Kadena Airmen target FOD during annual walk

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  More than 400 Kadena Airmen gathered on the flightline early Jan. 5 in search of an enemy responsible for damaging Air Force aircraft: foreign object debris (FOD). 

Airmen of all ranks volunteered their time for this year's Team Kadena FOD Walk, an annual event designed to raise awareness of the dangers of FOD and help keep the base's airfields clean. 

"It's basically a clean-up event, but we're also keeping in people's minds the whole idea of the damage and the expense as a result of FOD," said Master Sgt. Lawrence Penrod, 18th Wing FOD Monitor. 

Volunteers walked more than 14 miles of taxiways and more than 200 million square feet of concrete surface, scanning the area for rocks, bolts, trash and other debris which could potentially get sucked into an aircraft engine. 

"I called the E-3 engine guys and they told me the replacement cost for their engines is $1.9 million," said Sergeant Penrod, a 17-year helicopter crew chief. "The fighter guys told me theirs are $1.3 million. FOD presents a danger to all aircraft and has the potential to destroy them. 

"At the very least, FOD can cause serious engine damage, costing the Air Force millions of dollars in parts and repairs," he added. 

Regardless of their career field, the volunteers understood the importance of keeping the airfield FOD-free. 

"The reason why we do FOD checks is to make sure the flightline is free from debris which may cause serious damage to our warfighting aircraft," said Staff Sgt. Frederick Fernandez, 18th Communications Squadron. "Without functioning aircraft, we can't fly and do the mission here in the Pacific, costing lives."