Fuels Non-commissioned Officer Keeps Gas Flowing

Photo By Senior Airman Brian Ellis | Airman 1st Class Brian Holley, 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels operator goes through the procedures of refueling a KC-10 Extender with Staff Sgt. Joshua Schubert, 380th ELRS distribution supervisor, Jan 21. Sergeant Schubert performs checks at random to ensure proper procedures are followed and assists other Airmen when needed during aircraft refueling. Sergeant Schubert is deployed from Eglin AFB, Fla. and is from Hatboro, Pa. Airman Holley is deployed from the 178th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard and is from Dayton, Ohio.  

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01.27.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Michael Andriacco 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

By Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Fuels Flight delivers the second largest amount of fuel in the entire area of responsibility with a daily average of 520,000 gallons.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Schubert is the day-shift fuels distribution supervisor for the flight. He spends his shifts moving around the flight line monitoring all the ongoing refueling operations and, when needed, lending a hand.

Schubert describes his job as ensuring all flight line refueling operations run smoothly to help the wing execute its mission and air tasking orders the flight line.

"I'm out here performing quality control and making sure everyone is doing the job correctly and quickly," he said. "We all follow the same technical order so we know what needs to be done to get the mission accomplished."

Schubert said he enjoys working in fuels because of how close everyone is, even when they deploy with Airmen from other home units.

"Fuels is a family oriented Air Force specialty code," he said. "We like deploying with other bases not only to meet new and different brethren, but each base has their own slightly different way of operating and we learn that as well."

While the job may seem tedious, it can help Airmen accomplish the mission more effectively.

"It is repetitious," Schubert said. "But practice makes perfect. The more we do our job the better we get at it."

Repetition has helped Schubert bring experience and reliability to the mission, say his superiors.

"Sergeant Schubert is a knowledgeable non-commissioned officer with a positive attitude who I can go to in a pinch," said Master Sgt. George Allen, the 380th ELRS Fuels Operations superintendent. "He brings flexibility and job knowledge combined with experience to the team."

Schubert said he enjoys the job and, like his leadership says, he has a winning attitude.

"I lucked out getting a job like fuels in the Air Force," he said. "I meet lots of people and have a large impact on getting the mission done. That's a good feeling to wake up to every day."

Deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Schubert has been in the Air Force since 1999 and has also been stationed at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. He has a wife and two children back home.

• Date Taken: 01.27.2009
• Date Posted: 01.27.2009 01:35
• Story ID: 29303
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)