Two Air National Guard civil engineers came, saw, and conquered power problems at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland, Tex. When SMSgt. Michelle Milliard and SSgt. Al Martinez of the 147th Civil Engineer Flight, Ellington Field, Tex., surveyed the airport, with trees and debris covering the field, they were told the most critical problems were an out-of-commission generator and downed power lines. Martinez had the generator fixed in five minutes. The airmen hooked up other, loaner generators, restoring airfield lighting, a range navigation system, the instrument landing system, and power to the fuel farm.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
