Gunfighter engineers help keep Manas battle ready

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jeff Baronsky
  • 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan --  Eighteen engineers from the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron recently deployed to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, and hit the ground running.

"Following our arrival into the country in September, our engineers were requested to make an electrical pumping system to help transfer de-icing fluid from the 5,000-gallon storage tanks to a fill stand, where fluid could be directly dispersed into the de-icing trucks," said Master Sgt. Ted Farmer 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron electrician, currently deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base.

Even though most of the material needed to complete the project was on hand, an electrical pump capable of pumping de-icing fluid through a one and a half inch pipe at 100 gallons per minute using 208 volts of electricity needed to be bought. With the end of the fiscal year at the end of the month, the funding would not be available for the pump until the first of October. However, that didn't slow the project down.

"With the help of my other Gunfighter engineers (Staff Sgt. Tyree Glenn and Staff Sgt. Richard Tullis), I arranged for trenching and installed 800 feet of electrical cable to supply power to a temporary pump," said Sergeant Farmer. "The structures team of Staff Sgt. Bradley Roscoe and Senior Airman James Gray, 376th ECES and fellow Gunfighters, did a fantastic job of supporting Staff Sgt. Marcus O'Connor (our utilities craftsman), 376th ECES and another Gunfighter, with removing the rotting wood supports and replacing them with fabricated metal pipe stands to support more than 200 feet of pipe."

With the gas powered pump temporarily installed until the new pump arrived in November, the system had already decreased the truck servicing time by 35 percent.

"The aircraft de-icing stand played an instrumental role in combating our first snow storm, allowing more than 81.5 thousand tons of cargo and 118 thousand pounds of fuel to be delivered to sustain the base mission," said Sergeant Glenn.

The electricians are also involved in many other behind-the-scene projects around the base including the floor-up construction of a command and control facility for the French air force; installing generators and transfer switches for the 376th Expeditionary Services Squadron cold storage facility, which protects more than $1.3 million in food on the base; installing a generator and transfer switch for fire station number two; and replacing an unsafe transfer switch at the command post. The electricians also trenched and installed permanent power for the Giant Voice system, replacing a temporary supply system with extension cords.

In addition, electricians have changed more than 250 fluorescent light ballasts to new electronic ballasts in the dormitories.

"A fire in one dorm's mechanical rooms opened our eyes to a serious problem with the water heater wiring originally installed," said Sergeant Farmer. "This resulted in a 100 percent rewire of all 66 hot water heaters in 20 dorms.

"We have also been directly involved in the construction of two facilities valued at more than $495,000 that can house more than 500 troops at one time," said Sergeant Farmer. "We also provide quality assurance for all of the electrical construction done by contractors and escort local Kyrgyzstan electricians on Manas to maintain their equipment, locate electrical lines and conduct meter readings.

"Overall, morale is high and the troops are definitely taking advantage of the environment and learning all they can," said Sergeant Farmer.