MH-53 - Preflight

DJIBOUTI, Africa—Master Sgt. Terry Butterfield, a production superintendent, Staff Sgt. Laurence Shaw, a crew chief and Staff Sgt. Francisco Casimirlewis, a sheet metal craftsman from the 16th Helicopter Maintenance Squadron, examine a buckle in the metal frame of a MH-53 helicopter prior to takeoff to perform a mission on Jan. 14, 2003. The 16th HMXS works 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. The average workday is 12 hours to include mission planning, washing, re-fueling, inspecting, repairing, and servicing all systems of the MH-53 helicopters to maintain mission readiness. Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa service members are deployed to Camp Lemonier here to combat terrorism in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Hannen)