Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
Vol. 8, No. 16
Patriot Joint Base Charleston: ‘Launch Point For The Nation's Resolve’
August 18, 2017
Heartfelt Homecoming! Tech. Sgt. Jason Fatjo, 14th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, and his daughter, Hailey, show each other their hearts after his return from deployment at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., Aug. 8, 2017. Fatjo and his daughter gave each other small hearts prior to his departure to stay close to each other during the deployment.
INSIDE
EXERCISE
Mobility Guardian: Integrating joint partners See page 2
STEM
Base hosts local students See page 3
TRANSCOM Leadership visits JB Charleston See page 9
Next Issue of the Patriot: September 1, 2017
Weekend Weather Update for Joint Base Charleston, SC Friday, August 18 Scattered Thunderstorms (40% precip)
High 93º / Low 77º
Saturday, August 19 Thunderstorms (80% precip)
High 90º / Low 77º
Sunday, August 20
Family welcomes back 14th AS, loadmaster from fifth deployment Story and photos by Senior Airman Christian Sullivan Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
global mission. “Whether we’re stateside or going on missions,” said Fatjo. JOINT BASE CHARELSTON, S.C. – As any military “We’re moving people and family knows, trials come with deployments. equipment where it needs to go Joint Base Charleston’s Fatjo family is no different. so we can get warfighters in Being high school sweethearts and dating several years and out so they can complete before joining the Air Force, Tech. Sgt. Jason Fatjo, 14th the mission.” Airlift Squadron loadmaster, and his wife Stacey, have Although deployments experienced five deployments together, each one different become more routine over than the last. time, the circumstances sur“We were still dating when he went on his first ever rounding each creates its own deployment,” said Stacey. “The first one after we were marunique set of challenges. ried was kind of hard. I had just arrived in Charleston and Between his third and fourth was still trying to make friends and find a job, so I really Tech. Sgt. Jason Fatjo, 14th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, and deployment, the Fatjos had didn’t know what to do.” his family hold his welcome home sign at Joint Base their first child, Hailey. Growing up the daughter of a career Airman, Stacey was Charleston, S.C., Aug. 8, 2017. Fatjo returned from a deploy“This is Hailey’s second familiar with the unique lifestyle service entails but she had ment to Southwest Asia. deployment but the first where never experienced a deployment until Fatjo’s first in 2007. she’s actually aware of what’s “You have to rely on family,” said Stacey. “If I ever need something, I can going on, so it was a little hard,” said Stacey. “She would cry because I’d have call my dad for military-related help and I call my mom every day, she’s my to tell her ‘dad can’t FaceTime tonight because he’s out flying.’ It was tough. biggest support system. You also have to rely on your military friends, put “This last one has been fairly easy. Our daughter is in school now, so when your pride away and ask for help when you need it.” he told me he would be gone for the summer I kind of had a sigh of relief As much as Fatjo doesn’t like leaving his family, he knows that the mission because we could leave here and visit my parents for a few weeks.” See Homecoming, Page 5 comes first. Fatjo has a direct impact on supporting Air Mobility Command’s
Construction project paves way for takeoff
Story and photo by Airman Joshua R. Maund Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
JOINT BASE CHARELSTON, S.C. – Concrete pouring began as part of a Joint Base Charleston – Air Base project to refurbish Taxiway Delta Aug. 16, 2017 and is slated to be complete in late November. The nearly $12 million project will enhance the 10,000 foot-long stretch of taxiway by increasing safety to the aircraft flying in and out of JB Charleston’s airfield. Its new design will make it more efficient and compatible with larger aircraft. “Just like any piece of an airfield, it has to be maintained and eventually replaced,” said Nathaniel Watts, 437th Operations Support Squadron airfield manager. “It is a long process, from assessing the need, getting funding and then finding a company to do the work, with a lot of steps in between.” Taxiway Delta will also be optimized with high efficiency light emitting diode (LED) lighting, new signage, new paint and joint sealant repairs. The contract includes a one year warranty after which the 628th Civil Engineer Squadron will assume all maintenance responsibilities such as pavement
Scattered Thunderstorms (60% precip)
High 89º / Low 76º
Extended Forecast Mon. - August 21 (ECLIPSE!) 88°/ 75° - Partly Cloudy (20%) Tue. - August 22 90°/ 75° - Morning T-Storms (50%) Wed. - August 23 91°/ 75° - Scattered T-Storms (60%) Thur. - August 24 90°/ 72° - Scattered T-Storms (60%) Fri. - August 25 85°/ 71° - Partly Cloudy (20%)
See info on Page 7
Members of RC Construction Inc. lay concrete at Joint Base Charleston’s airfield Aug. 16, 2017 as part of the modifications for Taxiway Delta. Because the taxiway is nearly 60 years old, approximately 2,500 feet needed to be completely replaced. Once finished, the taxiway will also be optimized with high efficiency light emitting diode (LED) lighting, new signage, new paint and joint sealant repairs.
repairs, painting and foreign object removal. Due to the funding costs, the contract had to be approved by Congress. “The Taxiway Delta construction will cost $11.6 million,” said Brooke Mitchell, 628th Contracting Squadron contract administrator. “There are a lot of moving parts to this project, but coordination between the different parties has allowed the construction to progress smoothly so far.” Because Taxiway Delta is nearly 60 years old, approximately 2,500 feet needed to be completely replaced. Additionally, the other parts of the taxiway, constructed in the 90s, are in need of repairs and upgrades. The current width causes the outboard engines of the C-17 Globemaster III to hang over the grass, increasing the likelihood of foreign object ingestion. The new taxiway will be wide enough to accommodate the wingspan of the C-17. “Because we share an airfield with Boeing and Charleston International Airport, a taxiway being out of service can cause excessive congestion,” said Watts. “It may take a little extra time to get an aircraft to the runway with Taxiway Delta down, but we do our best to ensure minimal impact on time sensitive mission capabilities.” See Runway Construction, Page 5
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