2nd CES dirt boys pave way to mission success

by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs

2/5/2014 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Before infrastructure can be built, it must have a strong foundation, the 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron pavements and equipment flight uses more than 17 Airmen and specialized equipment to build it.

The 2nd CES dirt boys are responsible for building a base's foundation, which without it, there would be no roads or buildings.

"They're our horizontal construction element," said Maj. Ryan LeBlanc, 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron operations flight commander. "We call them the dirt boys because of their role. They'll do pavements, grounds, and also handle drainage, fencing and sweeping."

The dirt boys' first priority is to ensure the 2nd Bomb Wing provides devastating B-52H Stratofortress combat capability.

"They make sure the runway is maintained so the aircraft can take off and land safely," LeBlanc said. "If there's a slab that's failing because water is getting underneath it, or if it cracks, the slab itself can actually shatter. The dirt boys tear out the full depth of the old slab and pour a new slab in its place."

Preventive maintenance is a vital role in ensuring aircraft fly, fight and win.

To prevent failure of the runway and aircraft areas, the dirt boys inspect and repair cracks, said Tech. Sgt. Floyd Butkiewicz, 2nd CES pavements and equipment NCO-in-charge. "Small cracks in the airfield can be patched with a heated seal, which is then pushed into the crack."

Another way the dirt boys protect Barksdale assets is by preventing foreign object damage, otherwise known as FOD.

The dirt boys use a sweeper to help the 2nd Maintenance Group Airmen keep the flightline and aircraft parking areas FOD free.

In order for the dirt boys to maintain the base groundwork, their job requires specialized skills they learn at a multi-service technical school in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

"In addition to tech school, we also send new Airmen to classes at a regional equipment operator school," said Butkiewicz. "It's like technical school, but with more one-on-one training and more in-depth."

While honing their skills at homestation, the dirt boys are training for deployment.

"We prepare them as best we can here," Butkiewicz said. "Downrange, they learn more because they're doing bigger projects. There's always runway repair, but barriers become a huge [focus] because of force protection."

Flexibility is key for dirt boys who may deploy with rapid engineer deployable heavy operational repair squadrons, who are the first on-site to set up a new base.

"The job is very broad," Butkiewicz said. "With our career field, if you go into a REDHORSE squadron, there are special capabilities that broaden things out even more, such as well-drilling and blasting."

While no shortage of work means plenty of training opportunities for the dirt boys, Team Barksdale can rest assured these Airmen have the knowledge and training to ensure the flying mission.