlet when one was available. 8
1958 Type O-6 Cardox Crash Fire Truck

Stories

Snuffys Corner
Cue Strother Martin from Cool Hand Luke: What were dealing with here is by John Fig Newton, Col (Ret) failure to communicate. I told him to go Back in the late 70s, I was VMO at to lunch, and afterwards, we had a little Langley. Our shop at that time was the OJT and safety combined session on the building used as the carriage house floor. during the Billy Mitchell days.

Wanted

1 Dec 2013

The tire cage

The offices were all in the center of the back wall, which had a sort of H pattern going back off toward the rear on each side. The tire shop was over in one of the back wings. We used to shut the shop down for lunch every day, leaving just Maintenance Control manned. One day during the lunch hour, I walked out of my office onto the shop floor and started toward the back personnel door. I heard the big compressor running, and the sound of compressed air, but did not see a soul. I stopped and looked all around, and couldnt figure out where the air was coming from or going to. There was a large split rim wheel and tire leaning up against the outside of the tire cage, but absolutely no one was around. I probably stood there about a minute trying to think this through, and then all of a sudden---two arms appeared from INSIDE the tire cage reaching out to the wheel/tire assembly. I immediately walked over to the tire cage, and there was Amn Snuffy (a newbie) inside the cage. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he had been told by his civilian supervisor to inflate the tire, and to always use the tire cage because split rims were dangerous. So, he got in the cage to protect himself, connected the air hose, and was inflating the tire and checking its pressure with the inline gauge.

Sleeper on a creeper

by George McElwain, CMSgt (Ret/472)

During my tour of duty at a cold weather base in northern Montana in the late The drill sergeant sixties, I was supervisor of the general by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3) purpose repair sections night shift. My "Snuffy" was always doing things to Sometimes Amn Snuffy comes in the form get out of work and required a lot of extra of a young NCO, which was the case at watching. Every job he did had to be Shemya in the mid-1970s. I dont recall looked over very closely to ensure it was what SSgt Storman/Snuffy was repairing at the time, but the situation called for a done correctly. bushing to be bored outslightly. I assigned him a left over job from the day shift to install a drive shaft in one of the Usually, SSgt Storman would have taken 4x4 Dodge W -200s. I went on about precision work like this to a machine looking into work in progress on the other shop, but his inner Snuffy came alive and said, why go to a machinist when you can technicians as the evening went on. do it yourself with a drillBIG MISTAKE. In about an hour or so I heard a tool banging on the drive shaft and assumed It was a sizeable bushing, inside diameter just under an inch. Snuffy remembers this work was still in progress. because he selected a one inch drill bit for We know about the word ASSUME and I the job. Now, it takes a fairly large and decided that the job was or should have heavy drill to accommodate a one inch bit. been done, so I grabbed a creeper and Operating it required both hands. began to crawl under the Dodge. Snuffy secured the bushing in a vise and Well, I found my Snuffy with a wrench began drilling it when suddenly the bit taped to his hand and his hand taped to caught on the bushing. The powerful the drive shaft, and as the muscle relaxed drill motor turned over in a flash and and contracted it caused the wrench to wrapped the cord around his fingers; tap on the drive shaft as he caught a nap. he couldnt release the trigger! All he I woke him from his nap and began the could do was turn his body with the drill LOC that he deserved. and soon his arm was behind him. He Shortly after that incident he reported for was waiting for his wrist to snap and duty with a cast on his leg and no duty started yelling, help, help! Someone excuse. Being a bit suspicious, I did some came and pulled the plug. It was the last time this Snuffy tried to drill a bushing. following up. 9

I asked our first sergeant and he checked with the hospital. Lo and behold, the cast was a two piece and could be removed when work was done. His good buddy in the hospital fixed Snuffy up with the removable cast and after all was said and done, I would guess that was the last one of those ever made. After several other incidents it was decided that he wasn't ready to be a mechanic/airman.

Stories

Snuffys Corner
Fifth wheel!!???
by Dan Berlenbach, CMSgt (Ret/2T3) Airman Snuffy was hard at work at his first duty station, Travis AFB, California, back in 1975. Right out of tech school as a Base Maintenance Equipment Mechanic, he wanted nothing more than to get his hands on the D-6 (base had one) or Little Giant crane, or at least a loader.

Wanted

1 Dec 2013

Blowin in the wind

by Bob Wiley, MSgt/GM-14 (Ret)

Airman Snuffy liked to get stick-time in many different vehicles and equipment items. Often, that opportunity presented itself to him when he had to bring a vehicle into or out of the shop. It didnt so much matter to him whether hed been checked out on the vehicle he wanted to But no, the GP shop needed help and drive or not. assisting them would "broaden Snuffy's So Snuffy finds himself at Fairchild AFB horizons" (beyond cleaning the chief's WA in the middle of winter; working into office that is). the evening hours on a weekend eve, and So Snuffy dutifully went to the GP shop, a lull in workload makes him feel just a leaving his beloved heavy junk little bored. So the bright idea bulb goes behind. His assignment was to "lube the on above Snuffys head, and he walks fifth wheel on that tractor!" And get it outside to the ready line where a done, because "that's all that's left on that humongous snow blower was awaiting CE pickup. work order." Now Snuffy was still pretty green on his own equipment that he went to tech school on, and hadn't been in the field all that long. But he was a logical guy, and counted from the left front tire to number five and couldn't find a grease fitting. Not wanting to appear as if he didn't know what he was doing, he then tried counting from the right front back, and the "fifth" wheel still had no grease fitting. What the #$%^? Finally Snuffy decides to ask, "Where the heck is the grease fitting and which one of the wheels is the fifth? The GP guys have a great time with it, and try to send Snuffy to find a yard or two of flight line, but Snuffy at least doesn't fall for that one. Amn Snuffy/Berlenbach goes back to base maintenance where he belonged, with a firm grasp of what a fifth wheel was that he still recalls well today. So lets see...First, theres a lot of snow piled around the parking area between vehicle ops and mx. Second, theres a snow blower waiting to be operated; the temptation was overpowering.

The supervisor then waved his arm, finger extended to point to all the many, many glass window panes that were blasted and blown out by the snow the blower sent, and there was a fair amount of snow on the shop floor too. SSgt Wiley never fired up another snow blower either.

You lose 20% of your IQ when you get promoted

by Gary McLean, SMSgt (Ret/2T3) Engine cooling fans dont forgive, and when you combine that with a promotion to the legendary rank of buck sergeant, disaster ensues. Airman Snuffy, finally promoted to sergeant, was prepping a new Emerson 25K loader for service when he noticed a coolant leak at the front of the engine.

Using his newly lowered IQ, he spotted the problem, a leaking hose clamp at the water pump outlet. Right thing to do? Climb into the cab and shut off the engine before tightening the clamp. Snuffy thing So Snuffy climbs up into this large cab, in to do? Tighten that sucker with a box-end the operators position, fires that puppy wrench WHILE its running. up, reads some labels on various levers n As Murphys Law dictates, the hose clamp knobs n such, and heads for a direct snapped during adjustment and Snuffy onslaught of the snow berm he thought threw his hand into the spinning engine needed to be blown somewhere fan (and lost his wrench). Thankfully, else. And so he maneuvers this beheDetroit Diesel 8.2L engine water pump moth to the berm, grabs levers, moves outlets are on the 9:00 side of the engine, knobs, adjusts the snow chute, engages or else Sergeant Snuffy would have the the impeller, and begins forward motion. new name of Lefty. As it was, the At the end of the run hes satisfied with stumbling-to-the-bathroom trail of blood, his work, so he disengages all the blower the partial blackout from the cold water paraphernalia and heads back to the hitting the gaping holes in his hand, and ready line to park this beast. Walking into the wild story told to the first sergeant, the shop, one of the supervisors asked which caused him to bring a chaplain to him if he was just operating a snow the clinic to administer last rites, ensured blower out in the yard, and he answered that this Snuffy never tried another stunt yes. like that again! 10

Favorite Movie & Song w/Cars, Trucks, or Motorcycles

1 Dec 2013

Turn on the radio and lets go to the drive-in!

by Roger Storman, SMSgt (Ret/2T3) Remember those days? It was summertime, Friday or Saturday night, and you were off to the drive-in with your significant other. Your car radio was blasting your favorite tunes and you didnt really care what movie was playing; it was usually a B-flick or cult movie at the drive-in, as were many of the car, truck, and motorcycle features. But they were fun and we all had our favoritesmovies and songs. Thats the purpose of this survey. In keeping with our vehicle theme for this newsletter, we wanted to know your all-time favorite movie and song featuring a car, truck, or motorcycle. So take your speaker off the window, hurry on over to the concession stand, and then lets see what you selected as your favorites. Some people listed more than one movie and song and others selected a movie or song, but not both. So, the numbers wont add up. Theres no winner or loser, just a summary of your votes. We had a total of 35 people who replied. The results are as follows: Movie Smokey and the Bandit 8 American Graffiti Vanishing Point The Gumball Rally Wild Hogs Back to the Future Black Dog Bullitt Christine Death Proof Grease 6 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 Song Little Deuce Coupe East Bound and Down Born to Be Wild Radar Love Little Red Corvette 500 Miles Back Seat Rhythm Black Limousine Black Sunshine Blue Monday Drive Giddy-up Go I Cant Drive 55 6 5 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Movie Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man Two Lane Blacktop Easy Rider Gone In 60 Seconds Maximum Overdrive Ronin The Great Race Transformers (2007) Worlds Fastest Indian Days of Thunder Herbie/The Love Bug The Cannonball Run Fast Five Wild Angels

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Song 18 Wheels & A Dozen Roses Little GTO Motorcycle Song Pink Cadillac Roll On Six Days on the Road Slick Black Cadillac Swing Little Cobra Thank God for the Radio Thunder Road Drive Copperhead Road Danza Kuduro Blues Theme 409 Low Rider

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

The French Connection 1

Man w/the Golden Gun 1

Mad Max/Road Warrior 1 Thunder Road 1

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