An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Future deployment brings unexpected togetherness

  • Published
  • By Nicole Campbell
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  When Airmen from the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 43rd Maintenance Squadron board the plane and take off for a deployment in February, a hard-charging married couple will be on the roster.

Staff Sgts. Mike and Christy Stacey will be deploying for the first time in their military careers, but there are no complaints from the couple, who are just happy to be together. The pair met on the flightline in RAF/Mildenhall, but when Christy received orders for Pope, her husband had to remain in England for 14 months before he was finally able to join his wife.

"On the deployment, it will almost be like we are dating again," Mike said. He added that they "can't just be another married couple" like they are here - no holding hands or kissing each other good night.

Christy, an articulate, energetic woman with an intense demeanor, works at 43rd MXS providing structural maintenance (on the flightline and the backshop) to C-130's and
A-10's. Her job includes repairing metal and composite components, and removing and reapplying paint to repair corrosion.

Right next door, Mike, a native of Iowa who is equally lively and knowledgeable, works on the flightline with 43rd AMXS as an aircraft hydraulics specialist. He supports the A-10 launch, recovery and repair operations. Although his job is aircraft specific at the moment, he is also qualified to work in the backshop for any of the planes.
Both sergeants will have the same duties in a deployed location in Southwest Asia as they do here, with a few exceptions.

"The real-world missions are higher operational tempo, and the main difference is the hours. We will work 12-hour shifts there," Mike said.

Although, since many Airmen took leave during the holidays, they had been working 12-hour shifts here as well, they said.

Of course deployed Airmen experience some level of stress; however, the sergeants agreed that deployments exceedingly affect the Airmen who stay behind, because while the personnel numbers decrease, the workload does not. Mike mentioned that his shop is required to perform crew chief duties as well, because, he said, the Air Force is cutting crew chief positions.

Deadlines also create an intensity factor in theater.

"This plane has to be off the ground; people are depending on it," Christy said of the maintenance deadlines.

Fortunately, she said, the area of responsibility has separate supply channels from stateside locations, and they will be able to get whatever they need to fix a plane quick and easy.

Another big change for Christy: Social life. There is nothing like finishing up a long day's work, shedding the BDUs, and jumping right into a PT uniform. Her tone indicated that PTs might not be her favorite attire.

As if the long hours at the shop and the impending deployment weren't enough, the Stacey's must also contend with the uncertainty of how BRAC will affect their next assignment. Both feel that working in the same field provides some solace - an understanding of the physical labor and unusual shifts that the other may encounter. But, the BRAC issue has made it hard to plan for their future, they said, and is a little unsettling.

When asked how BRAC will affect his squadron, Lt. Col. Benjamin Snow, 43rd AMXS commander, said there are still many unknowns, but the unit is preparing for the forthcoming plan and have already merged two aircraft maintenance units. He feels the organization will rely heavily on experienced Airmen to better deal with the draw down phase.

"It will be challenging, yet exciting at the same time," said Colonel Snow. "As the June deployment approaches, some people may end up deploying more frequently because the pool of personnel will be less."

The squadron will rotate in February and again in June. "When the personnel return in October, (the 43rd AMXS) will be a different organization, and we are trying our best to accommodate all personnel within the parameters and the needs of the Air Force," said Colonel Snow.

The Staceys realize that those Air Force needs can make it difficult to coordinate a dual-military assignment, and as the future of their shop remains unclear, they are always wondering where they may be likely to go.

Mike said, "We have looked at bases that had an opening for sheet-metal [specialists], but not one for hydraulics [specialists]. That means we probably won't go to that base.
"It's hard to find a place that needs both of us."