Sheet Metal

Senior Airman Johnathon Pulsifer, a 19th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintainer, places tools back into his toolbox Nov. 25, 2014, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Cleaning out tool boxes is a weekly duty ensuring all equipment is corrosion free and in top notch condition when they head out to make repairs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cliffton Dolezal)

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Sheet Metal

Senior Airman Johnathon Pulsifer, a 19th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintainer, removes a set of vice grips from his toolbox Nov. 25, 2014, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Metal’s maintainers fulfill dozens of work orders a week ensuring Team Little Rocks C-130’s are mission ready. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cliffton Dolezal)

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Sheet Metal

Airman 1st Class Charles Toler, a 19th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintainer, lines up a cut on a DoAll saw Nov. 25, 2014, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. A DoAll saw is a vertical band saw, used specifically for cutting metals. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cliffton Dolezal)

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Sheet Metal

An Airman from the 19th Maintenance Squadron uses a grinder to smooth the edges on a fresh cut of metal Nov. 25, 2014, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Smoothing the edges of a cut is a vital step in structural maintenance, not only to ensure the part fits flawlessly where it is intended for but also so maintainers hands aren’tis harmed by a jagged piece of metal while making a repair. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cliffton Dolezal)

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Sheet Metal

The 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron sheet metal shop is 24-hour operations guaranteeing the combat airlift mission here never stops. These day-shift Airmen make repairs and fabricate aircraft structures working with metals, plastics, tubing and cables. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cliffton Dolezal)

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Sheet Metal

Published Dec. 10, 2014
By Senior Airman Cliffton Dolezal
19th Airlift Wing/Public Affairs

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark -- If it's in the air, maintenance put it there! Airmen from the 19th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance shop take a great deal of pride in this motto. Airmen work 24-hour operations, ensuring the combat airlift mission here never stops. These Airmen make repairs and fabricate aircraft structures working with metals, plastics, tubing and cables. The shop performs structural and corrosion control, maintaining support for the more than 70 aircraft that support Little Rock Air Force Base.

"Not just anybody can do this job," said Master Sgt. Charles Sandwell, the 19th MXS noncommissioned officer-in-charge of aircraft structural maintenance. "It takes a lot of skill, time and training to become efficient at our job."