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)