Maintainers provide key support for Valiant Shield

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lakisha Croley
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AFB, Guam --  More than 200 Kadena maintainers are busy turning wrenches and keeping aircraft airborne during Valiant Shield - a joint military exercise in the Marianas Islands near Andersen Air Base, Guam.

The large-scale U.S. Pacific Command exercise includes more than 150 American aircraft, such as the F-15, B-52, KC-135, E-3 and F/A-18, providing a unique training opportunity for maintainers deployed from five squadrons within Kadena's 18th Maintenance Group.

"Getting aircraft in the air in order to complete a successful exercise and maintain combat readiness for this training exercise is imperative," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Edwards, a crew chief for the 67th Aircraft Maintenance Unit currently deployed to Andersen.

Maj. Jeremy Fenceroy, 909th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron director of operations, said the exercise also gives junior Airmen, like Airman 1st Class Jordan Parente, a chance to work on various airframes and see the impact of their work in a deployed environment.

"Our job has one of the biggest and most important impacts on the mission. Without crew chiefs and maintainers, the aircraft can't take off and we can't complete the mission. We are the tip of the spear," said Airman 1st Class Jordan Parente, a tactical aircraft maintainer for the 67th Fighter Squadron.

The exercise has also afforded Airmen the chance to see their sister service counterparts in action and work alongside them.

"This training mission allows us to show our air support capabilities to our [sister services], so they can complete their mission at sea," said Senior Airman Emad Nabeel Hamedeyyeh, a weapons armament specialist with the 67th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

This year marks the third Valiant Shield exercise since it was first started in 2006. The exercise is slated to continue until Sept. 21.