LRS keeps the gas flowing for Immediate Response 2006

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Eric Donner
  • 48th FW Public Affairs
GRAF INGNATIEVO AIR BASE, Bulgaria --  The fuels technicians of the 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron’s petroleum, oils and fuels flight keep the F-15E Strike Eagles on the flightline full of gas and ready to do their part in the tri-lateral Exercise Immediate Response 2006. 

Immediate Response is a joint Exercise between Air Forces from several nations to learn tactics and techniques of each country's aircraft.

“If it wasn’t for the fuels team here the missions would not happen, because the Air Force and the Army are getting fuel every day from us,” said Tech. Sgt Richard L. Clark, 48th LRS fuels distribution supervisor.

The jet fuel used by the U.S. military here is shipped in from Istanbul, Turkey in long convoys of fuel trucks. Once the fuel arrives it doesn’t go straight into the jets, but requires additives and testing to bring it up to U.S. standards.

“The jet fuel from Turkey is Jet A1; so we add additives to it so it can be used in our jets,” said Senior Airman Joshua Tuck, 48th LRS fuels lab technician.

The additives keep the water in the fuel from freezing and serve as a corrosion inhibitor and a static dissipater. Once all of the additives are added the fuel is then considered JP-8, which is what F-15Es use, said Sergeant Clark.

The F-15 doesn’t pull up to the gas pump like at a gas station; the fuels troops actually  take the gas to the aircraft. To do so, the fuels flight uses trucks which require the fuels Airmen to be both drivers and mechanics. The LRS Airmen have the training and ability to fix most minor problems with the fuel trucks to keep the gas moving.

“The pace here is pretty fast compared to at home,” said Staff Sgt. Rick Harris, 48th LRS deployed NCO in-charge of fuels accounting. “We are shipping about 6,000 gallons a trip for 12 to 13 hours straight.”

“The Airmen who are TDY here are really stepping up and taking it to the next level,” he added.

The LRS Airmen must account for all the fuel shipped during those 12 to 13 hours days. The responsibility to record the amount of fuel issued to the aircraft and to the Army falls to Sergeant. Harris.

“I have to keep all receipts for our records, and so far we have dispensed approximately 150,000 gallons of gas,” said Sergeant Harris.

Sergeant Clark said IR06 has been a chance for the young Airmen to experience what it’s like to be deployed to a bare base environment and helps the leadership refine what is needed for this kind of experience.

Although the exercise is in its final week, the pace will not slow down until the 492nd Fighter Squadron packs-up all the gear and heads back to RAF Lakenheath Friday. Until then, the fuels flight Airmen will continue to be a full-service gas station distributing fuel to joint-service customers participating in IR06