Geographically separated, same mission, support warfighter

  • Published
  • By Bill Orndorff
  • Ogden Air Logistics Complex
The 525th Electronics Maintenance Squadron (Support Center Pacific) is one of several geographically separated units that are part of the Ogden Air Logistics Complex.

Strategically located at Kadena Air Base, Japan, SCP repairs more than 175 national stock number items and services countless repairable items for Pacific Air Force, in addition to manufacturing new resources.

The SCP, a squadron in the 309th Electronics Maintenance Group, partners with the three major depots -- Ogden ALC, Oklahoma City ALC and Warner Robins ALC, Ga. -- as part of the Air Force Sustainment Center under the Air Force Materiel Command. The unit has been at Kadena since 1984, and was assigned to the 309 EMXG in 2005.

"It is a unique privilege to be in a forward operating theater and serve the warfighter," said Ronda Reynolds, Director of the SCP. "Although we service PACAF, the 18th Wing is our primary customer as the host base. Several of our artisans are regularly on the flight line with the warfighter in order to improve mission capability."

Depot-level repair parts are the primary products produced at the SCP. The 60-plus technicians work on assets that are found across commodities and electronics groups at the Ogden, Oklahoma City and Warner Robins ALCs. The SCP also houses its own welding, paint, sheet metal and machine shops.

The location of the SCP is strategic in nature.

"I feel the SCP is a vital necessity to this particular region. As a member of the SCP and a military spouse, I know that the SCP is able to get aircraft out expeditiously," said Carmen Trigg-Glover, SCP administrative assistant.

David Hatt, an Electrical Equipment Repairer, had similar sentiments.

"I love being stationed at the SCP. It is an honor to work next to our airmen, as an ambassador to the Japanese people and an asset to our Air Force," Hatt said. "It is inspiring to be part of a mission that so intimately affects the world and benefits the United States. By being here, we are on the front lines supporting our country and helping the world become a better place. I feel this is more than a job, it is a privilege."

Dale Harvath, Exchangeable Production Support Center flight chief, is on his way back to the Ogden Air Logistics Complex after a two year tour at the SCP.

"The opportunity to serve at the SCP was a big eye opener for civilians to work with active duty military dealing with the challenges of being overseas. The operation and mission at Kadena is thriving," Harvath said. "The integrity of the members speaks volumes to satisfying the Air Force's core values.

"My wife, Donna, and I are in awe of the morale considering the environmental impacts like typhoons blowing entire roofs off buildings. No matter what the stumbling blocks, the drive to continue the mission takes priority above all personal concerns."

Some obstacles that Harvath mentioned include the severity of distance and the time differences. Kadena is located near the island of Okinawa's west coast, more than 6,400 miles from Hill and 960 miles south of Tokyo. There is also a 16-hour time difference -- when it's 9 a.m. Monday at Hill, it is 1 a.m. Tuesday at Kadena. Shipping a part, even by overnight delivery, may take as much as a week or more to arrive in theater as delays are caused by crossing the International Date Line on both sides.

"If we are trying to resolve a situation, you can count on three days turn time," Harvath said, "so we often come in very early to reach the states or we use our residential phones at home to call the home base."

Despite this, "rapid response is the goal," Reynolds said. "We are often able to fill MICAP requests in 30 minutes or less. As a geographically separated unit, the SCP coordinates with Ogden ALC daily." The SCP provides roughly 3,000 assets to theater annually.

The PACAF theater is the primary focus in the current Air Force defense strategy.

"We have a great working relationship with the 18th Wing and PACAF headquarters," said Reynolds, who has directed the 525th since October 2012. "As I look towards the future of the SCP, this relationship is ever more important. In order to build the organization for viability, I work with their commanders to get a good pulse on their needs."

Geographically separated, same mission, support warfighter

  • Published
  • By Bill Orndorff
  • Ogden Air Logistics Complex
The 525th Electronics Maintenance Squadron (Support Center Pacific) is one of several geographically separated units that are part of the Ogden Air Logistics Complex.

Strategically located at Kadena Air Base, Japan, SCP repairs more than 175 national stock number items and services countless repairable items for Pacific Air Force, in addition to manufacturing new resources.

The SCP, a squadron in the 309th Electronics Maintenance Group, partners with the three major depots -- Ogden ALC, Oklahoma City ALC and Warner Robins ALC, Ga. -- as part of the Air Force Sustainment Center under the Air Force Materiel Command. The unit has been at Kadena since 1984, and was assigned to the 309 EMXG in 2005.

"It is a unique privilege to be in a forward operating theater and serve the warfighter," said Ronda Reynolds, Director of the SCP. "Although we service PACAF, the 18th Wing is our primary customer as the host base. Several of our artisans are regularly on the flight line with the warfighter in order to improve mission capability."

Depot-level repair parts are the primary products produced at the SCP. The 60-plus technicians work on assets that are found across commodities and electronics groups at the Ogden, Oklahoma City and Warner Robins ALCs. The SCP also houses its own welding, paint, sheet metal and machine shops.

The location of the SCP is strategic in nature.

"I feel the SCP is a vital necessity to this particular region. As a member of the SCP and a military spouse, I know that the SCP is able to get aircraft out expeditiously," said Carmen Trigg-Glover, SCP administrative assistant.

David Hatt, an Electrical Equipment Repairer, had similar sentiments.

"I love being stationed at the SCP. It is an honor to work next to our airmen, as an ambassador to the Japanese people and an asset to our Air Force," Hatt said. "It is inspiring to be part of a mission that so intimately affects the world and benefits the United States. By being here, we are on the front lines supporting our country and helping the world become a better place. I feel this is more than a job, it is a privilege."

Dale Harvath, Exchangeable Production Support Center flight chief, is on his way back to the Ogden Air Logistics Complex after a two year tour at the SCP.

"The opportunity to serve at the SCP was a big eye opener for civilians to work with active duty military dealing with the challenges of being overseas. The operation and mission at Kadena is thriving," Harvath said. "The integrity of the members speaks volumes to satisfying the Air Force's core values.

"My wife, Donna, and I are in awe of the morale considering the environmental impacts like typhoons blowing entire roofs off buildings. No matter what the stumbling blocks, the drive to continue the mission takes priority above all personal concerns."

Some obstacles that Harvath mentioned include the severity of distance and the time differences. Kadena is located near the island of Okinawa's west coast, more than 6,400 miles from Hill and 960 miles south of Tokyo. There is also a 16-hour time difference -- when it's 9 a.m. Monday at Hill, it is 1 a.m. Tuesday at Kadena. Shipping a part, even by overnight delivery, may take as much as a week or more to arrive in theater as delays are caused by crossing the International Date Line on both sides.

"If we are trying to resolve a situation, you can count on three days turn time," Harvath said, "so we often come in very early to reach the states or we use our residential phones at home to call the home base."

Despite this, "rapid response is the goal," Reynolds said. "We are often able to fill MICAP requests in 30 minutes or less. As a geographically separated unit, the SCP coordinates with Ogden ALC daily." The SCP provides roughly 3,000 assets to theater annually.

The PACAF theater is the primary focus in the current Air Force defense strategy.

"We have a great working relationship with the 18th Wing and PACAF headquarters," said Reynolds, who has directed the 525th since October 2012. "As I look towards the future of the SCP, this relationship is ever more important. In order to build the organization for viability, I work with their commanders to get a good pulse on their needs."