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325th LRS: Helping shape a new Tyndall AFB

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Schultze
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --  The 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron is a multi-faceted unit working diligently on Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. Two of their five sections are vehicle operations and vehicle maintenance.

They are key players in rebuilding the infrastructure on Tyndall Air Force Base and getting the base back on its feet through transportation services.

“I do vehicle dispatch,” said Staff Sgt. Nathan Linseisen, 325th LRS vehicle operations dispatch. “We are the liaison for pretty much every unit on base when they need vehicle support whether that is a forklift, tractor trailer, bus etc. Our fleet is there to enable other units.”

In addition to supplying broad vehicle support, vehicle operations has been actively coordinating with other installations to expedite forward progress, as well as, moving key equipment around Tyndall themselves.

“Since the hurricane, we have been doing supply runs to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to bring back various aircraft parts needed here,” Linseisen said. “We are moving a lot of equipment into tent city to help get that built up, including generators, AC units and pallets of foot lockers to go into the tents; we are heavily involved in the build up over there.”

In contrast, vehicle maintenance has been focusing on reconstituting the fleet, as well as, providing ongoing support of those assets and repairing 250 vehicles to date.

“I’ve been back about eight days post hurricane. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it. What I knew is not what I know anymore,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Achterhof, 325th LRS material handling equipment journeyman. “Since we have been back we are busy trying to provide vehicle accountability, making sure all of our assets around base are found and inventoried.”

The accountability mission they have set out on has been arduous, but they have implemented two initiatives to accomplish it.

“One of the things we did to begin to get accountability early on is a ‘vehicle roll-by,’” Achterhof said. “Our commander worked with the other commanders around base and if they had government vehicles, we had them come by the shop and we checked them over and performed repairs and got them into our system. We also broke up into small teams and roamed the base looking for assets displaced by the hurricane.”

Mobile maintenance is another ongoing capability of the unit, providing real time on-call service for damaged vehicles.

“We have an on-call phone that people will contact us on as vehicles need repairs, like flat tires, which have been very prevalent post storm,” said Senior Airman Matthew Rogers, 325th LRS vehicle maintenance journeyman. “We are making sure our mobile repair of vehicles that are out around the base is responsive and ensuring the rebuilding effort is successful going forward.”