LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Aircrew Flight Equipment technicians hold one of the few jobs in the Air Force where they hope some of their equipment is never used.
Risk is a part of every mission, and 19th Operations Support Squadron AFE technicians play a critical role in keeping aircrew mission ready by ensuring their gear is dependable, even in the most demanding conditions.
“The mission does not happen without AFE. Every time an aircrew member goes out the door, deploys, or does a mission, there’s a potential for hazard,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. James Berg, 19th OSS AFE superintendent. “Our job is to be there on the worst day of their lives. If the aircraft is going down, AFE is what’s getting them out of the aircraft and onto the ground.”
AFE technicians’ work requires absolute precision. From inspecting floatation devices, calibrating Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and packing parachutes, there is no room for error.
“We make sure that equipment is going to work correctly,” Berg said. “We have testers and systems to make sure that everything is working at very precise measures.”
Parachutes are looked at by the packer and an in-process inspector to make sure nothing gets overlooked. The fresh pair of eyes from the inspector ensures that every critical point of the process gets looked at twice, ensuring the parachute will deploy properly.
Despite a dense focus on equipment, AFE maintains a broad skillset to act as a one-stop-shop for aircrew.
After a possible Aircrew Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (ACBRN) contamination, technicians gear up and process aircrew through the Aircrew Contamination Control Area (ACCA) line, ensuring their safe return. The ACCA line consists of four stations to decontaminate and remove all contaminated items from the aircrew member.
Qualified technicians also instruct two different equipment classes for aircrew. The first class provides flyers with a general overview of AFE equipment, covering 29 different pieces of gear and their unique functions. The second is an in-depth class on their ACBRN gear, which concludes with an exercise that puts their knowledge to the test.
Furthermore, AFE runs a munitions program for the flares in survival vests and the armory while deployed. Members manage the armory to arm aircrew members and house weapons for the fly-away security team attached to airlift squadrons.
“Most people on the base only see the customer service side of us, where we're just issuing out night vision goggles (NVG), radios and stuff for their missions,” Berg said. “There's a large maintenance piece of our career field that people don't understand unless you are involved with AFE.”
As each flyer requires their own personal pieces of equipment, technicians are responsible for routine and meticulous maintenance for each of them. Airmen tediously carry out everything from drilling holes in helmets for NVG mounts, to breaking down, cleaning and rebuilding each individual oxygen mask. Additionally, they inspect and pack all 128 passenger flotation devices for every C-130J Super Hercules in Little Rock AFB’s fleet.
As a pilot unit, the 19th OSS AFE shop has a unique impact on the tactical airlift C-130 community as a whole.
“Every decision that we make and everything we do here affects all the C-130s across the board. Everything we do, whether it's what we pack for our mobility bins, or how we prepare our aircrew, gets used at about 30 different wings,” Berg said.
In the high-tempo environment of the world’s largest C-130J hub, AFE technicians don't just 'check boxes', they build the safety net that allows pilots and loadmasters across the force to fly into hostile and austere environments with confidence. From parachutes to oxygen masks, AFE's attention to detail ensures that aircrew are always mission ready.
From left, Senior Airman Raymond Turner, 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment journeyman, instructs Airman 1st Class Darian Bilog,19th OSS aircrew flight equipment journeyman, on decontamination procedures during an aircrew contamination control area (ACCA) line at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, July 14, 2026. Airmen simulated an ACCA line for training aircrew members on procedures to ensure mission readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alyson Ripley)