Renovated facility makes mission faster, easier

  • Published
  • By Elsa Martinez
  • 433 AW
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The 433rd Airlift Wing's maintenance mission took a progressive step forward with the grand opening of the new, re-imagined 433rd Maintenance Support Section in Bldg. 887.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held June 17, was the end result of nearly four years of paperwork and coordination between the wing and the 802nd Civil Engineer Squadron.

The realignment of MSS to the 433rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, combined with practical experience, showed the MSS's closer physical location just made more sense, according to Maj. David Eastham, commander of the 433rd LRS.

"Even though the MSS belonged to LRS, they were still supporting maintenance mission," he explained. "We could see that MSS just needed to be nearby its supporting mission."

"There was never any one defining moment, but a whole lot of little things that made us see the practical decision to move MSS," he said.

Romel Smith, supervisor of the 802nd LRS Pick-up and Delivery Section, echoed Eastham's remarks. "We saw where the more convenient location made for greater efficiency in meeting the maintenance mission. As the host base, 802nd LRS houses and delivers all needful [C-5a Galaxy] parts to MSS, so efficiency is in our interest too," Smith said.

The refurbished facility covers 3,500 square feet and is located just south of Bldg. 828. The building houses two broad storage areas that contain C-5 aircraft maintenance parts. Divided into the Maintenance Support Section and the Flight Service Center, the areas are separated by a driveway that enables trucks and other vehicles to drive directly into the facility, pick up the needed parts and drive right out.

A second floor, "loft" area allows for additional storage of reusable containers and miscellaneous items.

With MSS's move, 433rd maintenance technicians now have greater efficiency in performing their duties.

"There's less travel to requisition, pick up and turn in parts and supplies moving to and from the parking ramp and through our maintenance repair cycle," Eastham said.

The increased efficiency results in decreased repair times, higher aircraft mission capability rates, and increases aircraft generation for aircrew training, exercises, channel, humanitarian, and other contingency missions.

"This ceremony marks the culmination of 3 years and 8 months of planning, coordinating, and renovating Bldg. 887 to house the Maintenance Section," said Col. Craig Petersen, 433d Mission Support Group commander. "Today we open the doors for a new facility that makes for a better and more effective C-5 maintenance."

Senior Master Sgt. Julia Valderas, supervisor of the 433d MSS, said, "We've been looking forward to this move for a long time. I look forward to serving our MX customers even better than before."

Following the official ribbon cutting by Petersen, Eastham and Valderas, Tech. Sgt. Eulalio Pedraza, 433rd MSL supply technician, gave a short tour of the facility for the gathered crowd, followed by an informal reception with light refreshments.