Sailor in the Spotlight

By MCSA Triniti Lersch, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Aviation Support Equipmentman (AS) Airman Caleb Smith, a native of Miles City, Montana, loves water. The Navy, which offers a job surrounded by it, seemed like a good choice.

Naval Air Station Sigonella is Smith’s first command, serving with Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment (AIMD) –900 Division –Ground Support Equipment. While working in the AIMD -900 Division, Smith has completed 109 maintenance jobs in the last 6 months, despite COVID-19 restrictions and observed precautions.

“ASAN Smith is an essential asset to the AIMD Ground Support Equipment team,” remarked Division Officer Lieutenant Christopher Fife. “His tenacious work ethic is infectious and his ‘can do’ attitude positively influences everyone up and down the chain of command.”

Work for Smith is primarily focused on conducting maintenance on any support equipment, which is anything that can move, supply power, or cool a jet. Aviation Support Equipmentman, as a whole, are responsible for operating, maintaining, repairing and testing automotive electrical systems in ground equipment, gasoline and diesel systems, and associated automotive, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. They also maintain gas turbine compressors and ground air-conditioning units, perform metal fabrication, repair and the painting of tow tractors and other aircraft servicing units

Smith usually arrives at work around 6:20 a.m. to open the bay doors and turn on all the lights. He then checks the tasks that he and his fellow Sailors have to work on for the day, while he waits for his supervisors and everyone else to show up. They do their muster, pass down and then they go right into work at 7:30 a.m. In addition to his required duties, Smith does all the sweeping and mopping and likes to take time to help others finish their tasks of the day.

“He is a true testament of our Navy core values which are exemplified through his hard work, attention to detail, and his ability to inspire those around him,” said Fife.

The desire to help others is very important to Smith, and he wants to translate that desire into going to school to be an Emergency Medical Technician. His ultimate goal is to become a paramedic.

EMTs are the most common type of providers in all of the Emergency Medical Services. They are the entrylevel patient care provider followed by EMT-Intermediates (in some states) and then paramedics. They build on their EMT education and learn more skills such as administering advanced medical care.

“A lot of the classes require in person training like labs,” explained Smith. “There’s more that has to get figured out.”

Smith has been onboard NAS Sigonella for seven months and expects to be here for his full tour of three years.

Being stationed in Italy is his first overseas tour, and he plans on traveling all over Europe. If the opportunity arises he would like to travel to Egypt and North Africa too.

“I love it here,” said Smith. “It would have been a lot more fun, but due to COVID-19 I wasn’t able to do much. Now that the restrictions are being lifted, I can go explore. I’m looking forward to it.”