Ramp revamp

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Tech. Sgt. Freddie Garrette pours freshly mixed concrete into a 100 square foot spall repair area Oct. 6 while Tech. Sgt. Jeff Jones, center, smoothes the edges and Senior Airman Wilson Quinante brushes the surface of a smoothed section to give it an anti-skid surface. The 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Heavy Equipment Operations “Dirt Boys” repair damaged surface areas on the airfield here each Saturday morning. The team gets an early start, often working before sunrise, to beat the daytime high temperatures, which helps ensure a proper mixture cure time and a stronger slab. The team must also work quickly to limit the amount of time airfield operations are affected while repairs are done. Sather AB is the busiest airfield in Iraq, averaging 4,000 transient aircraft activities each month. Sergeant Garrette is deployed from the Tennessee Air National Guard. Sergeant Jones is deployed from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Airman Quinante is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey)

Ramp revamp

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Senior Airman Wilson Quinante brushes over newly poured concrete to even out the surface and give it a rough finish for anti-skid purposes, as Tech. Sgt. Jeff Jones uses a 2-by-4-inch board as a scree to push forward and smooth the mixture in the ramp area for repair. The 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Heavy Equipment Operations “Dirt Boys” repair damaged surface areas on the airfield here each Saturday morning. The team gets an early start, often working before sunrise, to beat the daytime high temperatures, which helps ensure a proper mixture cure time and a stronger slab. The team must also work quickly to limit the amount of time airfield operations are affected while repairs are done. Sather AB is the busiest airfield in Iraq, averaging 4,000 transient aircraft activities each month. Airman Quinante is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey)

Joint team helps build Afghan air corps

Master Sgt. George Lewandowski looks over a tool kit created for the Afghan national army air corps aircraft maintenance section Oct. 18 at Kabul Air Field, Afghanistan. The kits help the maintainers keep track of their tools as well as aid in engine safety. Sergeant Lewandowski, an ANA air corps mentor, is a precision measurement equipment laboratory Airman in charge of the tool accountability program at Kabul International Airport. He is deployed here from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)

Get ready...it heavy

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- James Martinez, 33rd Fighter Wing, prepares to make a lift during the 2nd Annual Bench Press Competition at the Eglin Fitness Center Oct. 17. Martinez completed two out of three presses of 335 and 355 pounds to claim second in the 180 to 199 pound weight class. Twenty participants particpated in the competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares )

All secure

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airman 1st Class Christopher Michaud, 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron elite entry controller, performs a security operations check at the base entry control point here Oct. 15. Airman Michaud is from Titusville, Fla., and is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder)

All secure

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airman 1st Class Christopher Michaud, 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron elite entry controller, performs a security operations check at the base entry control point here Oct. 15. Airman Michaud is from Titusville, Fla., and is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder)