Quick thinking—and action—last month by four airmen with the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, saved about $52 million worth of aircraft parts from being damaged or destroyed in an electrical fire. SSgt. Akeilee Murchison, SrA. Heather Libiszewski, A1C Mayra Colon-Santiago, and Amn. Martin Renzi responded within moments of detecting the Sept. 22 fire, which was caused by a broken gaslight fixture, in the unit’s parts store. Together they used a fire extinguisher to smother the flames, called for and directed members of the base’s fire department to the scene. “What these airmen did is a great thing, and we need to make sure all our airmen are prepared to take the initiative if a fire breaks out in their work centers,” said SMSgt. James Ferrari, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing ground safety manager. Faulty wiring was later determined to have caused the fixture to burst. (Balad report SSgt. Don Branum)
The Space Force’s small size has limited its capacity to consider what role it will play in future operations on and around the moon. That needs to change, according to Vice Chief of Operations Gen. Shawn Bratton.
