Photo By Sgt. Austin Long | Staff Sgt. Michael DeMars shakes hands with another Marine as he is congratulated on...... read more read more
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CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - Soaring high above the Afghan desert, Staff Sgt. Michael DeMars stares out the open door of the helicopter and watches as tiny houses below disappear into the distance.
For seven years, he has watched the world come and go from the back of a helicopter. As an MV-22 Osprey crew chief, DeMars has reached a milestone few in the community have yet to achieve—2,000 flight hours.
DeMars is one of only three crew chiefs in the history of the Marine Corps to reach 2,000 flight hours in an Osprey.
“It’s a huge accomplishment and I’m privileged to have reached that mark,” said DeMars, who is deployed to Helmand province with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 165. “It’s a small community and there aren’t a large number of people who’ve reached that level yet. I think it’s an awesome achievement and I’m happy that I could be in Afghanistan for it.”
For DeMars, working thousands of feet above the ground is something he has dreamed of since he was a kid. Growing up, DeMars listened with fascination as his father told stories about his time in the Marine Corps working on airplanes and jets. After graduating high school, DeMars talked with a Marine Corps recruiter, who shared his experiences as a Huey UH-1crew chief, and decided to enlist in aviation.
DeMars attended one year of flight school before he was able to choose his specific job. His first choice was to be a crew chief on a Huey. His second choice was to be a crew chief on an Osprey.
The Marine Corps had just activated its first MV-22 Osprey squadron and DeMars was assigned as a crew chief. Since the helicopter was new, DeMars was among the first to establish and test the flight procedures for the aircraft. He flew his initial flight on Sept. 11, 2006.
DeMars has grown up with the aircraft and has even beaten some Ospreys to the milestone.
“There is a plane in our squadron that is 18 hours away from its 2,000 hour mark,” said DeMars. “It’s pretty cool to beat some of the planes to that milestone, and it has been a great experience growing up with the aircraft.”
DeMars is on his third deployment in Afghanistan and the majority of his job revolves around moving service members from one forward operating base to another or inserting them on the battlefield for planned operations. When DeMars is not flying, he is focused on maintaining the aircraft by conducting daily safety checks on the aircraft.
DeMars said he favors being deployed.
“Your operating tempo is increased while deployed,” said DeMars. “You do more flying and more maintenance. I prefer the deployment tempo.”
When DeMars returns from Afghanistan, he wants to become an instructor and teach other enlisted Marines about the Osprey.
DeMars said he still enjoys flying, but for him, now is the time to pass on what he has learned to the next generation of crew chiefs.
“The hours aren’t what makes the crew chief, it’s the knowledge they have,” said DeMars.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.25.2013 02:51 |
| Story ID: | 114219 |
| Location: | CAMP BASTION, AF |
| Web Views: | 398 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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