WEBVTT

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- [Antonio Gonzalez] Airmen deployed to the 332nd

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Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron

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are currently repairing a damaged airfield

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that has been vital during operation Inherent Resolve.

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- So, this airfield has been used very heavily

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during the last few years here.

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So we've been flying a lot of sorties,

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giving ISIS a little bit of trouble.

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Keeping them up at night

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and so we need this to be able to sustain this operation.

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So the C17's, the C 1-30's, the coalition partners

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the 15's and the 16's they're flying

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hot and heavy out of this airfield.

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And our other runway at this location

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is actually about to go under construction

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so this one needs to be in great shape

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to handle that increased traffic.

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- [Antonio Gonzalez] The Civil Engineer Squadron

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is tasked with repairing 60 dilapidated slabs,

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replacing 1000 yards of concrete.

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No easy task, especially in this deployed environment.

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- We're a conglomeration of guard and active duty

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and on this job site, due to the lack of dirt boys around

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we have Ace Back, Power Pro, you name it.

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Plumbers out here and we're all working together.

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So, we came together as a team, we train together as a team

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and we're collating this project together as one.

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- [Antonio Gonzalez] In this day and age

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of fiscal constraint and making every dollar count,

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every one of us has been asked to go with less.

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And Civil Engineer Airmen are no exception.

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Yet, they remain focused and haven't lost sight

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of their primary mission.

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- [Airman] So this is the whole reason dirt boys exist

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in the airfield to repair damage to airfields,

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so this is why we're here and this is the best job

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you could ever ask for in the air force.

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It means a lot to all of us to make sure

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we get these planes back in the air.

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- [Antonio Gonzalez] Reporting from South West Asia,

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I am Staff Sergeant Antonio Gonzalez.