Warren HUMVEEs at 100 percent readiness

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alex Martinez
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  His roar reverberating off of the ridge sides of the nearby landscape fuels his strength. Rocks and rubble that once riddled the roadway are now powder after being pulverized by its thick, circular appendages.

However, others control him and he's afraid of that. But the fact that all of his brothers and sisters in the unit are manned and ready to go gives the confidence necessary to do his job.

This gentle giant has strength in numbers at Warren, which is an example of the hard work the support agency practices daily.

The support agency responsible for this band of HUMVEE brothers is the 90th Security Forces Squadron vehicle section. Although they are responsible for a variety of vehicles, their HUMVEE fleet is an important part of the mission, providing an added security measure to ensure Warren's valuable assets are safe.

"It's very important to be 100 percent ready," said Tech. Sgt. Jeff Mitchell, NCO in charge of the 90th Security Forces Group vehicle section. "We have a good team here taking care of all vehicles. It's a mission requirement to maintain 100 percent readiness in order to carry out our contingency operations and normal everyday security."

Sergeant Mitchell said there are a couple of factors help keep the fleet 100 percent ready: making sure drivers are fully qualified with adequate training to drive the vehicles, and maintaining the vehicles with high-standard inspections.

HUMVEEs here are mainly used for emergency response or "fire" teams if ever required, convoy support and normal security of national defense installations in the local area.

"We are the best in Air Force Space Command," Sergeant Mitchell said. "The best in regards to servicing vehicles and maintaining a low number of safety discrepancies."

Other bases have visited the vehicle section here in order to get useful ideas to take back to their bases.

Due to the importance of the mission here, it is not unusual for members of the vehicle section to operate long days if circumstances require it in order to ensure the equipment they are responsible for gets where it needs to go and returns safely at the end of the day.

"We work hard to make sure our wing is stellar," said Senior Airman Jacquetta Gray, 90th Security Support Squadron. "Our supervisors are awesome. We're not micromanaged here and it makes it easier for us to do a good job."

In addition to dispatchers, the vehicle section has technicians that detail the HUMVEEs and other support vehicles, and 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance Airmen.

"We work hand-in-hand with LRS to maintain the vehicles for rapid repairs," Sergeant Mitchell said.

Rapid repairs are just one tactic to keep the fleet 100 percent ready.

Airman Gray said without the vehicle section, the wing wouldn't be able to get where they need to go.

"The wing rides on us," Airman Gray said. "The [vehicles] go through a lot, but we're able to keep them together pretty well."

Riding along the roads of the high frontier, Warren HUMVEEs and the rest of the security forces vehicle fleet ride with the reassuring fact that their support agency keeps them ready -- 100 percent ready.