KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea -- For Air Force Airman 1st Class Jaimie Smith, a 14th Fighter Squadron aircraft maintenance crew chief assigned to temporary duty here, her work is more than a just a job.
“I've always wanted to be a mechanic,” said Smith, who’s normally assigned at Misawa Air Base in Japan and is now working here.
“It was really easy for me to decide to be a jet mechanic,” she said, “because I wanted to work on something I knew nothing about.”
Her temporary duty in South Korea “has been great,” Smith said.
‘We Work Together as a Team’
“The leadership and everyone out here are great,” she said. “We work together as a team, and it makes the work fun and TDY enjoyable. I love coming to work every day.”
The 13th and 14th FS are serving on a temporary duty assignment here while the runway at Misawa undergoes repair.
During her time here, Smith received a familiarization flight in the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter.
“Some of our maintainers are getting the chance to experience how physically challenging it is to fly,” said Air Force Maj. Matthew Sabraw, 13th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations. “They're getting a chance to see what it's like to go out there and be eyewitnesses to how important the systems are that they work on.”
Smith's flight accomplished just that. Her entire recollection of the experience came from pure excitement.
“Seeing from their point of view, I really have a higher respect for this aircraft and the pilots,” Smith said.
Not only did she gain a higher appreciation for the 35th Fighter Wing's people and assets, the flight also bridged the gap between a maintainer's perspective and a pilot's.
“Going through the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape refresher training with them gave a little window into their world,” Smith said. “Once we took off ... it brought the whole picture together of what we do and what they do on a daily basis.”
Smith said she receives personal gratification from her work and appreciates its impact on the mission.
Takes Pride in Work
“It's rewarding to know that the work I put in ... goes out there and it shows in numbers and stats,” she said. “It shows the higher-ups that we're out here kicking butt.”
Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Gianfrancesco, Smith’s supervisor, said he appreciates her hard work and dedication.
“She stands out from her peers with her willingness to help others and teach them so they can become better at their job,” Gianfrancesco said.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Jaimie Smith, a 14th Fighter Squadron maintenance crew chief, poses for a photo in front of an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighter at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, June 15, 2017. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrod Vickers