Minot staff sergeant, Muskegon native, supports deployed civil engineer efforts in Southwest Asia

Photo By Capt. Daniel Delgado | Staff Sgt. Arvin Candelaria, an engineering journeyman, or engineering assistant, with the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, works on a CE project on the flightline for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia on May 8. He is deployed from the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and his hometown is Muskegon, Mich.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

05.15.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Arvin Candelaria is an engineering journeyman, or engineering assistant, with the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia.

He is deployed from the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and his hometown is Muskegon, Mich. On any day, Candelaria can be directing and performing civil engineering design, drafting, surveying and contract surveillance to support Air Force facility construction and maintenance programs for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. In his deployed duties, Candelaria helps in several on-going, multi-million dollar construction projects around the deployed base.

Candelaria also prepares manual and computer-aided design drawings, specifications and cost estimates for projects, his official Air Force job description states. He also develops, operates and maintains Geographic Information System modules and utilizes surveying technology to include the Global Positioning System. Additionally, he evaluates potential construction sites and performs field tests on soils, asphalt and concrete.

In supporting contingency operations, Candelaria is trained to develop bed-down plans to house personnel, aircraft and associated support functions, the job description further states. He also is trained to evaluate existing airfield pavements, lighting, navigational aids, markings and arresting systems. He can also perform recovery operations to include explosive ordinance reconnaissance, airfield damage assessment, minimum operating strip selection, rapid runway repair calculations and airfield marking procedures.

Furthermore, when developing engineering designs, Candelaria is trained to perform simple load calculations for horizontal and vertical construction and to act as a liaison between design, review, construction and using agencies. In performing drafting duties, he interprets rough engineering sketches to produce working drawings using manual and CAD techniques. He produces architectural, structural, civil, mechanical and electrical drawings and updates base comprehensive plans and maintains record drawings.

Candelaria's surveying skills, the job description states, allow him to conduct reconnaissance, site location, construction and mapping surveys while operating manual and electronic surveying equipment. He can also collect, convert and present field survey data for civil engineering projects and maintain equipment to do that job.

Also, as operations continue for the 380th ECES, Candelaria will possibly perform contract management duties. The job description shows that effort includes managing and inspecting construction and maintenance contracts and interpreting plans, specifications and other contract documents.

The 380th ECES is a sub-unit of the 380th AEW. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

• Date Taken: 05.15.2010
• Date Posted: 05.15.2010 01:26
• Story ID: 49711
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)