Aviano shows maintenance training to Romanian, Bulgarian airmen

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April 16, 2010
Staff Sgt. Julius V. Delos Reyes 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — In an effort to improve an already established military relationship, airmen from Aviano Air Base hosted a familiarization event with the Romanian and Bulgarian air forces April 12-16.

The purpose of the event was to provide a learning experience for the Romanian and Bulgarian airmen on how the 31st Maintenance Group trains and develops its airmen from the lowest rank to senior-non-commissioned-officer (NCO) level, as well as the base process on managing aircraft maintenance.

"They want to know how the U.S. Air Force can help them develop an effective training plan," said Air Force Master Sgt. Roberto Quizon, 31st Maintenance Operations Squadron Education and Training manager and one of the briefers during the event. "They are interested in the maintenance side on how we do business."

During the weeklong familiarization event, military personnel from the Bulgarian and Romanian air forces visited various maintenance units, including accessory, precision measurement equipment laboratory, fabrication, avionics, aerospace ground equipment, egress and fuels.

"The primary objective is to familiarize them in how we do our daily job," said Air Force 2nd Lt. Katie Brozena, 31st Maintenance Squadron Fabrication Flight commander. "What details go into training our NCOs to make them more proficient and well versed in their specialty? How do we fix broken fighter aircraft? What support systems do we have to manage maintenance and to meet our mission?"

According to Romanian air force Capt. Constantin Pecete, Royal Romanian air force Headquarters Fixed Maintenance officer, their mission, in addition to the maintenance NCO training program, is to develop a career for their NCOs and see what principles they can adapt to their air force.

"We are trying to buy new multi-role fighters, and with that, we have to adopt the training program because we can't maintain new aircraft with old principles of training," Pecete said.

"Familiarization events like this are necessary because it helps foster relationships with other NATO countries," said Air Force Maj. Malcolm Byrd, building partnership command strategist from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"Some (NATO countries) want to figure out how they can better operate with other NATO countries," Major Byrd said. "It is important so that when we become partner nations, we can work together as NATO allies. If we go to them, we know that the practices we use are also the ones they are using."

Brozena said the training event is also important since Romania and Bulgaria are part of NATO that accomplishes specific missions

"If we help improve a process for them, it helps the overall NATO goal," Brozena said. "While we are doing tours and briefings, we were also building a network, a relationship with our NATO counterparts."

Brozena also said the event went well from showing various maintenance organizations to providing them with necessary information.

"We were able to show them our maintenance back shops and different courses that influence our NCO training," Brozena said. "The overall feedback I received from them was extremely positive and beneficial. They enjoyed the visit."

Meanwhile, Pecete only has praise for the maintenance units here.

"I think they do a great job," Pecete said. "The maintenance is going great here. I hope that when we get home, we can adopt our training programs with theirs. We'll take some of the principles here and (implement) them to our regulations."