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POL: Behind the Scenes

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Courtney Witt
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  All eyes are on an F-15E Strike Eagle as it fires up on the flight line ready for flight. The roar of its engines echoes throughout the base and with a mighty charge the jet takes off into the sky. This mission would not be possible without the efforts of the 72 members of the Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants Flight of the 36th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

The 36th LRS POL flight is not only vital part of Andersen's mission but it is also a critical element of Air Force operations.

Andersen is home to the largest fuel storage in the Air Force with over 66 million gallons of fuel is stored here.

Fuel pipelines run from U.S. Naval Base Guam supplying the storage units here and then dispersed from to four pump houses around the base. Each pump house contains tanks that hold up to 420,000 gallons of jet fuel.

Tech. Sgt. Dan Rabideau and Staff Sgt. Shamas Dowsty, two members of Andersen's fuel laboratory, test a sample of jet fuel from each pump house before it is used for refueling.

Once the testing is complete and the pump houses are cleared to go, refueling trucks known as R-11's and R-12's are filled with more than 6,000 gallons of jet fuel.

Before fuel can reach the flightline, a daily function check is performed on the trucks verifying that it meets standards. Three people work together during the function check so that is done quickly and effectively. The key task during this check point is to make sure that clean, dry fuel reaches the flightline. Dry fuel is fuel without water mixed in. If water and fuel are mixed, it is rendered unsuitable for use in an aircraft.

A visual check is the only way to determine if the fuel is clean and dry, therefore a quart of fuel is taken from the tank and inspected through a glass jar. After inspection it is then determined if the fuel ready for use.

The R-11 or R-12 then heads out to the flightline where it is used to refuel transient aircraft which includes a wide range of cargo and fighter aircraft. The average refueling time can take anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple of hours depending on the aircraft.

The POL Airmen perform an indispensable behind the scenes support role that is never really appreciated until it's not available.