Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | An airman from the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron changes fuel from a tank July 10,...... read more read more
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GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. – For most people stopping at a gas station, it is typical to be met with multiple options for fuel. It is something you usually don’t need to consider, but for the residents of Grand Forks Air Force Base a trip off base was required to premium fuel.
To help solve this problem multiple individuals and groups on base have worked together over the course of the past few months to be able to provide an alternate fuel option at the AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) Express on base.
“During a visit with the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron in 2022 it was brought up that the Airmen Council had discussed the idea of obtaining an alternative fuel option,” said David Turner, manager of the AAFES Express on Grand Forks Air Force Base. “Once hearing about the idea, I approached my headquarters fuel team about the process of adding this to our station.”
After discussing with his team and figuring out the fine details, Turner began on a lengthy process of getting everything he needed in order, from reviewing contracts with outside fuel companies to obtaining proper authorization letters for the location.
“A major part of obtaining different fuel for our station lies with the process of changing a carrier’s tank,” said Turner. “We have to make sure our dispensers and tanks have proper lines tested and inspected in order to make sure all other changes are accounted for before progressing.”
During the next few months Turner would run into a few challenges while trying to get everything set up and processed.
“We had some issues with the local provider as we were waiting on specific paperwork to be addressed before we could pursue further,” said Turner. “I ended up having to get a different team involved and they were able to send me a rough assessment on timelines.”
After the waiting period was over and all the details had been finalized Turner then reached out to the 319th CES in order to set a hard date for the transition, making sure the process would be conducted with the proper equipment and personnel.
“Our main role in this process was transitioning or changing fuel from one tank to another,” said Senior Airman Richard Romero, a liquid fuels maintenance technician from the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron. “We have to verify the tank gauges and make sure they are programmed to operate independently.”
As the final pieces came together, the team finalized the transition date for July 10, 2023.
“Our main goal during the actual transition process was keeping everything as safe as possible,” said Romero. “We were able to accomplish this by having intrinsically safe equipment, grounding techniques, and of course the use of proper wear of personal protective equipment, usually known as PPE.”
From the original inception of the project that started in early 2022, the process took just a little over a year, growing from just an idea brought up during a meeting evolved into an upgrade in quality of life for whole base.
“Our entire mission is to improve the quality of life for you through the goods and services we can provide,” said Turner. “We strive to ensure we can get what both what our military members and their families need, always making sure we can provide that fulfillment.”
This fuel addition sheds light on what teamwork and initiative can achieve Airmen of all ranks can feel empowered to take something from an idea to a reality, fixing problems that may seem like a small inconvenience, but have a lasting impact.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2023 14:29 |
| Story ID: | 450726 |
| Location: | GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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