301 FW LRS warrior keeps mission moving

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Randall Moose
  • 301st Fighter Wing public affairs

The 301st Fighter Wing Logistics Readiness Squadron is responsible for the wing’s logistics planning, vehicle operations, vehicle maintenance, fuels, supply, and traffic management. Putting the right pieces in the right places ensures the wing can accomplish its mission—to train and deploy combat-ready Airmen—and it only happens because of the hard work from Airmen like Tech. Sgt. Shawn Bailey, 301 FW LRS special purpose vehicle maintenance non-commissioned officer in charge.

 

“I am responsible for ensuring all vehicle fleet maintenance and repair operations are completed safely, efficiently, and accurately,” said Bailey. “It may seem obvious, but quite literally nothing moves without our vehicles.”

 

Bailey and his team maintain a fleet of Material Handling Equipment such as trucks, forklifts, and heavy-duty tractors. Along with careful planning, Bailey explains a key to mission success in his fast-paced job.

 

“Be flexible… We can be called upon at a moment's notice to support a myriad of things either locally or overseas,” Bailey said. “[Knowing the scope of what needs to happen], we also get a sense of accomplishment from seeing what our work produces when we come together, almost in real-time.”

 

Bailey learned the military team concept when he enlisted into the Air Force Reserve in 2009.

 

“Like many, I had a few family members who served in the Air Force and I knew I needed to pay for schooling somehow if I wanted to go,” he said. “So, I joined the Air Force Reserve to take advantage of the educational benefits as well the ability to choose my base. I really didn’t want to be forced to move around and I wanted to avoid potentially being sent up north because I’m not a huge fan of the cold.”

 

Bailey, who has been with the wing for nearly 12 years, has also been able to complement his civilian career with his military career.

 

“On the civilian side, I still work within the automotive repair industry,” said Bailey. “However, instead of being in a shop and turning wrenches day after day, I work for a company that performs remote diagnostics and calibrations with factory OEM diagnostic software.”

 

Just as dynamic as the LRS mission set is, Bailey’s future plans also leave room for growth in his Reservist career.

 

“My next goal is to become a first sergeant because I want to be in the best position to help as many people in any way that I can,” said Bailey. “I want to ensure this current generation, and any future generations of Airmen, will have all the help and tools I can provide to ensure their success.”

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