Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Madysson Ritter | Maj. Jacob Stommen and Maj. Craig Warn, 217th Air Component Operations Squadron...... read more read more
Subscribe
Two members of the 217th Air Component Operations Squadron (ACOS) traveled to Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria September 3, 2023, and were there for a little over a week, to provide an airworthiness assessments on foreign aircraft in support of U.S. Air Forces Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA).
Maj. Jacob Stommen and Maj. Craig Warn, 217th ACOS maintenance officers, were a part of a three-member team that performed physical inspections of aircraft and the Nigerian Air Force’s flying and maintenance practices.
“These assessments are important for everyone involved,” said Stommen. “The partner nations are great to work with and eager to show off their practices pertaining to the aircraft. We learn some maintenance practices as well, so it is a two-way street.”
The team inspected three aircraft, a C-130 Hercules, a Falcon 900, and a King Air 350 during their trip. U.S. Air Force policy mandates an airworthiness assessment must be completed prior to U.S. personnel flying on foreign aircraft. Sommen and Warn’s home unit regularly augments USAFE-AFAFRICA, so they were well-suited for the mission.
“It [the mission] builds the all-important relationship between many parties,” said Warn. “We get to work with the state department, USAFE-AFAFRICA, State Partnership Program, and most importantly the host nation.”
Stommen and Warn each have extensive experience assisting partner nations in Africa, with more than forty trips to the region combined.
“I love the continent,” said Warn. “Each time I get down there it brings new opportunities and partnerships as we represent the Air Force, AFRICOM, USAFE-AFAFRICA, and the State of Michigan.”
In addition to this visit, the Michigan National Guard has an ever-expanding impact on the region. The state has a partnership through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program with Liberia and recently had a large delegation visit several countries on the continent with its Future Strategic Leaders Program.
For more information about the Michigan National Guard, visit https://minationalguard.dodlive.mil
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.09.2023 11:28 |
| Story ID: | 457553 |
| Location: | BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 102 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, USAFE-AFAFRICA leverages Michigan Airmen for Airworthiness Assessments, by TSgt Tristan Viglianco, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
