Clearing the way for training

  • Published
  • By Capt. Brian Maguire
  • 501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
RAF ALCONBURY, United Kingdom --  Two Airmen from the 423rd Civil Engineer Squadron supported the 352nd Special Operations Group by clearing a training landing zone of foreign object debris.

The Airmen spent one day clearing nearly five truck loads of gravel from the runway and taxiways at the training landing zone, preventing aircraft damage and ensuring the readiness of forward-based assets.

"We couldn't believe the amount - it literally filled it," said Anthony Keen, 423rd CES heavy equipment operator. "I don't know ton-wise, but you could see the back end of the sweeper just raise as the gravel all fell out."

"The amount of stone it sucked up, it must have done a years' worth of work on the bases [RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth] in one day."

The 352nd SOG had reached out to all the U.K.-based wings to borrow a sweeper, said Capt. Brian Vickers, 423rd CES operations flight chief. Because the 423rd CES sweeper is not tied to an airfield, it was easy to let the 352nd SOG borrow it.

"We just happened to have a road sweeper used for road sweeping and sucking up leaves, which is not it's full-designed purpose," said Vickers. "I was extremely proud of these guys for being able to turn this asset into something that is extremely mission essential for another organization."

After receiving approval to loan out the sweeper and personnel, Keen and Staff Sgt. Skylar Stodden, 423rd CES pavements and equipment journeyman, visited the landing zone to see the extent of the job and to learn the route.

"They showed us the runway, which just driving down was a mess," said Keen. "There were stones flicking up on the windscreen as we drove down and I thought that's just vehicles, let alone a C-130 coming in."

Stodden and Keen could see the difference once they started sweeping up the bits of rock from the runway.

"It was pretty fun really, because sweeping does suck -- pun intended -- but it was good knowing it was helping them out and giving them practice time," said Stodden. "Wherever we took the sweeper, on our first pass you could tell because there was a clear straight line looking just like mown grass."

The Airmen could see the results of their hard work, as the 352nd SOG used the landing zone about an hour after they finished clearing it.

"It's a good example of us being able to reach out and help our fellow U.K. bases," said Vickers. "Especially ones that are combat capable and ready like the SOG."