A bird’s anatomy – its
feathers, hollow bones and intricate wingspan— enables the
animal to take to the skies, soaring hundreds of feet above the
earth. Other types of “birds,” like those powered by
the ignition of three turbine engines, fly because of the
behind-the-scenes work performed by Marines in coveralls.
These often grease-covered Marines continue to meet the daily
challenges of keeping the aircraft of Marine Heavy Helicopter
Squadron 361 at the ready.
In conjunction with the other maintenance departments of the
unit, the “flight line” crew works an average of 20,000
man hours per month, an operational tempo seven times higher than
stateside procedures.
Their efforts keep the squadron at an 88.3 percent mission
capability rate, one of the highest in the area of operations,
explained Capt. Jason Mitchell, a pilot for HMH-361.
“The maintenance department is the heartbeat of the
squadron,” said Mitchell. “You could get rid of every
other shop, but without maintenance, we wouldn’t be
flying.”
Because of the fast-paced flight schedule, the flight line
Marines are constantly on the job, crawling atop the large
helicopters to repair and replace anything from gear boxes to rotor
heads.
The mechanics work in the desert’s extreme temperatures,
turning wrenches until they accomplish their assigned missions. The
safety of the aircrew and passengers depends on them, and
collateral duty inspectors ensure the integrity of each job.
Before a flight launches, the air crew looks over the aircraft
once again, making sure it’s ready to go.
“We are in direct support of combat,” said Sgt. Tony
Garavaglia, a collateral-duty quality assurance representative.
“These birds are the work horses of the Marine Corps. Whether
troops need to be moved or supplies need to be delivered, we have
the capabilities to make it happen.”
Other than trouble-shooting and repairing broken parts, the
maintenance Marines make it a priority to train their
subordinates.
“We teach them to fulfill the roles of the more
experienced mechanics so they can take over once we leave,”
said Garavaglia, a St. Louis native.
After showing them how to do a job, the senior Marines take a
step back in supervision, allowing the newer members of the unit to
do the work until they are proficient enough to do it on their
own.
“I enjoy being a part of this shop,” said Lance Cpl.
William B. Shultz, a CH-53E engine mechanic. “The level of
discipline and camaraderie allows us to function like a fined-tuned
machine.” [ANN Salutes Lance Cpl. Jessica N. Aranda, 3rd
Marine Aircraft Wing for the story]