On January 5, a powerful blizzard swept through the region, dumping 16 inches of snow in a 24-hour period in St. Joseph. Despite the severe weather, the 139th Airlift Wing’s mission at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base had to continue. That’s where the 139th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) stepped in to ensure critical areas remained operational.
Over 15 members have assisted with snow removal, composed primarily of state employees along with some military and civilian personnel. These people have braved harsh conditions to clear snow from essential parts of the base, including the flight line and road ways.
The effort required teamwork across multiple units, with vehicle maintenance crews playing a crucial role in keeping snow removal equipment running.
“The last snow we got, the backhoe and big loader wouldn't start…it was so cold out, so they helped get the equipment started,” said Tech. Sgt. William Humble, production controller for the 139th CES.
Humble himself operated a backhoe, skid steer, and plow trucks to clear the flight line and parking lots. The backhoe was particularly critical in managing snow placement to ensure the snow piles would not hinder C-130 operations.
“They usually have to come in at the same time as the snow removal team,” said Capt. Michael Mathews, base civil engineer for the 139th CES referring to the vehicle maintenance shop. Additionally, coordination with the operations group and aircraft maintenance crews was necessary to move aircraft, ensuring that snow could be cleared.
The last snow we had, [crews] came out at 4:00 in the morning…we were done about noon,” said Mathews who also said that snow removal crews often have to leave their homes even earlier due to poor road conditions.
The team worked in -9°F temperatures, using a fleet of equipment that included plow trucks, skid steer, backhoe, road grader, front end loader, tractors, a large yellow pusher vehicle, and a snow blower truck.
The CES coordinated with security forces to monitor snow levels, and Mathews worked with wing leadership to determine if a delay for personnel reporting time was necessary.
“Usually by the time people see that AtHoc [basewide] message, the crew is already out there pushing snow,” Mathews said.
Even though winter is ending, CES’s work is far from over. Prolonged freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst and lead to potholes, which the CES is responsible for addressing. “[thawing] gives us an opportunity to see if there's any damage from the freezing,” Mathews explained.
“Our snow removal crew has up to 30 years of experience per operator and runs a seamless, organic operation,” said Sarah Caraway, 139th CES facility manager. “Each event is different and evolving, yet our crew faces it head on and does not miss a beat. The first event of this season was historic and firmly proved this crew’s experience and level of skill.”
Ultimately, the efforts of the 139th CES ensured the base remained operational despite record-breaking snowfall.
“We have to get that snow removed so we can get planes in the air,” Humble emphasized.
Mathews noted that the base received as much snow in one day as it would typically see throughout the entire season, but thanks to the team’s hard work, the mission pressed on without interruption.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2025 11:46 |
| Story ID: | 492613 |
| Location: | ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Pushing Through the Storm: CES at the Frontline of Snow Removal, by Michael Crane, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
