MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. – The 446th Civil Engineer Squadron is scheduled to deploy about 40 Reservists to Iraq at the end of the month in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The McChord Reservists will be integrated with units from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas., Dover Air Force Base, Del., and Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
The team will perform base maintenance functions such as repairing electrical and plumbing fixtures. In addition to base maintenance, the team will serve as trainers and assist in turning over operations to the Iraqis, in the spring 2010.
This is the first deployment for many of the Reservists. However, Master Sgt. Carl Hayden, who resides in Renton, Wash., and Everett, Wash., native Tech. Sgt. Tory Miller worked the trenches of the desert the last time the squadron deployed in 2007.
Reservists in the 446th CES are proficient in their military and civilian careers. The deploying electricians, plumbers, masons, and carpenters are all classified as masters in their civilian professions.
Most of the Reservists reside all over the state of Washington, ranging from Tacoma, Spokane, Vancouver, Kent, Bremerton, LaCenter, Spanaway, Olympia, and Richland. Some are from different areas across the country including: Portland, Salem, Ore., Hillsbrough, Ore., Tillmook, Ore., Harrisville, Mich., Buffalo, N.Y., and Sugarland, Texas.
“This is the best group of senior noncommissioned officers, NCOs, and officers I’ve ever seen and it’s not because they are under my command,” said Maj. David Walter, 446th CES commander. “It’s because they’re pumped up and ready to go.”
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