Maintenance ensures missile field efficiency

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Daniel Brosam
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The 741st Maintenance Squadron supports all maintenance activities affecting the base’s Minuteman III launch facilities and missile alert facilities.

The squadron plans and monitors production efforts of more than 300 maintenance technicians and conducts all ancillary and technical training, ensuring job proficiency and mission readiness.

The Mechanical and Pneudraulics Section performs periodic inspections on maintenance equipment, proofs loads to ensure equipment such as payload transporters exceed the required capabilities, and performs other necessary maintenance for equipment such as guided missile maintenance platforms, or GMMPs, slings and hoists.

“In addition, we fix a lot of other maintenance problems that may come up throughout the week,” said Senior Airman Daniel Valko, 741st MXS MAPS technician. “If there are any immediate fixes that need to be done, say for a transport erector, we go and fix them.”

Each day the section decides on inspection and repair teams for equipment coming due for maintenance. Items are inspected and tested based on their requirements whether monthly, annually or every couple of years.

“We basically make sure all the equipment is serviceable for teams to conduct maintenance in the field,” said Senior Airman Steven Navarro, 741st MXS MAPS team chief. “That can be anything as small as ropes or as large as semis.”

Valko said he feels his job is important and he enjoys making an impact on the base’s mission.

“I feel our position in the shop is second to the mission in the field because without us, they wouldn’t have their equipment working properly,” Valko said. “Without us it wouldn’t be as efficient and smooth.”

Navarro and Valko both said they love their job and enjoy working with the people in their unit.

“I like to think we’re like a family,” Navarro said. “We work with the same group every day and we’re with each other almost every day. Yes we’re at work, but a lot of the time it just feels like you’re hanging out with family and getting the mission done.”