Maintainers in the Trenches

Sgt. Veronica Ortega, an aviation ordnance technician for HMLA-169 loads an AGM-114 onto AH-1W Cobra at a forward arming refueling point in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. We were reloading an aircraft that was going back out into the fight, said Ortega. The forward arming refueling point was constructed to enable 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd) to better support Marines and other coalition troops. Photo by Cpl. Samantha Arrington 2nd MAW (Fwd).

Sgt. Orlando Ortiz, and LCpl Michael Scott, both assigned to the VMFA323, replace a wing fold proxy switch on an F/A-18 aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Photo by MC3 Shawn Stewart.

LCpl Randal Gibson, assigned to VMFA-323, performs a full toolbox inspection in the hangar bay of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Tools should be inspected before you take on a job, checked while you are on the job and inspected after the job is done. Photo by MC3 Shawn Stewart.

AOAN Laticia Workman performs an inspection on an M61A-2 Vulcan 20 mm Gatling gun aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). Photo by MC3 Billy Ho.