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908th’s NDI lab best in Air Force

  • Published
  • By Jeff Melvin
  • 908th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  It wasn't a case of worst to first but the 908th Maintenance Squadron's nondestructive inspection laboratory's recent recognition as 2009 USAF NDI Lab of the Year represents a considerable climb says the supervisor who secured the lab's ascent to the top with a "steal."

Nondestructive inspection, or NDI, is a program the Air Force uses to ensure the durability of structural parts and components of aircraft and support equipment without destroying the part and, in some cases, without removing the part from the aircraft. NDI inspection is a key component of safe flying. Every five years, active duty, Guard and Reserve NDI labs, equipment and proficiency of personnel are evaluated based on Air Force Research Laboratory and Air Force NDI Office criteria. The lab with the highest rating is named the Michael D. Koflanovich USAF NDI Lab of the Year recipient.

Senior Master Sgt. Dain Payton, chief of the 908th Maintenance Squadron's Fabrication Flight, sheepishly credits a bit of thievery for the NDI lab's good fortune.
"They're still mad at me at Duke Field for stealing her (908th MXS NDI lab NCOIC Master Sgt. Teresa Lapcheske). This shop went from failing an inspection five years ago to (when we got her) being the best. She turned this shop around."

Payton was almost apologetic as he described his "steal."

Desperately seeking help to run the NDI section, he called a friend at Duke Field who told him about Sergeant Lapcheske who willingly worked mandays for two years before she was hired as a fulltime air reserve technician.

Sergeant Lapcheske downplayed her role in her shop earning recognition, saying "I don't feel like I did that much, I just did my job."

All of the section's traditional reservists are topnotch, she said.

Payton, her supervisor, agreed about the quality of the section's personnel but the credit lies firmly on Sergeant Lapcheske's shoulders, he said.

"She's one of the best trainers I've ever seen. She lays out a schedule for every UTA weekend that meets guidelines for upgrades. Plus, she writes good training programs and lesson plans."

Everyone that inspects this shop is amazed at her programs, the fabrication flight supervisor said.

Although Sergeant Lapcheske said she was surprised her shop was selected as the best in Air Force, Payton said he wasn't.

"I've been around the Air Force long enough to know this is a topnotch shop," Payton said. He added that this was confirmed when the inspector who evaluated the shop pulled out the list of write-ups from five years ago - a list that neither he nor Lapcheske had seen.

"She had corrected every write up (23 pages). The inspector couldn't believe it," Payton said with obvious admiration. "That's when I knew she had a pretty good shot at it."

Sergeant Lapcheske, ever humble, piped in. "This is a very big honor. Basically, in a career you only have three or four shots at it. It's something to be proud of."

The other members of the 908th NDI team are Tech. Sgts. Edward Sierzego and Darrel Lakes, Staff Sgt. Keith Jeffries and Senior Airman Craig Morris.